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Fr. Dan McNamara: 70 years of reaching for the starsdate posted: 2009-06-30 08:59:43
By Roy Tristan Agustin
 Stars often seem like remote and distant things, unreachable except for a few who would strive to reach for them as best they could. Last June 23, members of the LS community celebrated the life of someone who has been doing just that all his life.
Rm. 201 of the PLDT-CTC Building at the LS campus gathered a small group of people as they laughed, sang, and shared a birthday meal with someone who many consider to be an iconic figure in the LS community. Fr. Daniel McNamara, SJ, celebrated his 70th birthday with fellow faculty, administrators and close friends, over some of his favorite dishes. The party was not just meant to celebrate the life and achievements of Fr. Dan, as he is called by his many friends, but also to re-launch the Fr. Daniel J. McNamara, SJ Endowment, a scholarship fund established to support physics students from the provinces.
 The celebration began at 12 noon with a mass at the Sacred Heart Chapel of the College. Fr. Dan shared a brief summary of his life, recalling that even as a boy growing up in Long Island, New York, he would be watching the stars. His interest in astronomy came along with an interest in the Jesuit vocation and, eventually, he would be able to accomplish both. He was assigned to the Philippines, where he would be initially be tasked to teach in the high school and work at the Manila Observatory. After further studies, he would teach Physics at the Loyola Schools, where he would eventually become the Chairman of the Physics department. Currently assigned to the Ateneo de Davao University, Fr. Dan noted that God has pointed the way in his life, and that ‘God does call and we are given the grace to answer.’
 The lunch at CTC 201 was a spread of Fr. Dan’s favorite cuisine which was, interestingly, Mexican. Mrs. Lourdes Sumpaico and Dr. Benjie Chan were the masters of ceremony as Fr. Dan was treated not only to lunch, but to song numbers and small presentations as well. A welcome address from Loyola Schools VP, Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng, expressed what many of the people present had already said to Fr. Dan in public: that they miss seeing him regularly in the LS campus. Ms. Jolly Morata of the Office of Admission and Aid then spoke briefly about the endowment fund, first by introducing the first beneficiary of the fund, Physics major Rafael Jumar A. Chu, of Tacloban City, then by reporting on the status of the current drive, where an additional P1.75M will be needed to perpetually fund the McNamara scholar.
 Mr. James Simpas and Sister Bubbles Bandojo serenaded Fr. Dan. Messages from Fr. Dan’s friends and loved ones from all over the world were gathered and presented to him during the lunch, courtesy of Ms. Gemma Narisma of the Manila Observatory. Other audio-visual presentations were also shown, some talking about Fr. Dan’s life as Jesuit, physicist, and athlete, others speculating on what Fr. Dan would have been if he weren’t the Jesuit he is. Even after the program finished, many people lingered to take photos and chat with Fr. Dan, perhaps because they knew he will be returning to Davao soon. Fr. Dan closed the celebration out with characteristic humility and poise, thanking his guests for their affection and love and sharing, accepting these as manifestations of Christ’s love to everyone.
The stars seem closer with people like Fr. Dan around. Happy 70th birthday, Fr. Dan!
Photos by Marla Andrada
For those who would like to honor Fr. Dan with a lasting gift dear to his heart through the Fr. Daniel J. McNamara Endowment Fund, please click here [PDF 300KB] to download a pledge form. For those who would like to make a donation online or in a foreign currency, please log on to www.ateneo.edu/giving, and indicate that your donation is towards the Fr. Daniel J. McNamara, SJ Endowment Fund, account number 111-079-080. For more information on the fund, you may get in touch with Ms. Jolly Morata of the Office of Admission and Aid, 4266001 local 5151 or 5158.
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