MANILA PRIORY NEWSLETTER

S t . S c h o l a s t i c a ’ s P r i o r y 2 5 6 0 L e o n G u i n t o S t r e e t M a l a t e , M a n i l a , P h i l i p p i n e s

Vol. IV No. 2 Mar. - Apr. 2014

My dear Sisters,

Images like the photo we have here, or a mist

-covered scenery, have always held a fascination for me.

Light breaking through dark clouds, hazy forms and shapes

behind a veil or a mist gives me the sense that things are not

always what they seem, and somehow opens me up to the

hope that lies behind the image, taking me beyond what I can

see. The dark clouds will give way to the light, the haze

clears, and we see the world – and life – in a totally new way.

Easter is such an experience. The events of Holy Week as reflected in the readings: of Jesus’ unjust trial and

condemnation, his cruel and painful passion, and finally, his

ignominious death on the Cross are but necessary backdrops

to what lies ahead - a triumph foretold by Jesus in several

instances in the gospel, like this one in John 12: 23 "Now the

time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell

you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil

and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many

new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.” But it was a

truth we could not see nor grasp clearly.

But now, the dark clouds break at last, as Jesus

promised, and the Light shines victorious through the

darkness. This phrase of “light shining through the darkness” fits very well here, but, interestingly, is actually first told of

the newborn Savior: “Whatever has come to be, found life in

him; life, which for human beings was also light, light that

shines in the darkness, light that darkness could not

overcome.” (John 1:5) In Jesus’ resurrection, the mission of

the Messiah comes full circle: it is for this that He came into

the world.

Imagine, though, what it was like for Mary, Jesus’

mother, at this time. She, who loved her Son into adulthood,

now saw him condemned and put to death. Surely, her world

was crushed by this experience. And what about the disciples

who put their faith in him? They, too, saw him humiliated,

ground to the dust, treated like a criminal. They must have

felt their hopes dashed. And the women. They showed their

love and respect for him nonetheless, but surely, they must have felt disappointed that it ended this way. It was not

supposed to end this way!

Have we not, at one time or another in our life, felt

like this? Anyone who has ever experienced the loss of

someone significant, or of everything she held dear, the

breakdown of one’s expectations, the shattering of one’s

dreams, will resonate with these personages in the Gospel.

We think of the many victims of calamities everywhere

(Yolanda victims, the families of those lost in the MH370

plane, the victims of the siege in Zamboanga and the

earthquake in Bohol, of the civil war in Syria and the Central

African Republic), and of their great loss. Their experience must echo the hopelessness and finality symbolized by Jesus’

tomb!

Yet, Jesus’ death and resurrection show us that the

tomb/death has not the last word. He accepted death for our

sake, and now that He has been raised, He invites us to a new

covenant, to a new way of being community where death,

hatred, division, prejudice don’t have the last word. He is

alive and is in our midst, and we know He is still with us

when unity, life, love and peace reign among us.

HAPPY EASTER! May the PEACE, JOY and

HOPE of Easter flourish in our hearts.

Lovingly,

MANILA PRIORY Page 2

Five (5) months after super typhoon Yolanda

wrought destruction in Central Visayas, SSC-Manila

relief operations have now moved on to

rehabilitation and recovery efforts. Mindful of the

urgent call to respond towards normalization of life

of the poor in Tacloban after the November disaster,

Sr. Mary Thomas, OSB, SSC-Manila President,

spearheaded and organized the adopt-a-school

program aimed at assisting public school children

and teachers get back to their classrooms and start

their regular teaching-learning interactions.

Hence, on January 19-21, 2014, the 5th

OplanYolly@st.scho team led by Sr. Mary Thomas,

OSB accompanied by S. Regina David, OSB, Dean

Becky Marquez and Prof. Aurora Lumibao travelled

to Tacloban and distributed relief goods and at the

same time conducted initial consultations with the

school principal of Tanauan II Central Elementary

School, Palo, Leyte and the parish priest of the

community to assess their needs where assistance

can be extended. Seeking for financial and moral

support, Sr. Tammy invited the Benedictine

community to generously provide support to this

project Yakap-Eskwela which has become a

consortium of Benedictine Colleges in Metro Manila

– SSC-Manila, San Beda College- Alabang, San

Beda College-Mendiola and San Beda

College-Taytay.

