FR BEN NIEUKEY (1933 -2009)
Fr. Dr. Benedict Nieukey, or Fr. Ben, (as he was lovingly
known by all), was a gentle, peace loving man who lived his life on earth to
the full.
Although he could have been a
great doctor, or a great pofessor or even a musician, (he was all these and
more) he chose to become Christ’s humble apostle, following in his Master’s
footsteps, finally becoming a priest after receiving his calling to the Holy Orders.
He was highly educated, with a string of degrees, a
Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Botany, a PhD in Clinical Psychology. He
started his working life as a La Salle Brother, trained as a teacher in St. Joseph ’s College in Penang .
Later on he joined the Seminary and was ordained in 19 ...( Later he worked as a Lecturer at
University Sains Malaysia in
Penang and was appointed as the Chaplain for
the USM students. During his tenure at the USM, he also practiced his clinical
Psychology. )
After he resigned his lectureship, he became a full-time
diocesan priest. In this humble position, he served in many parishes in the
Diocese of Penang: in the Church of St.Louis Taiping, Christ the King, Sungei
Petani, and in March 1986, he was posted as Parish Priest to Our Lady of
Fatima, Kota Bharu, and finally in 1991 he was posted as the Chaplain for the
Sisters of the Poor in Penang He remained Chaplain to the Home until he called
to the Lord on 24th May 2009.
It was during his 5 years(1986-1990)in Kota Bharu, that I
got to know him and my memories of that time is still fresh in my mind. Alex Poh was the PC chairman then and he
roped me in to start the Parish Newsletter in August 1986. Fr. Ben would
faithfully write the Monthly Message from the Parish Priest in which he would
share his thoughts and he wrote always to motivate the parishioners.
Fr. Ben was a truly humble priest – a man for all seasons.
When he first came, the Church was undergoing renovations – a new ceiling, and
a new backdrop – he jokingly told parishioners – before you couldn’t see Fr.
Ben but now with the light backdrop, he has become visible! In fact in the first edition of the
newsletter, he wrote the first article on “My re- new” church – using the
pseudonym of John.
He was a great traveler and in his first few months, he set
out to the ulus of Kelantan, places like Laklok and Gua Musang, to look for
lost sheep. There were many Catholic Families in those remote rubber estates
who have not seen a priest for quite a long while.
Fr. Ben was instrumental in motivating the parish to grow
both in its spiritual and human dimensions. In May 1988 and March 1989 he
brought the ME (Marriage Encounter) to Kelantan to more than 40 couples, and
initiated a renewal of their married lives. This was the beginning of
friendship and fellowship among the families in the parish. He was available to
all parishioners and he opened his doors to one and all. Every time a visitor
dropped in, he would be most welcoming, with a cup of coffee or tea. During the
rosary months of May and October, he never fail to turn up at the home of the
host on his old motorcycle.
Through the ME and his personal friendship with the
families of parishioners, there were many baptisms of non-Catholic partners of
mixed marriages – Dr. Robert Bates, Mr. Kenneth Sivasamboo, Mr. Richard Khor,
Mr. Charles Sim, Patricia Poh, were all baptized by Fr. Ben.
Going through the newsletters from August 1986 – Dec 1990,
brought back many memories. Every month for the 39 issues of the Parish
Newsletter, Fr. Ben would type on his faithful typewriter, a monthly message
from Fr Ben – always positive, very encouraging and truly uplifting. His
thoughts and observations were really touching and showed how much he cared for
us.
On the occasion of his 57th birthday in June
1990, excerpts from the birthday message delivered by Mr. Vincent Na on behalf
of parishioners:
“We want you to know,
Father that our love for you has become stronger. We ask you not to work too
hard, but to take it easy. Otherwise the young and not-so-young parishioners of
our community are going to have a tough time trying to keep up with you. Indeed,
you have so often put us to shame with your strong appetite for hard work. And
you always do it with a big and beautiful smile.”
Yes, besides being a hard worker, he was a good listener, very
practical and down to earth. He inherited a strong resilience from his late
mother (who lived to the ripe old age of 91). During the last years of his
life, when he was struck down with cancer of the liver, even when he was suffering
and in great pain, he put on his usual smiling face. His mother had advised him
“Whether you put on a smiley face or a sad face, the pain will still be there,
so which would you rather choose?”
I think his whole life was one of love and committed
service in Christ, as evidenced by his favourite quote from Etienne De Grellet:
“I shall pass this world but once, Any good therefore that
I can do,
Or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me
do it now.
Let me
not defer or neglect it,
For I
shall not pass this way again.”
I would like to end with a message from Fr Ben which
he wrote in the last issue of the Parish Newsletter in January 1991. This are
his last words to us in Kota Bharu:
“ Dear
Parishioners in Christ,
May the love and peace of Christ
always be in your midst.
As I prepare
to take my home leave, I am so deeply grateful to God for the gift of each and
everyone of you. You have been so generous and thoughtful in your service to
God and to each other in the spirit of true Christian love and charity.
I would like to thank each of you
personally for all this, but I can only express it in this note. I thank you
dear (FMM) Sisters for your dedicated service to the community. I thank you
members of the ICT(PPC) for your willingness to come forward and serve your
brothers and sisters in trying to create a loving and caring community. I thank
you, dear ladies of different groups who so humbly perform your service to
enhance fellowship in the community. I thank you, individual members who have
volunteered from time to time to assume responsibilities for the different
organizations and functions. I thank you each and every parishioner your contributions and encouragement that
makes our community what it is today.
May God bless you all and reward you
for your generosity. Continue in this same spirit to serve the community under
the guidance of your new parish priest and give him the same support and
encouragement and love you gave to me. It is God who calls each one of us to
this mission in the Church
of Kelantan
I have been close to you and your
families in sharing your joys and sorrows, your happiness and anxieties and I
would like to assure you of my continued prayers. My greatest joy and
satisfaction will be to see the community grow daily in the “love of God and of
your neighbour.” May God bless you always.
Your parish
priest in Christ,
Fr. Ben
We will always remember you,
Fr. Ben and cherish your memory in our hearts. For your simplicity and
hospitality to all who came to you. Most of all, we thank you for showing us
how to share and to care as a community.
May you receive your reward
in heaven. Amen.
Eulogy delivered by
Joseph Wang,
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Church of Our Lady of Fatima, Kota Bharu
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| Fr. Ben at outdoor mass with parishioners during our Annual Parish Picnic on Semerak beach |
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| Farewell dinner for Fr. Ben organised by the Marriage Encounter family of Kota Bharu |
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| 2nd Marriage Encounter in Kelantan, 1989 introduced by Fr. Ben |
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| Fr. Ben, a self-taught musician able to play many musical intruments, at a mass for the parish councils of KB and KK |
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