Fr. Roberto “Bob” Ebisa, a missionary priest who spent nine years in Brazil and later served in Japan, had a deeply personal stake in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan on June 30. The game ended in a dramatic 2-1 victory for Brazil, but for Fr. Bob, the emotions were far from straightforward.
A Priest with a Foot in Two Worlds
Fr. Bob, an SVD missionary priest for 32 years, has held numerous roles including general manager of Radio Veritas Asia in Manila and DYRF in Cebu, and rector of the SVD St. Rafael community. He currently leads the Center for Religious Education and Mission (CREaM) at Holy Name University in Tagbilaran. His time in Brazil was spent in the Amazon communities of Santarem and Alenquer, while his later assignment in Nagoya, Japan, involved ministering to Portuguese migrants.
Heart with Brazil, Respect for Japan
When asked about his feelings during the match, Fr. Bob admitted, “I was not excited about Brazil playing Japan... I was worried. Afraid.” He explained, “Japan has developed its football to the highest level. I was in Brazil when Japan invited Brazilian greats like Zico, Bebeto, Dunga and Leonardo to help build their program. They know the Brazilian style because so many Brazilian professionals have coached and played in their league.” Despite his admiration for Japan’s progress, his loyalty remained with Brazil: “My heart is VERDE-AMARELA, green and yellow, the official colors of the Brazilian team. So when Japan struck the first goal - my heart was pounding heavily! But just like any Brazilian, I was hoping for a turn around. The turn around did come.”
Football as Religion in Brazil
Fr. Bob described the passion for football in Brazil as “CRAZY,” adding, “Football in Brazil is a religion! The interior communities have 3 to 5 official-size football fields - and you can imagine the enormity of the land! No village celebration is complete without a football match.. and the Brazilians are diehard followers of their leagues (much like our Ginebra, San Miguel, etc); teams like Flamengo, Vasco, Corinthians, Santos, Fluminense.”
A Story That Sums It All Up
To illustrate this obsession, Fr. Bob shared a personal anecdote from 1998, less than two years after he arrived in Brazil. He traveled to a village to celebrate a scheduled mass, which the community only receives three times a year. Despite it being World Cup month, he could not postpone it. Only five elderly parishioners showed up. After mass, he asked where everyone was and was told to walk another five kilometers. There, a village store with a generator was packed with children, teenagers, parents, and grandparents watching the World Cup. “Even the president of the chapel welcomed me with a smile... and a bottle of beer in his hand,” Fr. Bob recalled. “Only in Brazil.”
