Fr. Ben Nebres’ ‘crossroads’

Growing up in the shadow of World War II, in a small town with a simple upbringing, young Bienvenido “Ben” Nebres learned early that life was difficult and he would do well to spend less time complaining and more time finding solutions. So find solutions he did.

In his memoir “At the Crossroads of Church and World,” to be launched by Anvil Publishing this Saturday, Dec. 5, Fr. Ben Nebres, SJ takes us through the formative years of his childhood and education, and the harrowing martial law years as he played a pivotal role in the revolution and rebuilding of a wounded nation.

His quest to close the poverty gap in the Philippines by way of math, science and education guided him through his years as Ateneo de Manila University president and led him to a National Scientist award.

In his 18 years as Ateneo president, Fr. Ben helmed the transformation of the Arts and Sciences into the four Loyola Schools and the establishment of the Schools of Government and Medicine and Public Health.

His national legacy is building up, together with colleagues, our country’s science and technology manpower, through a consortium in math, physics and chemistry, starting from the 1970s upon his return from Stanford University, to the Engineering and Science Education Project during President Corazon Aquino’s administration.

As Jesuit provincial in the 1980s, Fr. Ben navigated the delicate path of reform in helping the country transition from dictatorship to democracy, following Catholic social teaching and nonviolence, counseling President Cory, Jaime Cardinal Sin and Antique Gov. Evelio Javier, and bridging young and old activists yearning for justice.

As president of Xavier University in the 1990s, Fr. Ben resolved a conflict with urban poor occupants so the school could develop the land for faculty and staff housing. He and his team reconciled the different worlds of the wealthy and the needy, business and urban poor, and achieved a feat no less miraculous than Edsa I.

I first met Fr. Ben in the mid-1980s, when I was a math undergraduate. Some of my best teachers were his students, fruits of the consortium previously mentioned. Since 2000, we taught a high-level problem-solving course for top students.

Our students are astounded that Fr. Ben does not have a bachelor’s degree in math: He only taught himself college math by reading textbooks, asking teachers for help, and solving all the problems in the books.

Fr. Ben served in academic and corporate boards. Today, he continues his mission for the underprivileged, through Gawad Kalinga, the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (working with over 400 public schools), Synergeia (working in more than 300 municipalities, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao). He continues to inspire young people to establish social enterprises to aid the most vulnerable Filipinos.

Fr. Ben mentored me in happy and difficult times. In turn, I featured him in columns and talks, and when these became sources in his Wikipedia entry, I realized that without meaning to, I have become his de facto biographer.

Many people ask when Fr. Ben would write about his life.

Last year, in the span of a single two-hour chat, as Fr. Ben and I discussed funding for Marawi water systems, our country’s international test rankings, young people’s mental health, it hit me that Fr. Ben does not have the luxury of a writer’s retreat to do his memoirs.

So early this year, I offered to help him streamline his works for publication, and at the book launch, Fr. Ben (with special guests) will share insights on education, science, reform, society via livestream on Anvil’s website.

Deeply inspiring, “At the Crossroads of Church and World” is the story of a man and his unwavering love for the country and the God that he serves.

Get “At the Crossroads of Church and World” on the National Book Store or Anvil Publishing sites. Join us for the livestream launch via Anvil’s Facebook page this Saturday, Dec. 5, at 2:00 p.m.

Queena N. Lee-Chua is with the board of directors of Ateneo’s Family Business Center. Get her book “All in the Family Business” on Lazada and as ebook on Amazon and Google Books. Contact the author at [email protected].