For BJ, the Ideal of unity was a quiet light that permeated his whole being, an inner flame that distinguished him from others and made every encounter with him touched by something deeper, something divine.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

To remember BJ Funk is to remember someone who lived entirely in the light of the Ideal of unity. He was born and raised in a focolare family,[1] among the first in the Philippines. Together with his two brothers, both married focolarinos[2] like him, they animated the Gen[3] life of the 1980s in various ways, including their shared talent for music, an effective means of spreading the radical Gospel-based lifestyle of the youth of the Focolare.

For BJ, the Ideal of unity was not a light he spoke about in an abstract way, nor something he reserved for special moments. It was a quiet light that permeated his whole being, an inner flame that distinguished him from others and made every encounter with him a touch of something deeper, something divine.

This characteristic shone through especially in the last years of his life, marked by illness, as he had to undergo hemodialysis several times a week. Pain made his love purer.

BJ was always ready to love; he never grew tired of starting again. Whether in a formal meeting, a casual conversation, or a simple exchange of words, he carried within a readiness to welcome, to listen, to give. The same light shone in his way of working: with total commitment, with faithfulness to every task entrusted to him, and with a seriousness that was never heavy, but always rooted in love.

For many years, BJ was part of the editorial team of New City Press Philippines. There, his passion for writing and communication was unmistakable. He brought innovative ideas, fresh perspectives, and a constant assurance that every article was not only well written but permeated with love. For him, the magazine was not just a publication; it was a channel through which God could communicate His plan for the world. He never missed a meeting, never arrived without having reflected deeply, and always carried with him a strong sense of responsibility for the mission entrusted to us.

When the New City Audio Magazine was launched, BJ immediately offered himself as one of the voices that would bring the articles to life. For him, even his recorded voice could be a means of spreading the charism of unity. There were moments when reading was difficult for him, but he never allowed this to lessen his commitment. With kindness and humility, he would assure us that the recording would arrive before the deadline — and it always did. That reliability, born not of duty but of love, remains one of the things most appreciated about him.

In our focolare evenings, his sharings were especially appreciated. His words were precious, simple, sincere, and luminous. They had the power to gather up the hour spent together and lift it toward God.

Now that he is in Heaven, we like to imagine BJ completely immersed in the light he carried within while he was still among us — a light that radiates the love he shared so generously with everyone.

Romeo P. Vital

[1] When both spouses are focolarini, they form a family focolare, married couples who are ready, when family conditions allow it, to move to other parts of the world where their presence could help contribute to spreading the spirituality of unity.

[2] Married men or women who feel called to make a radical choice of God, following the vocation to the focolare, while remaining faithful to the vocation of marriage and family.

[3] Short for “New Generation,” the young people of the Focolare Movement who are committed to living the charism of unity and sharing it with other youth