Faces of Father Duenas
A portrait of Father Jesus Baza Duenas seems to peer at Father Duenas Memorial School students attending a special Mass at St. Joseph Church in Inarajan Thursday, March 18. The entire student body of FDMS made an unprecedented trek to Inarajan in celebration of their school’s namesake, our heroic Chamorro priest who was beheaded by Japanese soldiers after standing strong against them during World War II. (Photo by Tony C. Diaz)

By Tony C. Diaz
The Pacific Voice Staff

It was an historic event honoring an historic, beloved clergyman of Guam.

For the first time in the 60-year history of Father Duenas Memorial School, the entire student body of the all-boys Catholic high school – some 400 strong – traveled to Inarajan Thursday, March 18 to honor and learn more about the heroic Guam priest they represent.

Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron was the main celebrant in a special Mass celebrated at beautiful St. Joseph Church in Inarajan, the last parish Father Jesus Baza Duenas served in before being killed by the Japanese during World War II. His remains are buried behind the church altar.

The school in Tai is named in honor of the late priest who courageously fought and died for the rights of our Chamorro people during the brutal Japanese occupation of Guam in World War II.

Born to Luís Paulino Duenas and Josefa Martínez Baza March 19, 1914 in Hagåtña, Father Duenas was the second Chamorro to be ordained a priest. The first was Monsignor Jose Palomo, who died in 1919.

Father Duenas was slain July 12, 1944 by Japanese soldiers. He was only 30 years old yet showed strong faith in God and tremendous courage and love for his Chamorro people.

The late Bishop Apollinaris Baumgartner established Father Duenas Memorial School in Tai, Mangilao in 1948, four years after Father Duenas’ martyrdom. FDMS opened October 1, 1949 as a school for young men and a minor seminary.  The school is built near the site of Father Duenas’ beheading and initial burial.

The recent pilgrimage to Inarajan by the entire FDMS student body helped strengthen students’ connection and understanding of their school’s historic namesake.

In addition to attending Mass, the students visited other historic sites related to the man and our history. They visited cultural center Gef Pago and listened to talks by leaders of Inarajan village.

“It was kind of overwhelming going to all the places that Father Duenas has gone through in the past,” said freshman Kevin Dionisio. “Every tour, everything that was said about it made me realize that this was a great man and today we honor him.”

“I really think that it helps us to think about how our school is and makes us more into our school,” agreed Rayden Tongson, another freshman.

“We actually get to get closer to him and we’re celebrating his life,” he said. “It really helps us to learn more about Father Duenas.”

Martin Santos, a Computer Science teacher, agreed the event was historic. “This was a good idea,” he said. “Nobody ever did this before.”

The true appreciation of Father Duenas’ impact in their lives and the lives of all people in Guam will probably not sink in until later in their lives, said Santos.

“I don’t think they’ll realize it until they get older and more mature a little bit as to the significance of who Father Duenas was and hopefully by then it will have an impact in their lives,” said Santos, a 1980 graduate of FD.

A large portrait of Father Duenas stood near the altar inside St. Joseph Church. A beautiful floral wreath rested nearby.

Family members of Father Duenas were special guests during the Mass and brought up the gifts during the Offertory. After Mass, several family members were invited toward the back of the altar where they placed the wreath atop the marker signifying where the remains of the courageous priest now rests.

The March 18 Mass was celebrated one day before Father Duenas’ 96^th birthday.

Archbishop Anthony, a 1964 graduate of Father Duenas, celebrated the Mass alongside members of the Salesian order of priests who assumed operation of the school last year. Fr. Vitaliano Dimaranan, Principal of FDMS was a concelebrant along with fellow Salesians Fr. Gerard Ravasco, and Fr Arvin Paz. Fr. Patrick Castro, OFM Cap., a teacher at the school; Fr. Nilo Torres, pastor of St. Joseph; and Fr. Hector Canon, pastor of nearby San Isidro, Malojloj, also concelebrated. Fr. Patrick Garcia, who also teaches at FDMS, led the choir.

“I am grateful for the administration for bringing you students here in this very sacred place where the remaining bones of Palé Duenas are buried in this sanctuary of San Jose Church,” Archbishop Anthony told the students in his homily.

The archbishop discussed the Beatitudes, specifically the passage, “Blessed are the meek, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the pure in heart.”

“We tend to remember the parts that reflect the lowest common denominator, the ‘Have a nice day’ goodness of our culture, the parts that go down easy like apple pie,” he said.

“But, we tend to forget the hot insides, the news that the poor and the persecuted are not only blessed, but will gain the kingdom of heaven. We forget that you are blessed when people revile you and utter evil against you, when they persecute you, when they kill you!” said Archbishop Anthony.

Archbishop Anthony told the FD men that people should not lean on the verse of the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth,” as a way to cower away from oppression and wrongdoing when they see it happening in the world.

“Thoughtful Christians must acknowledge that this one line is often twisted to keep workers from organizing unions, to keep wives from leaving battering husbands, to keep the oppressed from acting out in this world,” he said. “Unscrupulous preachers have promised the meek that their reward will come in the afterlife — as if the rest of the Sermon on the Mount ignores justice, which it does not.”

“(Father Duenas) was not afraid to confront the enemy for the injustices done to his people!” Archbishop Anthony said.

“Jesus relates the concerns of the afterlife to suffering on earth, and blessing to struggle in this life, in order to call us back to life in the here and now. If correcting injustice affects our blessing, we should be more, not less, concerned about it.”

“The Beatitudes are not about standing on the sidelines, doing nothing and waiting for God to clean up our messes. In the Beatitudes, Jesus gives the blessing to those who, like the peacemakers, who dare to mess with war. And Palé Duenas dared to mess with the war that was inflicted on his people. He gave his life for us!”