FLORIDA — I am deeply-affected by our loss of Dr. Agaton Pal because I knew him so well, and admired him.
He was one of my Silliman demigods — if I may use the term — a handful of Silliman veterans who, in my mind, perfectly epitomized the spirit of Christian discipleship in an educational setting.
He was an intellectual with wide breadth of knowledge and experience, yet, was so warm, humble, self-giving, honest, and sincere. There was never a time that I saw him with anything but a pleasant disposition and expression in dealing with others and something of value to share.
Everyone will have their memories of him to share in the celebration of his life. I would like to offer my own by using a specific episode that has stuck with me through the years and enriched my life in more ways than one.
I was a student in the mid-1960s attending one of the convocations at the Silliman Church. The speaker was Dr. Agaton Pal. He opened his address as follows: “When I was young, my ambition was to go to heaven. I soon gave that up when I found out that there was one prerequisite: I had to die first.”
Of course, the audience had a good laugh from that, and so did the dozens of congregations with whom I shared that episode in part as a way of spicing up my sermons after I graduated from Silliman Divinity School, and embarked on my long career as a UCC minister both in the Philippines and the United States.
I reflect on that episode now, and am convinced that in Dr. Pal’s mind, it was more than a witty speech opener.
I believe that he never gave up the “ambition”, if you will, of going to heaven. Except that he decided that the true prerequisite is that you have to LIVE first.
And LIVE he did. What a life of 94 years it was! It was no less than a gift through God to his fellow human beings. We are all so blessed for the life that was Agaton Pal.
And now, we all rejoice as he enters into the arms of the ever-loving Creator where he belongs and deserves to be.
To his children Aurora Montaño, Calinica Fe Roleda, Primepares, and members of his larger family, I wish you the best.
May you find comfort in remembering what he was to you, and pass those memories on to your descendants.
Grace, peace, and love all around.
Rev. Dr. Federico “Ed” Agnir
Retired minister
