Located along
The house was built shortly after WWII and has indeed earned its place in Philippine history. For many years, it has also been the home of Rev. Fr. James Reuter, SJ, one of the oldest living Jesuit in the
Many of his former students will remember him as the talented director of many stage plays presented by the Ateneo. Some of these are Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado, Christopher Fry’s The Lady’s not for Burning, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s
He taught many of us how to sing in four voices – bass, tenor, baritone, alto and even young grade school students capable of reaching high notes how to sing soprano. Indeed, he is the backbone of the Ateneo de Manila University Glee Club.
Now, the place that he called home for more than 40 years has been offered up for sale by the
Broadcast location of Radio Bandido
During the People Power Revolution in 1986, the Xavier House became the secret broadcast location of Radio Bandido’s June Keighley who monitored developments in EDSA. She was of course, under the direction of Fr. Reuter who was the frontrunner of Radio Veritas.
Conversion into a shopping mall
There are conflicting stories about the sale of Xavier House. A report made by the Philippine Daily Inquirer stated that the sale has been consummated with SM Group as
the buyer. If true, SM will no doubt be demolishing Xavier House to give way to another shopping mall.
However, Fr. Jose Magadia, S.J. who is head of the
But what can an old priest do? He has a vow of obedience and must comply with orders given by his superiors.
Latest clarification from Fr. Magadia, S.J.
In its issue of 31 March 2009, the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) ran a front page article on the ‘sale’ of Xavier House that demands some clarifications, not only because of its misstatements of fact but also on account of the innuendoes and implications it fosters.
1. The article falsely claims that a done deal has been made between the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus and the SM Group for the purchase of the Xavier House property. The Provincial and Province Treasurer are quoted as denying this; but a source from the SM Group (conveniently left unnamed) is produced to state the contrary. In no uncertain terms the article adopts the latter as the correct version. This is not true. The Province has had no contact with the SM Group, has not even gotten to the point of putting the Xavier House property up for sale.
2. The PDI article also tends to misrepresent the whole issue as if it were nothing more than a money-making scheme. It brushes aside the reality that the Province is in real financial straits, exacerbated by the ongoing world financial crisis. The rising costs of medical care for our senior and infirm Jesuits and formation for our younger men have taken a toll on province resources. These resources are dedicated to almost a third of Philippine Jesuits who are in formation, and an even bigger group of some 110 who are over 70 years of age, 61 of whom are 80 and above. Along with this, the Province also has to support other works that are not self-sufficient. It is unfortunate that people do not realize that the Province is not Ateneo de Manila or
3. Fr. James Reuter, with whom I spoke this morning, is very much dismayed at and disturbed by the PDI article. He lamented the distortions it presented and the picture of him and of the Jesuits that the article unfairly painted. Father Reuter continues to affirm that the Society of Jesus he entered almost seventy-five years ago has always cared for him and will continue to do so to the end. He well knows that despite all difficulties, the Philippine Province remains committed to make sure that all our Jesuits in our different communities are provided for and attended to.
JOSE C. J. MAGADIA, S.J.
Provincial