THE CAMPUS MINISTRY PROGRAM
OF THE DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF URDANETA
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I. INTRODUCTION
FR. TANYSUN C. SUNICO, SVD Campus Minister
The Second Plenary Council of the Philippines challenges Catholic Educational Institutions to re-affirm evangelization as their primary goal for education and to develop in their students a critical assimilation of culture and a thorough integration of faith and life with Christ at the center. Given this backdrop, it is envisioned that the Catholic school ceases to be merely a place, but a Catholic environment where members of the administration, staff and students help each other (and the parents as well) develop into Filipinos who are maka-Diyos, makatao, makabayan at makabuhay. The Catholic school is also envisioned as a “city set on a mountain” providing citizens and leaders, who lead the world with Christian values and whose products are not only better technicians, professional money earners, but also better persons like Christ who live not only for themselves but for others (Dela Goza 1991, pp.365-366).
To participate more actively and effectively as agents of renewed evangelization, Catholic schools were exhorted by the council members to clarify their particular vision-mission and to review their charism vis-a-vis the current Philippine context.
As SVD school is not merely a structure, a territory, a building, a center of formal learning but a community of faith where spirituality is shared, lived and passed on. Our schools bear Christ’s identity.
II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Arnold Janssen Spirituality Retreat attended by the Faculty, Administrative Staff and Non-academic personnel of the Divine Word College of Urdaneta was an experience that enhanced the need of the DWCU community to live and promote the Spirituality of St. Arnold. The retreat held at the Divine Word Retreat House in Baguio City last September 12 to 14 1993 was conducted by the Arnold Janssen Spirituality Team of the Northern Province headed by Fr. Oscar Alunday, SVD. The experience continued with the third Monday committment (monthly group sharing) as resolved in one of the faculty and personnel meetings. This small sharing has continued to make us aware of our need to work on our own relationships with one another and in the process has enriched our love of the Word of God and our devotion to the Father Founder. As the monthly sharing is being observed, the pastoral concern of the community is slowly gaining its weight as a priority over and above all other concerns.
Mr. Rodel Nachima *Campus Ministry Staff*
The first Pastoral Assembly of SVD Schools (Philippine Northern Province) held last September 21 to 26, 1993 at the Divine Word Youth Center, Pindangan, San Fernando, La Union attended by the representatives of all sectors of the college inspired in materializing the dream of the College to organize its pastoral concerns. The Pastoral Assembly showed us the path we have to tread with the needed tools to update campus pastoral concerns. Assignments were given to the delegates which they readily performed upon their return to the school. In one of the faculty and personnel meetings, Ms. Leonora Bustria, a student representative to the Pastoral Assembly, together with the assistance of the other delegates, re-echoed what transpired during the assembly.
The First DWCU Pastoral Forum was convened last January 21-23, 1994 in answer to the challenges of the First Pastoral Assembly of SVD schools and the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines. The forum aims to:
- redefine the mission of DWCU in line with the common vision of SVD schools
- to study, reflect, and finalize the structure of our campus pastoral ministry
- to identify programs that will enrich the pastoral life of our college
This was attended by all the faculty members, administrative staff, non-academic personnel, presidents of all existing organizations, class mayors of all sections in all levels, departments (sectors) including a representative from the parents. For the purpose of representation and implementation each group elected a representative to the Campus Pastoral Council which was organized as an offshoot of this forum. The original mission statement formulated at the First Pastoral Assembly was presented for further scrutiny and study. Some terms were changed/inserted in order to fit the goals set by “Tatak” SVD. The participants finally arrived at a well formulated vission-mission statement.
III. MISSION STATEMENT
Inspired by the Divine Word, we are dedicated to the integral formation of the individual in his/her physical, intellectual, emotional, social, cultural, political, moral and spiritual growth into mature Christian person in communities of truth, justice, freedom, love and peace in the service of one another with the youth, marginalized, tribal, indigenous and cultural groups.
