Remembering Fr. Robert J. Ronald

[Jackie07]

My encounter with Fr. Ronald started in an English conversation class offered free to the medical college where I was employed as a research assistant to the library director. The year was 1984 when I had applied for the graduate school of several universities in the U.S.

I have never met anyone so warm and accepting with such genuine smiles and obvious happiness. I was completed drawn to him. My speaking ability improved dramatically. Now I understand it was because of the 'natural language' approach. But he's the one that changed my perception of the English-speaking people in the world - the old impressions I had gotten from the Hollywood films on the screen, the capitalists on the news, the colonists in history books ...

So when I received his obitury and a card full of pictures of his life activies from his brother in Nevada, I was shocked and all the memory rushed back to me. The last time I received his e-mail was in the summer of 2007. He said he would say a prayer for my upcoming surgery. Indeed, I was very, very scared at the time - because I thought I was going to die from the Breast cancer recurrence some time soon.

He had posted many interesting articles on http://www.erenlai.com
'ren-lai' means 'human sound' as compared to 'tien-lai' which means heavenly sound. ['Lai' is also an ancient Chinese music instrument.]

When I found out about my brain tumor in 1990 - 6 years after I had known the so-called 'priest in a wheelchair', I was so grateful for God to have prepared me beforehand. Especially the time when I was in a wheelchair going through physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy (Fr. Bob's office is inside of the occupational therapy department of the General VA Hospital in Taipei.) Then more illnesses struck, just like his losing a leg after a car accident...

[Jackie07]

Here's the obitury. I believe you will get inspired as well after you've learned his life story:

Fr. Robert J. Ronald, S.J.

Fr. Robert J. Ronald (China Province, originally from CFN) died January 2, 2009 in Taipei, Taiwan at the age of 76. He was a Jesuit for 58 years and a priest for 43 years.

Bob was born in Martinez, Calif., on October 1, 1932. He attended the Jesuit School, Ballarmine Collage Prep in San jose, graduating in 1950. Influenced by one of his freshmen teachers, Mr. Albert Klaeser, S.J., soon to be assigned to China. Bob applied to the Society and was accepted into the novitiate on August 14, 1950. He had a strong desire for the missions and petitioned the Provincial to be sent on several occasions: “Even before I went to Ballarmine I felt attracted to the missions and that desire has remained with me in verying degrees since then.” His wish was granted and at the completion of his philosophy course at Mount St. Michaels in 1957, he followed in the footsteps of his former teacher to Asia. (Fr. Klaeser was later to become Bob’s superior in Taiwan.)

While in Hsinchu, Bob was stricken with polio in September 1958. [Jackie: at the height of the polio epidemic in Taiwan] He received a further setback when, while being prepped for orthopedic surgery, he suffered cardiac arrest and had to be cut open for doctors to resuscitate his heart. He made a slow and painful recovery, and returned to the U.S. for therapy at Warm Spring, Georgia. After two periods of strenuous therapy, he made a remarkable recovery and was assigned to Bellarmine Prep to teach public speaking and debate for a semester. All remarked on his constant good cheer and indomitable spirit. His attitude was reflected in his statement: “I am healthy. More healthy than before polio even, just limited in local motion, that’s all.” He was determined to go back to China and was able to resume his language studies in Taiwan in 1961. Theology studies were made in Baguio City, Philippines, 1962-66, and Bob was ordained a priest on May 9, 1965.

Bob returned to the States in 1968 and worked on a M.S. degree in Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of Arizona. He interned at hospitals in Phoenix and was able to get around in a van specially equipped with hand controls and a lift gate. He returned to Taiwan in December 1971 and took up a post as a consultant at the Veteran’s Hospital near Taipei, a position he held until he retired in January 2002. At the same time, he organized and led his own organization, Operation De-Handicap, to provide follow-up vocational counseling and referral services for the disabled. In addition to working with individuals, Bob produced manuals for those working with the handicapped and their families, taught classes and workshops, and gave presentations at international conferences on rehabilitation throughout the world. The organization’s philosophy stressed helping persons to help themselves and assume the ultimate responsibility for their own rehabilitation. The role of the family in the rehabilitation program was also stressed.

In 1974, Bob suffered major injuries in a head-on collision and remained in critical condition for some time. He was able to resume his work, but a year later, an infection set in and his left leg was amputated above the knee. Still, Bob remained undaunted, continued his work and was able to visit foundations and benefactors to support his organization, including a 13,000 mile van trip around the U.S. lecturing and raising money. He continued his writing, counseling, and teaching. His books went through many revisions and printings and were distributed gratis. Over the years the focus of Operation De-Handicap has shifted from those recovering from polio to those coping with other disabilities, especially muscular dystrophy. Bob also devised a computerized pictorial vocational interest inventory test for use with the retarded and those with limited literacy.

Over the years Bob has been recognized as a national authority on rehabilitation in Taiwan and has received government and private awards for his work. His work has been instrumental in bringing those with handicaps into the mainstream of society throughout Asia and will continue to do so in the future through the capable hands of Bob’s associates. He was well aware of the apostolic dimensions of his work. “Though I seldom have the occasion…to explicitly introduce God or the Church, my identity as a priest and as a Jesuit is nearly universally known and my motives respected.”

Bob will be remembered as well for his deep spirituality and persistence in adversity; he saw his physical setbacks as opportunities for service to others. In recent years, as his conditions worsened, he required the services of a full-time personal assistant to take care of his needs. His positive outlook and determination, however, remained constant. May he rest in peace.

Additional info for Bob’s obituary:
In 2003, Bob retired from more than 30 years of service at Taiwan’s Veterans’ Hospital and joined Kuangchi Program Service. There, he wrote and corrected English scripts for KPS productions. During his final years, he became a prolific writer of editorials, poems, and fables for the Jesuit monthly Renlai. Many of his writings can be found on the publication’s electronic website www.erenlai.com (http://www.erenlai.com/). Renlai plans to collect, edit and publish them in book form.

Bob’s kind and joyful disposition, his positive outlook, and deeply human spirituality made him an excellent spiritual director for a substantial number of Jesuits and lay people. Bob’s care provider of the last seven years claims that Bob changed his life through his kindness and patient companionship, always reaffirming and encouraging, never scolding, criticizing or complaining.

[schoolteacher]

Jackie,

He was a very inspiring man to have gone through the things that are discussed in your post. I really liked his statement "I am healthy," after his bout with polio.

Amelia

[Jackie07]

I agree. “I am healthy. More healthy than before polio even, just limited in local motion, that’s all.”


One statement he made which had helped me tremendously when I had just waken up from the semicomatose state after my brain surgery was: "Do somthing... Even if you can't move [your body, limbs], then just find something interesting to think about."


I did 'find something intersting to think about' while staying in my hospital bed in summer, 1990.


He also stressed for persons with disability to focus on their strengths and not weaknesses. "Nobody would say to himself: 'It's not a tragedy, I still have a pair of hands' when he has lost his legs; but it will be a tragedy if one mourns too much about his loss so as to neglect what he still has."

[Jackie07]

Thought I would bump up the inspiring story of Fr. Ronald again.

[Believe51]

Just read this again, what an inspiring person and such a well deserved obituary tribute.>>Believe51

[Liaidarutrica]

I think you are allowing people to take advantage of you.That is a bad thing.