Memories of Fr. Bruno
by Ely Yap
I
have come to believe that my coming to Boston was providential. God planned it all. This is what Fr. Bruno said in his letter of
May 2001. (the first time I applied
for a U.S. Visa, which was denied)... “But I was disappointed to learn
that the U.S. consul refused your petition for visitor’s Visa, and yet delighted
that you can see God’s will in that decision.
It can only be that the Visa will be granted when it is the
best thing for your soul and those of your loved ones.”
Fr. Bruno’s prophetic words happened.
My second time to request a Visa was granted in December 2001. Primarily my purpose was to visit a very good
friend, my Godfather, who is very ill, supported by Fr. Paul Fohlin’s e-mail
letters to “friends of Fr. Bruno”.
As soon
as I received my Visa, I told Fr. Bruno of the good news, right away, now
residing at Marist Hill. I said, “I
am coming to visit you”. He answered,
“Very good, yet you will be disappointed”, simply I said “no”,
without knowing before hand, how I will react when I found that a relative
is living in the same place where Marist Nursing Home is located! I was crying with joy, thanking God for his
goodness, God’s ways are so amazing. I
arrived at Logan Airport January 1, at 5:00 p.m., since my nephew would be
arriving on a later flight (7:30 p.m.) from Arizona, I asked Fr. Bruno, what
to do? He told me to come ahead, and
that he will be in the dining room for supper.
So I took a cab, told the driver where I am going, (I really didn’t
know where Waltham is) thanks to God. It
was already dark. I arrived at the
nursing home safely. Just to let you
know that Fr. Bruno made a wise decision because my nephew’s plane was delayed
and he was unable to pick me up till 11:30 p.m.
The night staff were very kind to let me stay late at Father’s room.
The
memories are written, as I pray to please dear God, help me to recall the
precious moments you allowed me to spend with Fr. Bruno beside his sick bed.
I am very much touched by his profound humility and childlike simplicity.
St. Therese is his model saint. His
brother-in-law said it right, he is honest, sincere, thoughtful, patient,
obedient, plus many other virtues; the greatest of all is his love. God is love and God is with him. I have experienced God’s love through his good
deeds and affectionate ways. He’s
very quiet and never complains, always concerned of others despite being helpless.
No doubt his caregivers served him with joy and he was very much loved
by all. Whenever asked how he is, he would humbly reply,
“I am in God’s hands”, or say, “I am poor and God loves the poor”. One morning he asked me to tell the nurse that
he needs morphine, for the pain in his left arm. I said, “Please avoid morphine if possible, perhaps Tylenol will
help”; his voice raised a little bit and said “people think I am perfect,
and I am not.” Then, he told his nurse,
“Ely thinks I will be addicted to morphine.”
His
television was on most of the time, his means of getting distracted probably
from fears and anxiety of seizure attacks.
Nevertheless, I believed he was not afraid to die, and was happy to go
home. He couldn’t wait to tell of good
news about people who had died, that they are “lucky”. This reminds me of his letter in March 2001,
and I quote, “I think it is a wonderful grace to have the ‘eerie feeling’
you mention, because then one can practice a bit on how to think and how to
speak to God when the time to depart this world is approaching, and one has the
extraordinary grace to know it. But
over the past few years I’m more than ever convinced that what St. Therese
foresaw for herself, is true of everyone.
One is not at rest in Heaven, while there are still people in this
world, but in Heaven everyone is busy helping souls still on earth, to reach
heaven. So if I keep busy now I won’t
have to interrupt that busyness once our Lord calls me to Himself. And when He does I do want you to be
very, very happy for me.”
However,
death was beyond our conversation, my faith tells me, that for God nothing
is impossible. Miracles do happen,
if He wills and I was hoping and praying for it.
One evening he made a deep sigh, I asked him what it meant, and he
gently answered “weary”. Amidst his
sufferings he never lost his sense of humor.
His memory was great, especially remembering names, one of his many
endearing ways. Fr. Bruno loved chocolate
ice cream, scoaped and served in small portions, anything chocolate was his
favorite. Concelebrating at the daily
Mass, whether awake or dozing was the highlight of his day.
In
July 2001 he wrote, “please don’t worry about me Godchild (by the way, he is
my real Godfather in baptism and confirmation) but please do keep me in your
prayers, and ask others to pray for me also.
Children’s prayers, they say, are very powerful. What do I want from God? Only the grace
to do his will perfectly and to be able to thank Him for everything no matter
what happens to me.”
In
conclusion, allow me to quote this lovely sentiment I received from a sweet
and holy lady: ”No time on earth is long enough to share with those we love
or to prepare our hearts for goodbye. May
time soften the pain until all that remains is the comfort of memories and
the love... Always the Love.”
May
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel bring him quickly to Heaven, now gazing at the beatific
vision of our dear God, together with all the angels and saints in heaven.
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We want to salute these angels who were so good to Fr. Bruno during his last months at Marist Hill: Ely Yap, Sister Sylvia, and Irene Caldwell. Also thanks to Jo Jo for driving Ely back and forth to the nursing home daily. I'm sure Fr. Bruno is praying for you all very much! Also, thank you to the friars who were so kind to him and his caregivers and other visitors. Although he was helpless, the was surrounded by love.
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