Having solicited sufficient donations from

generous benefactors and donors for the project, the

6th team of a huge contingent composed of 24

administrators, faculty, staff, and alumnae headed by

Sr. Tammy and S. Celine Saplala, OSB flew to

Tacloban for the signing of the Memorandum of

Agreement (MOA) for the Yakap-Eskwela project of

the consortium of Benedictine Colleges in Metro

Manila held on March 28, 2014 at Tanauan II

Central School. The signatories of the MOA were Sr.

Mary Thomas Prado, OSB, SSC-Manila President,

Sr. Celine Saplala, OSB, Yakap-Eskwela Project

manager, and Ms. Elena Latoza, Principal, Tanauan

II Central, Fr. Ronel Taboso, Parish Priest of Tanauan,

and Mr. Wilbert Namoc, representative, San Beda

College, Alabang. In addition, the group distributed a

principal’s kit, teaching tool kits for teachers and school

supplies for all the students. Likewise, the school was

given tables and chairs, balls, stuffed toys among others

for its use.

Rising from ashes to a well-spring of hope for

the teachers and children of Tacloban who lost so much

from the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda, we

have high hope that Yakap-Eskwela project will expand

its reach to other schools in Central Visayas who are in

dire need of immediate rehabilitation and recovery.

Moreover, we continue to call on generous-hearted

people to rally behind the completion of the SSC-M

housing and resettlement project, dubbed as the

“Sambayanan ni San Benito,” for the homeless

survivors of typhoon Yolanda. In sum, we invite all to

join forces with the Scholastican community to embrace

the adopt-a-school and the resettlement projects that in

all things God may be glorified.

By: Sr. Rosalina Fajardo, OSB

Page 3 Vol. IV No. 2 Mar. - Apr. 2014

The Formation for Formators Series (FFS) 11:

Formation for Local Superiors: Skills and Leadership of

Emmaus Center for Psycho-Spiritual Formation was

conceived primarily to provide an oasis and an

opportunity to hone one’s self in the task of leadership.

The five-day module aims to provide the leader with the

skills and disposition in carrying out his/her

responsibilities.

The Formation for Local Superiors: Skills and

Leadership (FFS II) was held last March 10-14, 2014 at

the Spiritual-Pastoral Center, Ateneo de Manila Campus,

Q.C. Seventeen (17) Benedictine Local Superiors

attended the said seminar: S. Lydia Villegas, OSB, S.

Angelica Leviste, OSB, S. Celine Saplala, OSB, S. Edna

Quiambao, OSB, S. Mary Rose Zamudio, OSB, S. Adela

Arabia, OSB, S. Mary Frances Dizon, OSB, S. Baptista

Busmente, OSB, S. Rosario Obiniana, OSB, S. Mary

James Mujar, OSB, S. Evangeline Madayag, OSB, OSB,

S. Odilia Bulayungan, OSB S. Leonor Barrion, OSB, S.

Ana Maria Raca, OSB, S. Vicenta Anuran, OSB, S. Rita

Tullao, OSB, and S. Ma. Luisa Villanueva, OSB

There were three main perspectives that the

module presented – the systems-thinking perspective, the

facilitative leadership perspective, and the leadership of

individuals including the self. First, the systems

perspective presented the leader with the challenge of

looking at the congregation as a system embedded in a

world of complex reality. The task was to be able to see

the whole picture and see how the different aspect of the

congregation affects each other. Second, the facilitative

leadership perspective walked the leader through the

different skills necessary in handling groups. This

perspective brings home the point that one crucial task of

the leader is to be able to manage groups of individuals.

When individuals come and live and work in groups,

certain dynamics arise. These dynamics call for the

leader’s group skills such as feedback-giving, conflict

management, running a meeting. An important tool

presented to the leaders is the process observation

analysis, which is simply a systematic and detailed

process of observing the group. Lastly, the leadership

of individuals. As leaders, one is called to manage and

attend to different personalities, sometimes, difficult

ones. The Enneagram was used as a tool in

understanding different personality types or

dispositions, encouraging leaders not simply to look at

the strengths and weaknesses of each type/disposition

but more importantly to look at possible motivations

why some individuals do what they do. The Enneagram

was also used to initiate reflection on the leader’s self

as to his/her style of leadership. The module ended with

the invitation to the person of the leader for “self

-leadership” by attending to one’s self-care. The whole

module was capped with time to plan concrete steps of

action in the short, medium and long term.

