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The Daily Herald announced that today, Monday, March 31, a memorial service marking the passing of Father Danilo “Dan” Pastor will be held at Sacred Heart Church in The Bottom at 7:30pm, simultaneously with a mass to be held in Aruba by the gathered clergy of the Diocese of Willemstad.
Saba’s resident priest for 12 years passed away Wednesday, March 26, in Aruba, where he was recuperating from heartrelated health problems. Father Robert “Bob” Johnson of St. Maarten will preside over the mass in Saba. Transportation for parishioners from the various villages is secured with buses leaving Lower Hell’s Gate at 6:30pm. Tributes will commence at 7:00pm, followed by mass at 7:30pm.
(Voltaire Simons photo)
Born May 19, 1954, in the province of Bicol, Philippines, to mother Gertrudez A. Pastor and the late Juan E. Pastor, Father Dan was the fourth child out of 12. He was ordained November 29, 1984, and served as resident priest in St. Eustatius for a year before he became the resident priest of Saba in 2002.
Father Dan leaves behind his mourning mother, six sisters and two brothers.
Commissioner Chris Johnson’s wife Marvi, a Filipino native, extended the following words on behalf of the grieving family and the Filipino community on Saba. “He was one of the most revered members of the Filipino community in Saba. He will be greatly missed by all of his friends and family, especially those of us in the Filipino community.
We would also like to extend our condolences to his many friends on the island. The family would like to thank all of those in the Saban community who have shown their support in this time of great loss,” Johnson wrote.
Father Dan is best remembered on Saba not just for his spiritual role and his humble service but also for his athletic vigour. He was passionate about martial arts and used to give lessons to many Saba youth. He loved to play tennis and basketball. He even organized regular basketball games. He enjoyed boxing and often invited friends to come over and watch fights with him. In this way he brought many young Sabans close to the church and encouraged many to join as altar servers.
Fr. Dan will be greatly missed, words are not enough to express our loss, his thoughtfulness is beyond compare. We shall miss his usual visit everytime he comes home in Bicol. The last time he was around, he took his time visiting sick friends and relatives and offered them his healing “hilot’ ( a native word for therapeutic massage ) . He is known in our community as a loving priest with lots of sense of humor! I will remember him as an enabling God’s servant – the day he was ordained as a priest remains to be one of the joyous and grace-filled ocassion I had ever in my young days! Thank you Fr. Dan, our pride , our first ever priest in the family and in our parish, St. Dominic of Guzman, Matacon, Polangui, Albay! Sleep tight and enjoy God’s loving embrace…….