Fr. Bill Schock, S.J.

By Fr. John Locke, S.J.
(From the Nepal Region’s 50th Anniversary Book, 2001)

Fr. Schock was born in Akron Ohio in 1930. He entered the Society in 1949 and after novitiate, juniorate and philosophy in the U.S. came to Godavari in 1956. A fine athlete and an accomplished math teacher, Bill fitted right into the atmosphere of a boarding school such as Godavari. He was a superb teacher who seldom lectured, but would explain a few things and set the students to work doing math, not just studying about it. Bill also had a gift for learning languages – the spoken language, not the higher language of literature.

In theology he became a master of spoken Nepali. After theology and tertianship, Bill returned to Godavari to continue teaching math. At this time he also served as chaplain to the British military camp in Dharan. When the high school moved to Jawalakhel, he moved in there to continue his teaching.

About this time Bill became increasingly involved in giving retreats, a mission for which he had a special gift. He went to Godavari in 1981 as the rector of Godavari School, but spent much of his time giving retreats at the old Jesuit residence there which had become Godavari Ashram. He finished his term as rector in 1987 and became increasingly Involved in giving retreats in Nepal, India, and the Philippines.

He soon discovered that there was a real need in the Philippines for the kind of retreat be gives and was invited by the Philippine Province to take up this work in a more permanent basis. In 1988 he moved to the Philippines to take up this work full time. About this time he also discovered that he was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. For several years he was able was able to maintain a full schedule of retreats and writing on spiritual topics. Gradually he had to curtail his activities and finally retired to the Jesuit Infirmary at the Ateneo in Manila, where he remains today totally disabled by the disease but with an active mind and an enduring interest in Nepal.