IV. COMPOSITION OF THE CAMPUS PASTORAL COUNCIL
In order to function efficiently and effectively, we need a group/people who can sit down together and work things out. They will study, reflect, and plan on the programs of the Campus Pastoral Council.
A. Below are the different groups/sectors with their respective elected representatives.
- DWCU President
- Campus Minister
- Alumni Representative
- Parents-Teachers Association
- Non-Teaching Personnel
- Elementary Faculty
- High School Faculty
- College Faculty
- Elementary Student
- High School Student
- College Student
- Guidance Counselor
B. The above set of elected and appointed representatives was approved by the Board of Trustees on May 5, 1994. During their (CPC) first regular meeting on 11 June 1994, the Council’s set of officers was elected by means of secret balloting.
C. Functions of the Campus Pastoral Council
- The Campus Pastoral Council acts as policy making body, coordinating and implementing of all the pastoral concerns of the school; with the power to appoint an ad hoc committee whenever necessary.
- Determines through consultations and dialogue the mission-vision, objectives, goals, policies and programs of the different areas of concern and activities of the DWCU community.
- Helps promote human development in and out of the school through networking with other CPC’s, SVD Special Apostolates and the different agencies – civic, government, business, private, etc. – all people of good will – in their program of human upliftment.
V. AREAS OF CONCERN
DWCU is not merely a structure, a territory, a building, a center of formal training; but a community of faith where a spirituality is shared, lived and passed on. Our school bears Christ’s identity – the Divine Word. We cannot speak of DWCU without having Christ the Incarnate Word as the center, where His people are called to one family. Our formost obligation is the proclamation of the Word as Witness to the Word, the living of the Word, and the passing over of the Word. The pastoral and missionary dimension has to be our priority, a non-compromise priority. Without which, we cannot renew our YES to what Christ is asking of us.
Since the vision-mission of our school suggests a broad area of pastoral and missionary work, it is necessary to look into how we can go about it. The following is an attempt to present the DWCU Apostolate:
- Chaplaincy – Worship = Persons Involved: DWCU President, SVD Community – Priests (Focused on: Evangelization, Spiritual Animation, Liturgy and Sacraments, Masses, Devotions, Spiritual Direction, Vocation Promotion, Mission Animation
- Religious Education = Persons Involved: Religious Education Teacher Representative, College Theology Professors, High School Religious Education Teachers, Elementary Religious Education Teachers. (Foucused on: Campus Biblical Ministry, Re-Ed Classes, Values Education, Retreats, Recollections, Seminars, Workshops, Conventions.
- Youth Ministry – Campus Youth Ministry – Children. = Persons Involved: College Faculty Representative, H.S. Student Representative, Elementary Pupil Representative (Focused on: Youth Leadership, Music Ministry / Glee Club, Peer Ministry, Organizations within the Campus, The Vine, Divinian
- Temporalities – Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation = Persons Involved: H.S. Faculty Representative + 2 Faculty Members (College/High School) Focused on Human Rights, Ecology, Preservation of Mother Nature
- Adult – Campus Adult Ministry = Persons Involved: Non-Teaching Personnel Representative, PTA Representative, Alumni Association Representative. (Focused on: Faculty – non-academic personnel, Parents Teachers Association, Alumni Association, Colloquium on the Ministry of Teaching, SVD Friends and League of Friends
- Guidance and Counseling – Services = Persons Involved: Guidance Counselor, Peer Counselors, High School Principal, Grade School Principal, College Dean = (Focused on: Personal Evangelization, Peer Counselling, Guidance office services, Culture of Vocation
- Outreach Program = Persons Involved: All Ministries = (Focused on: Phillipine Society, City of Urdaneta, Crises Center, Local Church, Immaculate Conception Parish, Sunday Masses, Choir Formation, Alay Kapwa, Barrio Apostolates, World Mission, SVD Mission
