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| Fray Gregorio Lima Hontomin, OP (1909 - 1982) |
Gregorio Andres Lima Hontomin (1909 - 1982) was born on November 21, 1909 in the barrio of Savidug of the small island town of Sabtang, in the province of Batanes to Angel Hontomin and Anatolia Lima who were both farmers as most of the people in Sabtang were. He was the eldest of 6 children. His siblings were Bienvenida, Emilia, Evaristo, Juana Bibiana and Jorge. His parents were devout Catholics and were among the respected leaders of their town.
The scenic Batanes group of islands holds two distinctions: it is the northernmost and the smallest province of the Philippines in terms of population and likewise, a point of entry as well as exit of tropical typhoons which make the people resilient in taming the wind. It was the Dominicans who pioneered in the evangelization of the habitable islands of Batanes.
Sabtang, the island where Gregorio came from, is known for its baskets and for its boats. He could have developed his talent as a handy-man from his exposure to these trades while growing up in the island. The tranquility and natural beauty of Sabtang's land and seascapes could have also influenced Gregorio's quiet, simple and humble personality.
Around 1930’s, when Gregorio was at his twenties, he came to Manila and found work at San Juan de Dios Hospital which at that time was in Intramuros. It was probably here where he was recruited by a Dominican to become a cooperator brother.
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Sabtang Light House: The stillness of the landscape
could have influenced Bro. Gregorio's personality |
It was on March 19, 1936, solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary when Gregorio arrived at the Priory of St. Albert the Great in Rosaryhill, Hong Kong. He was turning twenty seven years old at that time. The following day, March 20, he was formally received to the Dominican order and commenced his formation as a lay cooperator brother. His entrance that day, earned for him the distinction of being the first Filipino to be accepted at Rosayhill and the first Filipino Dominican lay cooperator brother.
On January 2, 1938, Bro. Gregorio professed his temporary vows and six years later, in January 1944, his perpetual vows.
While assigned at Rosaryhill, he became an all-around and always on-call handy man of the community. He was an expert on all sorts of technical and manual work. He amazed the entire community with his genius in fixing things. When assigned to cook food for his brethren, he would do it with much love and diligence that it was easy for the brothers to know if it was him who prepared the food or not. He would also make himself available to take care of the sick brothers brought in the infirmary.
He played a major role in the transfer of the pipe organ of the St. Albert the Great Priory's chapel to Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City in 1954. Because of his genius in fixing anything that needed repair, he dismantled the instrument and almost single-handedly reinstalled it in Sto. Domingo.
When the Dominican House of Studies in Hong Kong was closed down in 1959 and was transferred to Sto. Domingo in Quezon City, he was sent to the University of Santo Tomas where he would spend the entire second-half of his close to 50 years of service as a professed Dominican. As director of the UST Hospital’s General Services Department, he exhibited extra-ordinary passion, ingenuity and diligence in fulfilling his work. He was not just good in repairing broken hospital apparatus, but also in inventing various kinds of equipment to the benefit of the patients and healthcare personnel.
The respect and admiration he received from the personnel of the hospital did not prevent him from reaching out to the needy patients of the hospital and to the poor families around the University. He would give whatever kind of assistance to the patients, and would go around the vicinity in the afternoon distributing bread, especially to street children. He possessed a very kind, humble and charitable heart.
Such extra-ordinary life of dedication and service did not go unnoticed that on May 9, 1977, he was conferred the Papal Award Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice for his outstanding service to the Church.
On July 6, 1982, Bro. Gregorio was found leaning on his table after he collapsed while fixing some watches and some other apparatus that were entrusted to him for repair. He was rushed to the hospital. But before six in the evening, Bro. Gregorio was pronounced dead at the age of 72. What a peaceful and serene way of passing on to the next life. Quiet and unnoticed.
But he will always be remembered for his exemplary life and his multitude of talents which he used well in the service of the Church and the Dominican Order.
Ever since Bro. Gregorio’s death, the possibility of opening the cause for his beatification would always surface in all the Provincial Chapters of the Dominican Order in the Philippines, which shows his reputation for holiness and the high regard and esteem he enjoyed from his confreres in the Order.
Though he did not write any spiritual treatise, the testimonies of those who knew him personally and those he had contact with in his many years as a Dominican could attest to the fact that Bro. Gregorio could be a man of few words but spoke eloquently through his life of service and witness as a Dominican religious for 46 years.
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Bro. Gregorio was Director of
UST Hospital's General Services |
In his homily at Bro. Gregorio’s Requiem Mass, Fr. Garcia-Solis, prior of the University at that time, has this to say about the Dominican cooperator brother: “To the end of his days he was repairing watches and making rosary beads. He was a real, living, vital and charitable “General Service Department.”
He was "never heard speaking ill of anyone, he lived in silence and humility, prayer and charity, in obedience and in service." Bro.Gregorio passed on to the next life without disturbing anyone. Truly in both life and death, Bro. Gregorio only belonged to God.
Fr. Peter Galvin, OP who was formerly Assistant to the Master of the Order of Preachers for Asia Pacific Region in his Canonical Visitation of the University of Santo Tomas recalls his meeting with Bro. Gregorio: “It is in that visitation that I come to know something of the marvelous and outstanding qualities of Bro. Gregorio…. It was during my visitation interview with him that I began to realize that I was sitting in the presence of an extra-ordinary man. His humility was obvious; his sanctity, palpable; and his charity a living lesson of grace. He was not well that time, and I had offered to interview him in his room at the hospital but he insisted on coming to me. His fortitude and will power came through me strongly.”
Hopefully, heaven will acknowledge and reward Bro. Gregorio's silent and humble witness through his glorification here on earth as a saint.
Rev. Fr. Louie Coronel, OP is currently the Promoter of the Beatification and Canonization Causes in the Dominican Province of the Philippines. As of the moment, the province is exploring possibilities to advancing the recognition of Bro. Gregorio Hontomin’s sanctity.
References:
A Biographical Sketch of the Life and Ministry of Bro. Gregorio Hontomin, OP. retrieved from file:///C:/Users/Jane%20Doe/Downloads/Phildom%202019.08%20August%20(1).pdf on July 3, 2020.
Bro. Gregorio Hontomin, OP (1909 – 1982) retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/SantisimoRosarioUST/posts/bro-gregorio-hontomin-op-1909-1982on-march-19-1936-bro-gregorio-hontomin-op-a-na/941936429301920/ on June 27, 2020.
Bro. Gregorio Lima Hentomin, OP: A Wonderful Dominican Cooperator Brother retrieved from https://www.dcfvanguards.com/bro-gregorio-lima-hontomin-op-a-wonderful-dominican-cooperator-brother/ on June 28, 2020.
Remembering Bro. Gregorio Hontomin, OP retrieved from http://digitallibrary.ust.edu.ph/cdm/pageflip/collection/boleccledef/id/13371/type/compoundobject/filename/print/page/download/start/1/pftype/pdf on June 23, 2020.
Photos: CTTO
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