Fr. Nicomedes T. Yatco, SJ (1928-2015)

This is to inform you that FR. NICOMEDES T. YATCO, S. J. suffered cardiac arrest and died in The Medical City late this morning, December 8, 2015. Fr. Nick, 87, entered the Society on 30 May 1948 and was ordained a priest on 16 June 1962.

Wake: The wake is in the Oratory of St. Ignatius, Loyola House of Studies [Ateneo de Manila University campus, Loyola Heights, Q.C.]. Daily wake Masses start tomorrow at 8 p.m.

Funeral Mass: On Friday, 11 December at 8 a.m. in the Oratory of St. Ignatius, LHS.

Interment: Sacred Heart Novitiate Jesuit Cemetery, right after the Funeral Mass.

Notes of condolence may be sent to the family through his niece, Ms. Helen Asistio [hasistio@yahoo.com]. Fr. Nick had six siblings, only one them, a sister in the U.S., still survives him.

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(UPDATED) Biography of Fr. Nicomedes T. Yatco, SJ (1928-2015) 
By Sch. Amado T. Tumbali, Jr., SJ and Jonathan C. Baldoza 
Asst. Province Archivist

Father Nicomedes Yatco was born in Manila on August 24, 1928, to Alfredo Yatco and Jacinta Flores. He finished grade school at Ateneo de Manila, located then at Padre Faura, Ermita, in 1940. He was in high school when World War II broke out in 1941 which interrupted his studies. After the war, he finished his secondary education at Ateneo de Manila in 1948. On May 30 of the same year, he entered the Society of Jesus at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches, where he stayed as a novice for two years and continued with his Juniorate from 1950 to 1953. He spent three years studying Philosophy at Berchmans College, Lahug, Cebu City, obtaining A.B. and M.A. degrees. From 1956-1959, he was a regent at Ateneo de Manila where he taught Religion, Latin, and English. At the same time, he served as moderator of the Ateneo Catechistical Instructional League (ACIL). In 1959, he went to Weston College, Weston, Massachussetts, where he studied Theology and finished his S.T.B. degree. On June 15, 1962, he was ordained to the diaconate, and a day after, to the priesthood, at the Weston College Chapel, Weston, Massachussetts, by Richard Cardinal Cushing of the Archdiocese of Boston.

After his tertianship at Our Lady of Martyrs, Auriesville, New York, he spent two years studying Liturgical Music at the Pius X School of Liturgical Music in New York City, and on February 2, 1966, took his final vows as a Jesuit. Back to the Philippines, Fr. Nick taught first Liturgy and Music at Loyola House of Studies, then Theology at Ateneo de Manila from 1968 to 1980. He took his expertise to the south of the country when he moved to Cagayan de Oro City and taught at Xavier University from 1980-1987, where he also served as chairperson of the Religious Studies department for six years. He was next assigned to Ateneo de Zamboanga, teaching Theology in college from 1987 to 2013 and serving as chairperson of the Department of Theology from 1991 to 1999. Aside from his teaching assignment, he was also the Jesuit Residence’s House Consultor and House Librarian. He continued teaching in college, particularly courses in Religious Studies, until 2013. All in all, he spent 34 apostolic years in Mindanao.

In 2014, he came back to Manila and stayed with the Jesuit community at Lucas Infirmary, Loyola House of Studies. On the morning of December 8, 2015, Fr. Nick died of cardiac arrest at The Medical City in Pasig at the age of 87.