When Fr William (Bill) McGarry SJ, 86, moved from the Jesuit Residence to the infirmary, he knew that this would most likely be his last assignment. When he was first asked by the Father Minister to consider the move, he was reluctant and asked for a day to think it through. Today, he resides at the Lucas Infirmary but continues his pastoral and formation work as a trusted companion, confessor and spiritual father to many.
Recently, he penned a reflection for Windhover, a magazine produced by Philippine Jesuit scholastics, in which he talks about his thoughts on his “last assignment” and how, despite diminishment for the aging and aged, Jesuit life is changed but never taken away. Within the infirmary and in old age, the six components of Jesuit life – contemplation, community, apostolate, poverty, chastity, and obedience – remain.
McGarry explains how these may be lived based on his experiences, saying, “You who are getting older or more sickly, please realize that superiors have a hard job. Resolve not to make it harder by resisting the assignment to the infirmary. I say assignment and I mean it. All of our assignments should be taken with a certain joy or something like that. Don’t do as I did. Don’t wait until you’re told. Listen, ask. Be available for this mission. Get out of the way. Don’t hold on. We say we don’t want to be put on the shelf but there really is no shelf. We remain men on a mission. There is work to do. So, in the aged or diminished, Jesuit life is not taken away but only changes.”
Originally from New York, Fr McGarry came to Asia Pacific more than 50 years ago. He spent 20 years in Micronesia, doing pastoral work in in Pohnpei where he was superior of the Pohnpei Jesuits (1970-1973) and later Regional Superior of Micronesia (1973-1980). In 1980, he moved to Manila to serve as President of the East Asia and Oceania Jesuit Conference until 1986. In the following years, he returned to Pohnpei twice to serve as Episcopal Vicar, was Rector of the Arrupe International Residence and Assistant Director of the Tertianship program in the Philippines.
Read his reflection on aging, entitled “Where Roses Fade and Brooks Are Too Broad”, here.