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On 5 Oct, the VocProm team conducted the second Vocation seminar of the semester in Manila. A successful turnout of 20 participants resulted from the team’s dogged efforts. Frs. Jun-jun Borres, Nic Cruz, Vic Salanga and Bro. Rez Negapatan generously devoted time to assist the Province effort to augment vocations. The first half of the Juniorate formation would not be complete without its most awaited first theatrical presentation. D-day was 7 Oct when the Juniors presented Talambuhay ng Aming Nayon by Macario Pineda. This production transported the audience to the bucolic countryside and its simple charm. The event was also dubbed “Discovery Night” for the 12 Scholastics who showcased their variegated talents. Jesuits and teachers who watched agreed that the show offered welcome ventilation for the rigors of exam week. On 9 Oct Daigler House Prenovitiate closed the semester with a grand open house for the Seagulls, the group of former participants in past Davao vocation seminars. The fully packed Daigler House welcomed guests and vocation prospects from most of the major universities in the city. A separate despedida feted Fr. Vic de Jesus who endeared himself to the Community over the past semester. On 13-15 Oct Fr. Albert Alejo spoke in Quezon City during the signing of the Ehem! Memorandum of Agreement between the Jesuit Philippine Province and the Office of the Ombudsman. He followed this with an Ehem! Anti-Corruption Seminar for the prosecutors and corruption-prevention officials of the regional offices of the Ombudsman. Fr. Renato Puentevella, Grade School Chaplain, facilitated the review discussion of the Characteristics of Jesuit Education on 16 Oct to make teachers aware how these characteristics should imbue their teaching. Fr. Ning’s birthday on 23 Oct was celebrated with a simple get-together. The Regents went to Malaybalay for their annual triduum, 22-25 Oct. Fr. Asandas Balchand, who was giving a retreat to members of the Xavier University faculty, graciously accepted the last-minute request to give the Regents retreat points. The University agreed to join Gawad Kalinga 777, sponsored by Couples for Christ, to build 700,000 houses in 7,000 communities in seven years. This is part of CFC’s vision totransform 3rd world communities into 1st world communities by initially providing an ideal environment for poor families and helping them organize themselves through neighborhood associations. Ateneo has been invited to build in time for Christmas 100 houses in a community in Payatas 13, to be called “Blue Eagle Village.” Each house costs P50,000. The H.S. pledged to provide financial and material help to finish five houses. The Balik-Laya Prison Service, the Ateneo LEX’s legal aid project, won first place in the recently concluded “Responsible Citizenship Fair.” The fair sought to promote socially-oriented projects by helping public and private organizations execute their programs. Balik-Laya is supported by the Philippine Jesuit Prison Service and lawyers who volunteer their help. It provides inmates various paralegal services, some form of medical service, legal lectures and fora, and a Christmas program or sportsfest. While Fr. Mike Moga was on sabbatical in the USA last school year, he sent to Naga hundreds of art institute posters featuring works from around the world. Mike has lent out pictures for offices in the College and has created a lending service in the library for teachers who wish to teach art or wish to teach by way of art. This semester Mike will also be teaching philosophy at the minor seminary, which serves as the Philosophate of the Archdiocese. Fr. Superior/President Joel Tabora spent October in Germany and in the USA soliciting for scholarships. Sch. Lando Jaluag is Moderator of the League of Loyola in the new high school. The organization is a religious organization that trains students serious both in studies and in developing their spiritual life. On 8 Oct he had an all-day seminar with initiation rites for the League, which also tries to introduce students to Ignatian prayer. More than 40 attended the event, which ended with Mass at which Fr. Wajira Nampet [TAI] presided. Fr. Ernesto Carretero took the Student Volunteers of the Chaplaincy Office for a 3-day renewal and evalution seminar in Sorsogon, where his brother was a big help in selecting the venue. ATENEO DE ZAMBOANGA UNIVERSITY A 179-page, three thousand word English-Chabacano Dictionary with a simple grammar was just published by the Institute of Cultural Studies for Western Mindanao. The book was compiled by Fr. John Chambers, and edited by Fr. Buddy Wee. The dictionary starts with the English word, then goes to the Chabacano word and then to the Tagalog and Spanish equivalents.There is also a Chabacano-English word list that has English equivalents for Chabacano words. Fr. Superior/Director Dan McNamara was in Perth, Australia from 22-24 Sep to attend a conference on Integrated Environmental Strategy. He also co-directed with Fr. Asandas Balchand an 8-day retreat for Xavier University faculty in Malaybalay, 14-21 Oct. From there he proceeded to San Carlos University in Cebu City to chair a sub-group meeting of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas Congress, 22-25 Oct. At AIM in Makati an air quality school was run by PCA (Partners for Clean Air). MO conducted two modules, one by Fr. Jett Villarin. Fr. Jett was also at AIT in Thailand to: (a) report on the progress of the 6-nation (China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines) project on air quality management, and (b) to prepare for a 4-year follow up phase to this project. He then went on to Tokyo where, as head of an international team, he assessed Japan’s compliance to limit GHG (green house gases) emissions. In Japan, the team worked 12-hour days. Upon his return to Manila, he learned that he had been promoted to Associate Professor of Physics at the Ateneo. The International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC) asked Fr. Vic Badillo’s approval to digitize his Technical Report on the 15 Aug 1976 tsunami that occurred in the Philippines’ Moro Gulf. ITIC is making sources of tsunami information available over the Internet. Elaborate chandeliers (replacing the old fluorescent tubes) have been installed in the University chapel, ten in the nave (five on each side) and two to be installed in the sanctuary. These are the gift of a benefactress. Work has also begun on the installation of seven stained glass windows for the chapel’s façade, to be unveiled on 8 Dec. The windows, made by Krautz of Manila, are reproductions of paintings done by Ryan Carreon, a third-year XU college student and a graduate of the H.S., where he won a national competition sponsored by a government corporation. Fr. Francis Bustamante attended the 40th Convention of the Philippine Guidance and Counselling Association in Tagaytay, 13-17 Oct. Frs. James McKeough and Mars Tan attended the National Symposium in Marine Science at the Harbor Lights Hotel, Cagayan de Oro, 22-23 Oct. Bros. Sulpicio Quipanes and Noel Cantago were among the Brothers who joined Fr. Provincial for a 6-day meeting in Macau. They left Manila on 23 Oct. Bro. Quipanes has also been reassigned as subminister in Jesuit Retreat House-Malaybalay. The new assignment takes effect at the start of the second semester. Having completed doctoral studies in Wales, Fr. Antonio Moreno joined the Community on 25 Oct. His main assignment is with the Research Institute of Mindanao Culture and perhaps some teaching. At the closing ceremonies of the Archdiocesan celebration of the Year of the Rosary in the Cathedral on 25 Oct, representatives from different parishes recited the Rosary according to the method prescribed in the Visayan booklet by (San Jose alumnus) Fr. Florentino “Boy” Salvador, a translation of Fr. Alfeo Nudas’ “Jubilee Rosary.” Fr. Rafael Cortina, on 18 Oct in Bilbao, Spain Mr. Crispolo de Guzman Toledo, father of Fr. Denny Toledo, on 27 Oct in Makati City Mrs. Rosalind Garcia, mother of former Scholastic Edmundo Garcia, on 1 Nov in Loyola Heights, Q.C. Mr. Marino Valdes, older brother of Fr. Rodolfo Valdes, on 6 Nov in Angeles City
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© 2003 Philippine Jesuit Foundation |
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