It was truly a sad day for many Mangaldanians when news of Msgr . Segundo Gotoc's passing on was announced .
Msgr. Segundo Gotoc shown as a young priest and in his retirement years .
Anna Marie Cera Palma pays tribute to Msgr . Gotoc in her following write-up :
Save The Last Dance For Me
By Anna Marie C. Palma
Msgr. Segundo B. Gotoc succumbed to heart failure at dawn on December 18. He was 77 ." How can a priest die ?" Bishop Soc asked . No, he can't . " A priest called by God is forever ", he said . I firmly believe him . This is our faith , after all .
I saw Msgr. Gotoc last on the eve of his death . The Mangaldan Central School Teachers Club ( MCSTC ) officers and members paid him a visit that night and sang him Christmas carols . It was to be his last laugh .It was to be his last dance . Yes , he laughed and danced with us .
Msgr. Gotoc , the priest, would always have a distinct place in my life . When he was the parish priest of the town , I was recruited to the Children's Choir . I was 9 years old then. I looked up to him as a father and he never failed me . He would often task me to lead Marian processions dressed as an angel .I felt special . Later on , he gave me a prayer book he used when he was still in the high school seminary . It was one of his prized possessions which he gave up for me . Now , it comes handy when I teach my two little boys how to pray . It is now one of my prized possessions .
He figured in most phases of my life . He was at my wedding . He attended the baptisms of my two sons .
The night before he passed on to eternity was a mystery in itself . It was the last day of the MCSTC's three- day caroling . He was first on our list that night . We hired two vehicles for the trip . Our group went ahead to Msgr. Gotoc's place as the other group was still waiting for another member to arrive . It took almost half an hour for us to realize that the person the other group was waiting for was with us all along . This , however , proved to be providential .
I had enough time to catch up on different matters with the Monsignor . He was my biggest fan . He maintained subscription to the Pangasinan Sentinel and would always look forward to reading my Flashcards column . It has been months since I last wrote . He asked me when I would be writing again . I promised him I would dedicate my next column to him . I am now keeping my promise . Sadly , he would not be able to read it anymore .
We later sang carols for him . We had a wonderful time . I told him that I expect to see him on the 19th at my Uncle Sam's ( Samuel Cera ) 40th day Commemorative Mass . He smiled and said , " I can't promise . "
And yes , he danced . He danced with me ..
He could have been the father who would have the first dance with the bride . But it was not meant to be . In the end , however , he saved the last dance for me .
Condolence to the family of the late Msgr. Segundo Gotoc! Indeed, it is a sad moment as he was a close friend of my family and the people of Mangaldan. To a lot of people in Mangaldan, he was synonymous to the church as he touched the lives of many. He was a constant fixture in my family’s gatherings and activities throughout the years. I sincerely pay tribute to him as my dear friend and mentor during my years in Mangaldan either at the helm of Knights of Columbus, politics and even my lovelife. I will surely miss his presence and those times he calls at home even during the night to check on me, give me advices and bring matters to my attention. In 1995, a week before my father died, in my presence and a few others, he entrusted me to Msgr. Gotoc in a party in Brgy. Gueguesangen and I had to hold my tears as he lovingly recounted that moment as he spoke during my father’s necrological services.
I will light a candle as I pray for the eternal repose of his soul. He will forever be and lovingly remembered!
Posted by: Philip Fabia | December 29, 2009 at 07:22 AM