One of the most helpful points for the group

was not only defining leadership but being able to

nuance the difference between leadership and

management and the tasks and dispositions each

require. As superiors, one is often asked to be both – as

a manager who attends to the operations and

administrative matters and as a leader who sets the

direction for the community s/he leads.

According to Mrs. Paz Bacquiran, the

Coordinator, Formation Program also an alumna of

SSC-Manila, this year’s run of FFS 11: Formation for

Local Superiors: Leadership and Skills attracted a big

number of participants who came in groups. Total

attendees was 55 participants with the following

demographics:

41 women, 14 men

12 nationalities (Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam,

South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland,

Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, India,

Puerto Rico)

MANILA PRIORY Page 4

14 congregations

Filipino participants came from Luzon, Visayas,

Mindanao

Ages ranged from early 30’s-late 70s

The diverse composition of the group and the

varied experiences provided a rich opportunity to learn

from one another – may it be from a long number of

years as a religious with the many varied assignments

and experiences, from the nuances coming from

different cultures and personalities, from simply

interacting with each other not only as “superiors and

leaders” but simply themselves gaining friends and

acquaintances.

Hopefully, the 5 day module not only equipped

the participants with skills and perspectives but also

renewed their passion for the call of leadership.

By: SR. M. ROSARIO R. OBINIANA, OSB

That was the theme of the Mission Congress

organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies held last

January 18, 2014, a day before Holy Childhood Sunday of the

feast of Senor Santo Nino. The sisters running St. Paul’ s

College – Pasig were very kind offer their new and spacious

gymnasium and other facilities to accommodate more than a

thousand young students from schools in the different

dioceses as far as Candelaria, Quezon.

St. Scholastica’s College, Manila was represented by

twelve Grade 3, 4 and 5 pupils and nine (9) Grades 7 and 8

students and Fred Lachica, Mrs. Royalyn de la Cruz and S.

Isabel Orito, OSB as chaperones.

The morning was spent watching cultural

presentations from assigned schools and listening to the

sharing from our youth representative to the World Youth

Day 2013 at Rio de Janeiro. At 11:00 A.M. the Eucharistic

celebration was presided over by His Excellency Most Rev.

Arturo M. Bastes, SVD, Bishop of the Diocese of Sorsogon

and Chairperson of the Episcopal Commission on Mission,

CBCP. His booming and melodious speaking as well as

singing voice caught the attention of all. He told his young

audience how the child Jesus can be their model in living the

Christian life.

After lunch and some animations, Rev. Fr. Xavier

‘Javy’ Alpasa, SJ gave a talk developing the theme of the

Mission Congress. His talk was interspersed with heartwarm-

ing video clips which made a connection with the young

people. More cultural presentations followed and the day was

punctuated by picture taking of every delegation which took

quite a long time. Nevertheless, our girls and even adults

found the experience worthwhile and challenging.

By. Sr. Isabel Orito, OSB

SSC-Manila delegation to the Mission Congress held at St. Paul’s College, Pasig last January 18, 2014

Page 5 Vol. IV No. 2 Mar. - Apr. 2014

The JPIC-MBS (Justice, Peace & Integrity of

Creation - Missionary Benedictine Sisters) sponsored a

JPIC Orientation and Disaster Risk Reduction Seminar on

March 6-8, 2014 at the Barrion Hall of St. Scholastica College

with more than 50 participants composed of Sisters, lay

partners and oblates representing all our Benedictine

Communities except Legaspi and Tabunok and Pambujan.

After the message of M. Adelaida Ygrubay to the

assembly, S. Cecille Ido, presented the JPIC Orientation.

This was followed by a resource facilitator from the Center of

Ecological Concern who shared on the State of Philippine

Environment. Testimonies came from a representative of

PEOPLE’S SURGE, a 17,000 strong organization of Yolanda

survivors .

On the second day, March 7, the Main speaker on

Disaster Risk Reduction was Mr. Raul Bermudez from the

Paseo Study Center For Academic And Personal Formation.

Raul Bermudez, Ph.D., is a doctor of criminology. He foiled

the assassination attempt to Pope John Paul II in the World

Youth Day in Manila. He apprehended the mastermind of the

1993 failed bombing of World Trade Center, Ramir Yousef.

