By Vincent D’Silva
JOHOR BAHRU : Religious and laity, young and old, filed into the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on June 15, to bid farewell to a familiar, revered, figure who had departed this vale.

Fr Bernard Binet died of colon cancer in the early morning hours of June 10 at the Johor Specialist Hospital. He was 81 years old.

Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing, SJ, was the principal celebrant at the funeral Mass assisted by Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, Archbishop Emeritus Soter Fernandez, Bishop Emeritus James Chan, Msgr Sebastian Francis, Frs Anthony Ng, James Rajendran and the Regional Superior of the MEP Fr Michael Arro.

Forty-two priests from Malaysia and Singapore and MEP priests from Singapore concelebrated. Deacon Cyril Mannayagam assisted at the altar.

Msgr Sebastian Francis, in his homily, described Fr Binet as a “disciple of Jesus whom we have come to love and we are here to celebrate the fulfillment of His revelation lived in the life of this man.”

He said we are not going to miss this opportunity to proclaim God’s fidelity to Fr Binet for the 81 years of his life as a human person and for the 57 years of his life as a priest of God.

Msgr Francis pointed out that Fr Binet was a friend to many and he made relentless efforts to reach out to people, their families with constant visitation to the homes.

“Many Catholics related incidents of how till the very end Fr Binet continued to reach out to so many people. He was indeed a shepherd who knew his sheep.”

He said that Fr Binet was like an elder brother to so many priests and was also like a father to the younger ones, adding that “indeed we priests will continue to keep this flame alive and pass it on.”

He also called on the young people to follow his exemplery life, a life worth imitating and following, a life of total dedication to his Lord and Master and to God’s people and to the Church.

Msgr Francis stressed that as a priest, Fr Binet was obedient, compliant to bishop, superior and one who had dedicated his entire life to the missions and the Eucharist.

Touching on the reading of the day, Msgr Francis said, “We are called to be the salt of the earth. We are called to imitate this man of faith. And we become salt to give that flavour and that added taste to life.”

Later Fr Michael Arro, regional superior of the MEP, delivered the eulogy. Fr Arro said Fr Binet was much loved by priests and many families with whom he kept close contact. He was an energetic and dynamic missionary available for the service of all.

Fr Arro went on to say that Fr Binet loved motorcycles and was an expert on cars. He had travelled all over the country and had close friends in many places.

“He even wanted to compete in a Grand Prix in Johor Bahru but because of Archbishop Olcomendy’s objection, obedient Fr Binet called it off. He liked to drive and among his confreres he was called the chauffeur,” he quipped. Fr Arro added that in spite of his many falls from his motorcycle, he was ready to continue his journey to carry out his pastoral work with missionary spirit.

After the funeral Mass, his body was taken to the Tiong Hua crematorium for cremation. His ashes will be interred at the columbarium at the Church of St Mary, Air Salak, Melaka.