時代的因緣際會，顏「伯伯」（中外的熟朋友們都喜歡稱呼他為〝Pepe〞）的黃金歲月都奉獻給了菲律賓。要理講授和培訓師資，以及撰寫相關的教材，是他的所學和所發揮的專長。1960年，為馬尼拉29所公立中學開設「宗教課」的計畫──從無到有、找錢找人、辦培訓、寫教材、說服各級教育主管等──只不過是衝勁十足一年輕神父的初試啼聲。
在梵二大公會議沸揚聲中的1962年，馬尼拉總主教桑多斯樞機（Cardinal Santos）要他設立一所全教區的要理學院，並擔任院長。顏神父以一貫語帶幽默的口氣回憶道：「你要把整體計畫呈給主教，而且跟主教說，〝錢的事情，您不要擔心！〞」。
二次大戰後的西班牙派遣來華的第一批傳教士──顏哲泰神父一行五人（當時均為「大修士」，包括賴甘霖）於1947年12月23日抵達上海。這是二戰後，由西班牙派遣來華的第一批傳教士。由於戰亂，預定兩年的專務研習中文，多半消耗在避難奔波的路途上。如果，有人至今仍苛責賴甘霖神父的中文程度，務必要把當年大環境制約的因素算進去。何況，他說的中文，要比顏神父好很多。
在這些「牛刀小試」的基礎上，他和前輩名師等五人小組於1965年共同創辦的「東亞牧靈學院」（EAPI），遂行梵二教會大改革的契機，將新觀念、新作風務實地傳授給涵蓋整個東亞地區－－從巴基斯坦、印度，直到大洋洲中名不經傳的小島－－天主教會的精英骨幹，也就順理成章了。
顏神父生命中精華的25個年頭，在EAPI的各個項目計畫和訓練課程中，淋漓盡致地發揮。台北牧靈中心的創辦和經營，也受了EAPI的啟發。當年在台灣牧靈工作上頗負盛名的郭彬生主任，也曾於1980年到EAPI進修七個月。
從1985到1994年，顏神父受命轉換跑道－－從馬尼拉襄助全球耶穌會士關懷中國的使徒工作（DCA）。定期出刊〝Correspondence〞（通訊）雜誌，報導中國教會的近況動態。每年組團前往中國旅行訪問，傳遞訊息、支援（書籍、金錢……）當地「百般待舉」的苦難教會，做了許多「只能做、不能說的工作」。馬尼拉總主教辛海綿樞機（Cardinal Sinn）代表梵蒂岡教廷，於1987年11月正式訪問中國的所謂中梵關係「破冰之旅」，由共產中國的總理趙紫陽官式接待，是顏神父工作的重大成就之一。由於辛樞機是他多年的「把臂」（buddy）之交（有照片為證），行前的籌劃、全程的參予、和詳實的記錄，都是不可多得的史料。
與前馬可仕總統家族間的互動，更能突顯顏「伯伯」乃是當年菲律賓各界一個響叮噹字號的人物。熟朋友口耳相傳，顏神父是馬可仕總統的「家庭神師」。他一貫地低調回應－－只不過有兩次應邀，給馬可仕內閣的閣員們領避靜罷了。然而，EAPI在Ateneo大學校園內的大樓於1968年4月1日落成啟用，受派前去總統府迎接馬可仕夫人來剪綵，沿途來回跟著她風光地受歡迎的場景，他卻津津樂道。
到高雄四維文教院（1994~2003）和迄今在輔大神學院，歲月催人老，生活由絢爛歸而歸於平靜。歷練於「持平心」的神操，依然樂活在每一個當下。傾聽和關懷周遭前來尋求長者人生智慧的每一個人－－包括，內心仍然忐忑掙扎中的初學修士、神修小會高雄分會的會員和他們的家庭成員，適時地給予一個簡短而溫馨的建議－－非常包容，但絕不「和稀泥」。
「伯伯」的精彩人生，我們仍然期待，散佈各處的「碎片」能早日聚攏，以拼湊出一幅更清晰的美麗圖像。畢竟，上主願意讓祂的忠僕，仍在人世間生活時，領受一份小小的獎賞和掌聲的鼓勵，也算是合乎人情的祈求吧。
附件為一首英文的詩作〝My Friend Pepe Calle, S.J.〞，By Ms. Sonia Roco，是為慶祝顏神父85歲生日而寫的。我認為，內容和文體仍適合目前的場合。
My Friend Pepe Calle, S.J.
When your mother held you in her arms
Did she know of God’s loving plan ?
Did she hear the beating of the drums
That one day you will leave behind your happy clan
March on to offer yourself at thirty-one
To be a priest of God
Always ready to obey, and shed blood
Till today, October 1, at age eighty-five ?
Nobody ever knows
The design of God’s plan for us
We discover it as it grows
And unfolds slowly as a mystery does.
So was it with Pepe Calle’s life
Full of surprises, full of adventure.
First assigned to teach at Sto. Domingo site
Then suddenly was changed to venture
As a young missionary to China.
“How can that be ?” he asked.
This cannot be final.
Take off your masks
Tell me why.
Do I have a say ?
No ! All you have to do is obey.
From that first act of total obedience
Flowed the blessings of experience
Which began to test, then enrich
This young priest so much
That at 85 and still going strong
With God’s abiding love, nothing will go wrong.
China in the year ’47 was his first destination.
But in ’49 the Mao-Tse-Tung won.
Imprisoned and tortured were fellow Chinese Jesuits.
Missionaries of Christ’s light
Willing to die, unceasing prayer
Were their weapons to fight
For the Faith so deeply rooted
They couldn’t be booted.
Though persecuted, they persevered
As martyrs, greatly admired, supremely revered.
Only God knows His plan for His beloved Pepe.
In ’52 from China he was expelled
Sent to the Philippines where he excelled.
Ordained in the City of Pines
He met Fr. Nolan, the Columbans, the SCANs
Worked and inspired so many of the youth with his zeal.
All for God’s glory, it was real.
He formed CCP to train catechists for the public schools
Then with a formidable team
Set up the East Asia Pastoral Institute
Prepared and provided the needed tools
Wrote the modules for long-term use.
For thirty two productive years
He gave his all, blood sweat and tears
To the youth, teachers of religion
Here and in all of the Asian region.
Then as times went by
Pepe had to say good-bye
To many many dear and treasured friends
Whose lives he has touched.
Even to those who had hurt him, & need to do amends.
He was missed much ……..
But God’s plan for him was to go back where he began
Hong Kong, China and Taiwan.
Like God’s soldier, in humble obedience
Another 15 years of new challenges and inconvenience
He offered before the Lord.
Pepe’s faith deepened by the year
The Lord’s prayer was his strongest sword
To reach and bless the hearts and minds of those
Who have not heard of God’s living word.
At 85, he said with great pride,
“Where I am now and what I am is because of my obedience
To God’s will. Not my will, but yours be done.”
His mother may not have known
God’s loving plan for her son Pepe
85 years ago, but now she knows.
Her son is God’s beloved,
Like Jesus, a priest forever.
What a great gift was your birth !
What a wonderful offering.
Let all the bells ring
For joy and with mirth
Be happy, be grateful. Rejoice !
For Pepe’s gift of life
Was and is a gift to us all.
Alleluia ! Alleluia ! Alleluia !
10/15/07
your friend, Sonia Roco
作者┃范京生