As a former FBI agent, he has been part of the team usually

sent to help victims in earthquake and tsunami areas. He was

one among the first group who responded to the needs of

Yolanda victims.

Before the end of the seminar, participants shared

and submitted their team plans, to be implemented in their

different regions. The seminar culminated with a Mission

Sending Liturgy followed by lunch.

By: S. M. Cecille Ido, OSB

In response to the recent natural disasters in our

country which underscored the need for a concerted action to

protect and sustain our natural resources, key leaders from

different faith groups (e.g., Catholics, Protestant

denominations, Muslims, Buddhist, etc.) converged on March

14, 2014 for a 2nd Interfaith Dialogue on Climate Change, at

the Social Hall, Mabini Hall, Malacanang Palace from 8AM –

5PM. Sister Aida Velasquez, OSB, Sister Cecille Ido and S.

Theodora Bilocura, OSB represented our priory as part of the

AMRSWP delegation.

As a follow-up of the first dialogue held on Nov. 25,

2010 the Dialogue hoped to assess the progress of the

intervention and the plan of action in promoting climate

change consciousness. Furthermore, it hopes to intensify its

engagement to climate change particularly in environmental

issues related to Agriculture, Water and Food Security,

Appropriate Transportation, Safe Power Generation, and

Disaster Risk Reduction and Rehabilitation. These issues

represented the workshop groups in the afternoon session.

After the Interfaith Prayers led by Aleem Said

Ahmed Basher, Venerable Miao Jing, Rev. Dr. Timoteo

Gener and Sr. Angie Villanueva, the group was welcomed by

Bishop Efraim Tendero, of the Philippine Council of

Evangelical Churches. Several in-puts followed on the

following themes:

“Earth in Peril: a Climate Change Situationer”

by Comm. Heherzon T. Alvarez, CCC

“Mobilizing Faith Communities”

by Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ, DD

“How Faith Communities can lead the Secular

Environmental Movement”

by Ed Brown, MDiv, Creative Care

“Best Practices in Islamic Communities”

by Amina Rasul Bernardo, PCID

“The Business of Building Green”

by Atty. Teresita Lacerna, IFC-World

“Green Image Nation”

by Ernalou A. del Rosario, Canon

A similar dialogue has been planned to be conducted in the

different regions of the country.

After A Commemorative Declaration of Commitment, Amina

Rasul Bernardo gave the closing remarks followed by a

Thanksgiving Prayer.

By: Sr. M. Cecille Ido, OSB

Mother Adelaida Ygrubay, OSB

Sr. Cecille Ido, OSB Mr. Raul Bermudez

MANILA PRIORY Page 6

A hundred and one Grade 6 boys and 193 girls

joyfully went up on stage of the St. Scholastica’s – San

Fernando covered court to get their certificates. That was

March 25 – a day of triumph for them, having hurdled

eight years of education in their young age. A fitting

presider of the Thanksgiving Mass of these 294 graduates

was a Grade 6 Scholastican graduate of 18 years ago.

Father Eisen John Cruz with his stirring homily during

the well-celebrated Mass did his Alma Mater proud.

But happiest and overflowing with pride,

together with his parents, was Don Nikolai Salonga,

class valedictorian, who received ten medals and

seventeen certificates. All these represented his

excellent academic performances, his achievements in

various clubs and organizations, his winnings in contests

in and out of school, and most of all, his being a

Scholastican of the Year awardee.

Having no boys in high school, SSA – SF is

only too willing to pass him on to our Holy Family

Academy – Angeles, where he intends to pursue his

secondary education.

The next day, March 26, the High School

department graduated 312 young ladies with varying

awards, citations, and honors. Leading the group was

class valedictorian and Scholastican awardee, Clare

Feliz David. A gifted writer and speaker, she delivered

one of the most impressive valedictory addresses in

years. This and her nine medals give testimony to her

being the best of her batch.

By: Sr. Lucy Togle, OSB

Page 7 Vol. IV No. 2 Mar. - Apr. 2014

MANILA PRIORY SCHOOLS

GRADUATION STATISTICS

SCHOOL GRADE SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL

COLLEGE GRADUATE SCHOOL

(M.A.)

