Fr. Pol Yazar, OMI joins his Creator

COTABATO CITY -  A hardwoking Oblate missionary who spent most of his religious life serving the people in the island provincies of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi has joined his Creator at past midnight today, May 16, 2020. 

Father Leopoldo Yazar, OMI died in his sleep at 12.38 a.m., May 16, at Bolduc Homes in Loyola Heights, Quezon City, according to Oblate Father Amador "Taddy" Castillo, OMI.

"He will be cremated soon," Father Castillo said of Fr. Yazar, more known as "Fr. Pol, OMI." He is 66 years old.

"Due to our situation, his body will be brought to St. Peter's to be cremated. Two Oblates and caregivers were with him when he died. Pol had been undergoing dialysis for 3 years now due to chronic kidney failure. Please include him in your mass intentions," Fr. Castillo said in a statement to fellow Oblates.

Father Yazar's last assignment was parochial vicar of the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace park parish in Caloocan City until May 2019.

Below is an article by Fr. Eliseo "Jun" Mercado, OMI about Fr. Pol:

Fr. Leopoldo Panis Yazar, OMI – RIP
March 25, 1954 – May 16, 2020

Fr. Pol’s joining the Oblate missionary was partly influenced by the OMI motto itself, “He has sent me to preach the Gospel to the poor; and the poor has the Gospel preached to them.”

This commitment of the Oblates to the poor and the most abandoned is very much concretized in the type of ministry they do and the area of mission they are in: schools in the remote barrios and islands, parishes at the country side, tribal ministry in Cotabato, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, work with the squatters and urban poor like in Bagong Barrio, workers and farmers, prisons and hospitals, and out-of-school youth apostolate, etc.

As an Oblate missionary, his almost 20 years of Oblate Missionary Life in the missions of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi was most significant experience. Working with the few Christians, and mainly with the Tausugs, Samals and Badjaos, (with the people of different faith) had deepened and strengthened his own faith and Oblate commitment. Travelling by boat from island to island: from Jolo to Siasi, from Bongao to Sibutu, to Tabawan, was just being true to the life of a pilgrim. With the uncertainty and insecurity of the sea coupled with the unpredictability of the weather, Fr. Pol committed his life in the hands of God (insha’ Allah!). Having experienced the small boat capsized for two or three times, and being adrift for a couple of times, he understood the meaning of risking one’s life in the service of the people and ‘to lay down your life for your friends.’

Fr. Leopoldo Yazar was born on March 25, 1954 in Cavite City to Leopoldo Yazar, Sr. and Conception Panis. He made his first profession on May 22nd, 1975 and he was ordained priest on March 23, 1980 and served the Vicariate of Jolo for almost 20 years. He was the Director of Notre Dame of Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi in 1981 and subsequently became the Director of Notre Dame of Tabawan from 1985 to 1989. He was in Batu-Batu Mission in 1998; Parish Priest of Bongao in 1999; he was in Siasi in 2002 and Cagayan Mapun in 2003.

He aslo served in the OMI Missions in the Archdiocese of Cotabato and Diocese of Kidapawan. He was Parish Priest in Datu Piang in 1989; and in President Roxas in 1992. He then was assigned as IRD Program Director based in Pikit in 2011. He also became the Parish Priest of Kulaman.

When his health was deteriorating, he was assigned to Manila, first at the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Caloocan City and later he stayed at the Bolduc Home for his health needs,

On another vein, Fr. Pol was very active in opposing Martial Law from the time of its declaration to EDSA People Power Revolution. He was a champion of Human Rights and Civil Liberties. All his Missionary Life, he was faithful in the service of the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized. He was a champion of Justice and Interreligious Dialogue!

Fr. Pol died at about 12:35 a.m. on May 16, 2020. Vaya a Dios! (ERM)