HFA, Angeles 325 345

SSA, Bacolod 205 137

HFHS, Sumag - 76

SAA, Legaspi 229 284

SSC, Manila 233 284 322 4

NSS, Manila 19

SSA, Marikina 268 312

SPC, Ormoc 78 193 78

SSA, San Fernando 294 312

SSA, Tabunok - 256

SSC,Tacloban School - - 128

SSC,Westgrove 64 100

Following an orientation on what being an

oblate is all about, ten ladies expressed the wish to

join the program. All ten school personnel of

SSA – SF have worked with the Benedictine

Sisters for from 4 to 30 years. Two are middle

administrators, one is the school registrar, two are

librarians, three are teachers, another is a nurse,

and the youngest is the secretary of the St

Benedict’s Social Action Center.

Having stayed for years in this

institution, they have imbibed the mission of the

school, its thrust and philosophy, and immersed

themselves in its social and religious

orientation.

One can safely say they have firmly and

securely planted themselves on Scholastican soil

and may soon bear or have already borne fruit ripe

for the picking. However, still being candidate

oblates and scheduled for training, they go by their

group name COBLATES and will hopefully soon

become full-fledged Benedictine Oblates.

By: Sr. Lucy Togle, OSB

MANILA PRIORY Page 8

After attending the "Women’s Leaders Forum 2014: An

Asia – Pacific Top Business Women Meeting" in Saigon – Viet

Nam (6-8 March 2014) to share her insights and experiences on

the two topics: "Transformative Academic Leadership" and

"Towards Empowering Women Leadership," Sister Mary John

Mananzan, OSB came to visit the Dominican Sisters of St. Catha-

rine of Siena in Tam Hiep on 13 March 2014.

Accompanying her were Sr. Magdalene Tran Thanh Loc,

a Benedictine Sister and Miss Maria Dam Thi Thu Ngan, a

former Benedictine Novice.

Wholeheartedly welcomed by Sr. Theresa Nguyen Thi

Huy, Prioress General of the Congregation, Sr. Maria Dinh Thi

Sang, a General Councilor responsible for the Congregation’s

study programs, and Sister Theresa Nguyen Thi Ngoc Ha,

Secretary General, in simplicity and fraternal love, Sr. Mananzan

enthusiastically shared her yearning for a project to support

women facing difficulties and crises in the Asia-Pacific Ocean

area, empowering them to restore their dignity. She encouraged

the Congregation to send its members to attend Formation Courses

at The Women's Crisis Center and Women's Studies at St.

Scholastica College in the Philippines, one of the organizations

founded and directed by her, so that they can deepen their

knowledge and enrich their faith and experiences together with

other women from different countries. She also showed a great

interest in the formation of future sisters and will give some

lectures for Leadership Courses run by the Dominicans in the Asia

-Pacific region at the Caleruega Centre in Nasugbu, Batangas,

Philippines (from 10/3 to 6/4), which Sr. Maria Nguyen Thi Ngoc

Han and Sr. Maria Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan will be attending.

After more than one hour sharing with us some of her

works and concerns, Sr. Mananzan visited our Chapel, Tradition

Room, Library, Postulant House, Infirmity, Clinic and Kindergar-

ten Mang-Non, Kitchen situated within the Congregation’s

Motherhouse. Being an ardent activist of many education and

social empowerment programs, especially those for women's

rights and dignity, Sr. Mananzan has brought warmth, care, joy,

graciousness and love to all and every sisters, postulants,

children and the infirm sisters she met around the convent.

Before saying goodbye to us for other places, she

gifted us with her new book published in 2012 entitled

“Nonsense: the Spiritual Journey of a Feminist Activist,” a

narrative of the spiritual journey of a Sister who works

untiringly for women’s rights. It is her 5th published book,

among her other published works.

It should be mentioned that after two terms serving as

Prioress (2004-2011) of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters,

Manila Priory, Sr. Mary John Mananzan is still counted as a

notable women's rights activist on an international scale.

Trusting in the Lord's loving providence, we hope that

this meeting with Sr. Mary John is a charming opening to

fruitful encounters in the near future, so that, in the end, God

may be better known and loved, and thus, women may be able

to live up to the true dignity and vocation that Jesus Christ has

promised in the Beatitudes.

By Sr. Maria Dinh Thi Sang

Translated by Sr. Elizabeth Nguyen Thi Buu Loc, OSB

Sr. Scholastica Nguyen Thi Thiet, OSB

How can one write history? Where can one write history?

Over and on a hundred pages or so of print material? Would that I

am able to aptly answer my own queries…but just this once, let me

tell you in writing what I remembered of the three-day celebration

of SPC’s 100th year of existence here in Ormoc City, Leyte.

February 19, this being the eve of the three-day

celebrations, our Sisters from various communities arrived at

different times: in the first big batch were Mo. Angelica, Sr. Fatima

(Marikina Community), Sr. Catalina (Bacolod), Sr. Edigna

(Tagaytay), Sr. Lucy and Sr. Barbara Martha (San Fernando), Sr.

Susan (Baguio), Sr. Rita (Formation House), Sr. Trinidad (SBH),

Sr. Carmela, Sr. Shirley (Priory House), Sr. Roseve (Tabunok), Sr.

Aurora (Mati). They were lodged in the sisters’ convent.

February 20, early in the morning, those who came from

Tacloban hospital and school communities were Sr. Julia, Sr.

Baptista, Sr. Lia, Sr. Martha, Sr. Ma Lourdes. There were the

DOLST sisters from Lapu-lapu, who came with their staff to be in

solidarity with us as well. They joined with the rest of the sisters

from the previous day in the motorcade. They all rode the big SPC

bus with some teachers and employees to go around the City of

Ormoc in a long convoy of cars and floats representing the three

units of the Grade School, High School and the College. At the

head of the motorcade the SPC Band led as they played the SPC

Hymn and other marching tunes. There were also two hired bands

who played the sinulog drum motifs. When the motorcade ended

and the participants had gone back to SPC, there was a short break

during which, the students and guests could take their snacks and

prepare for the next round of activities.

At. 9:00 a.m. the opening salvo began. It was a prayer

-dance number to introduce the theme of the centennial celebra-

tion; the statues of St. Peter and St. Benedict were placed predomi-

nantly on the stage, and were blessed after the Mass. Bishop

Crispin Varquez of Borongan, Samar officiated at the opening

Mass with 8 concelebrants, some of whom were alumni of SPC.

Bishop Varquez emphasized that the legacy of proclaiming the faith

and teaching what Christ taught is both the challenge and mission

for SPC now and in the years to come.

After Holy Mass, the blessing of the new College

building was done. Though not yet fully furnished, the second floor

could already accommodate guests sisters at the rooms prepared for

them. These are the future rooms of the mini-school hotel of the

BSHRM department. This new four storey building will have ten

classroom, offices, the faculty room, a café- lobby and the entire

HRM laboratory.

The rest of the morning till noon was for Family Day and

for amateur contest like SPC Got Talent. Lunch was served at the

Sr. Editha Wydorski Hall. In the afternoon was the Musical Dance

Concert which lasted from 3 till 6 p.m. At supper time, another

batch of sisters arrived: Sr. Lydia, Sr. Josefina, (Priory House), Sr.

Celine, (Manila Com) Sr. Remedios, Sr. Esperanza (Baguio), Sr.

Michaela, Sr. Mechtild (Legazpi). Vespers - Compline punctuated

the day’s end. Some sisters slept at IAL Lodge which is owned by

Iñaki and Leni Larrazabal.

Page 9 Vol. IV No. 2 Mar. - Apr. 2014

February 21: At 5:30 in the morning with the sun not yet

risen and with the cool breeze of amihan, participants for the Fun

Run (with bikers) assembled at SPC grounds. Leading the fun-run

bikers was Sr. Zita Jamisola, the SPC Registrar. That is a boost to

vocation promotion. More sisters arrived: Sr. Ana Maria, Sr. Sarah,

Sr. Eliza, Sr. Andrea, Sr. Jessica. Much later in the morning Sr. Mary

Vincent and Ms. Gladys Rapay also arrived.

When all fun runners have returned to SPC, the meditative

prayer-dance for Morning Praise was led by selected student leaders.

To balance with the spiritual upliftment of the meditative prayer

- dance, it was followed by the physical exercise Mob dance with Mrs.

Gregoria Palapar, the Grade School principal leading it and assisted

by Year IV-St. John.

At 8:30 the field demo started. The Grade School unit had

the Kinder 1 & 2 till Grades 3-4 do a variety of Remix dances which

includes cha-cha, gangnam, waltz, boggie, whoops keri dance. The

Grades 5-6 did a interpretation dance at the tune of song: Rainbow

Connection. SPC employees consisting of faculty and non-teaching

personnel did an intricate but breathtakingly executed Maranao

Wedding dance called the Singkil. The College Unit summed up

dances from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao in a dance collage entitled:

Piliin Mo ang Plipinas. It was performed by selected college students.

Finally the High School Unit from Grade 7-8 and Year III and IV gave

stunning group dances and martial arts demo that ranged from Arnis,

Subli, Mexican Dance and Paso Doble. The music, the movements

and the colors blended in graceful and exquisite as well as

suspense-filled group presentations that spelled artistry and finesse.

Kudos to the trainors and performers. What a fitting tribute to a

beloved school for her centenary.

The highlight of this day was the Eucharistic celebration

which was officiated by Archbishop John Du of Palo. He couldn’t

thank SPC enough, repeatedly he expressed his gratitude to the

Missionary Benedictine Sisters for their presence and service to SPC

and the Ormocanons particularly. He read a list of the sisters who

were past directresses/presidents of SPC both the living and those who

have died already. He expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the

Service Awardees and enjoined the entire SPC school community to

continue to witness to the gospel values and to further the work of

evangelization in a world that is getting highly secularized. The final

song for the Mass reverberated and filled the gym as all sung: “Now

thank we all our God……”

The Mass was followed by the awarding ceremony and

fellowship. All who were present partook of the simple but tasteful

dinner that was served. There were surprise raffle games and prizes, a

kuratsa danced by Dr. Flordeliza Navarete and Mr. Willie Laho-lahoy

of the business office. The Archbishop obliged and brought his

donation to the kuratsa dancers as others followed him. Sr. Mary

Frances distributed envelopes with “surprise” (bonus) for the employ-

ees. How happy were all who received an envelope. Such happiness

cannot be bought….it just oozed and flows from grateful hearts. Dr.

Flordeliza Navarete and Mrs. Ivy Lapinid, the school nurse, were

designated to give the words of gratitude. The closing prayer was in

the form of sinulog blessing. Thus the day ended-joy-filled, and

wrapped in awesome graced thanksgiving.

MANILA PRIORY Page 10

February 22 –Feast of the Chair of St. Peter: As befitting

a gesture to honor its founder, Fr. Cataag, the Grade School Unit had

the First Holy Communion for its Grade Two students. Fr. Urbina had

lined up a pictorial after the Holy Mass: Missionary Benedictine

Sisters with the communicants and with the Grade School teachers in

separate groups. By noontime, the Grade School faculty and non

-teaching staff and some guests together with the Sisters had lunch

together at the Sr. Edita Wydorski Hall.

The outer quadrangle was arranged with beautifully

decorated outdoor fine-dining sets for the Juniors-Seniors’ Prom. The

students agreed to hold it early in the day because of the danger of

going home late with many parts of Ormoc that is still poor lighted.

Despite the downpour, they continued to hold their turnover ceremony

at the gym. After lunch, the program went on and the dancing as well

till late afternoon. This is just a once-in-a lifetime JS Prom.....this

event, surely their hearts would want to remember, these memories

they will take along till one day in some later years of their

homecoming at SPC, they will be able to relish and share once again.

February 23- we bid goodbye to the last group of sisters who

came to celebrate with us. We couldn’t thank them enough for their

support. It had just been over a 100 days since supertyphoon Yolanda

delivered a devastating blow to Region 8. SPC’s simple, dignified yet

happy celebration of its centennary stands to proclaim that indeed we

will rise again.....

By: Sr. Therese Bulatao, OSB

We express our gratitude to all who have

contributed to this newsletter.

Sr. Virginia Ferino, OSB Priory Secretariat

Stella Marie Martinez Layout Editor

Bishop Crispin Varquez , assisted by Msgr. Villanueva, blessed the new college building; Sr. Baptista, OSB and some faculty members and

non-teaching staff joined in the praying and lighting of candles.

Sr. Jeanette Baek, OSB From Daegu

for studies

March 3, 2014

Sr. Gabriella Urian, OSB

From Rome for homeleave

March 28, 2014

Sr. Barbara Batac, OSB From Norfolk

for Golden Jubilee

April 16, 2014

Sr. Sarah Gocela, OSB Missioned to Windhoek, Namibia

April 5, 2014

Oblate Tomasa Mercedes Dait To Hawaii

April 22, 2014

Manila Priory Sisters and Ormoc Community at SPC’s Centennial Celebration