DWCU School Opening SY 2014 – 2015

Welcome to School Year 2014-2015 DIVINIANS!!!

A Message from Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD

Fr Gil T. Manalo,SVD

                 Welcome to DWCU for School Year 2014 – 2015. Today, as we gather in this assembly, we see the convergence of the old and the new through the presence of our Administrators, Faculty, Parents, Guardians, Alumni and Students. The old stands for stability and sturdiness, while the new symbolizes hope, energy and creativity.
As the years passed by, we were guided by the motto: “Word of Truth, Word of Life” and in the most recent years, “Witness to the Word”. St. Augustine would concretize witness through work as he expressed “A work is then truly excellent when the intention of the workman is struck out from the love of God and returns again and again to rest in charity.” In the realm of the academe, education reaches its excellence when the intentions of both mentors and students are struck out from the love of God and expressed in action through Christian Charity. Let this school Year 2014-2015 empower us in faith and action all for the God’s greater glory!

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The SVD Priests, DWCU Faculty

and Staff for SY 2014 – 2015

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The DWCU SVD Priests and Frater for SY 2014-2015 (top) Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD – DWCU President; Fr. Gerry Gudmalin, SVD – Rector; Fr. Leonardo Hiquiana, SVD – DWCU Finance Officer; (below) Fr. Juan Libangan, SVD – Campus Minister; Fr. Venerando Yator, SVD – Prefect of Discipline; Fr. Jess del Rosario, SVD – Spiritual Director, Frater Aaron Paul Hizola, SVD – Regent

The Office Personnel

The College Faculty

The High School Faculty

The Elementary Faculty & Staff

A BLESSED ASH WEDNESDAY

Let us pray…

Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service, so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

DWCU 47TH FOUNDATION DAY

 

HAPPY 47TH FOUNDATION DAY!

Happy Birthday Fr. Gil & Fr. Tany!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FR. GIL AND FR. TANY!

Happy birthday to our generous and ever supportive Fr. President, Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD!  God Bless you today and always for the special love and concern you minister to all of those in your care. May your life be filled with God’s many gifts. We also greet a very Happy Birthday to our Campus Minister Fr. Tanysun C. Sunico, SVD. Your birthday celebrates the joy of living a full life with God in your heart. May it be filled with happiness, peace and love and may you have God’s blessings always. Happy Birthday!

Happy Feast Day St. Arnold Janssen,SVD!

THE LIFE OF ST. ARNOLD JANSSEN, SVD

Arnold Janssen was born on November 5, 1837 in Goch, a small city in lower Rhineland (Germany). The second of ten children, his parents instilled in him a deep devotion to religion. Each evening, his father would pray the Prologue to St John’s Gospel, instilling in him a deep love of the Logos, the Incarnate Word. He was ordained a priest on August 15, 1861 for the diocese of Muenster and was assigned to teach natural sciences and mathematics in a secondary school in Bocholt. Due to his profound devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he was named Diocesan Director for the Apostleship of Prayer. This apostolate encouraged Arnold to open himself to Christians of other denominations.

The second half of the 1800s were difficult times for the Catholic Church in Germany. Bismark unleashed the “Kulturkamp” with a series of anti-Catholic laws, which led to the expulsion of priests and religious and to the imprisonment of many bishops. In this chaotic situation Arnold Janssen proposed that some of the expelled priests could go to the foreign missions or at least help in the preparation of missionaries. Slowly but surely, and with a little prodding from the Apostolic Vicar of Hong Kong, Arnold discovered that God was calling him to undertake this difficult task. Many people said that he was not the right man for the job, or that the times were not right for such a project. Arnold’s answer was, “The Lord challenges our faith to do something new, precisely when so many things are collapsing in the Church.”

With the support of a number of bishops, Arnold inaugurated a mission house on September 8, 1875 in Steyl, Holland, and thus began the Divine Word Missionaries. Already on March 2, 1879 the first two missionaries set out for China. One of these was Joseph Freinademetz.

The volunteers at the mission house included women as well as men. From practically the very beginning, a group of women, including Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk, served the community. But their wish was to serve the mission as Religious Sisters. The faithful, selfless service they freely offered, and a recognition of the important role women could play in missionary outreach, urged Arnold to found the mission congregation of the “Servants of the Holy Spirit,” SSpS, on December 8, 1889. The first Sisters left for Argentina in 1895.

In 1896 Fr. Arnold selected some of the Sisters to form a cloistered branch, to be known as “Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration”, SSpSAP. Their service to mission would be to maintain an uninterrupted adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, praying day and night for the church and especially for the other two active missionary congregations.

Arnold died on January 15, 1909. His life was filled with a constant search for God’s will, a great confidence in divine providence, and hard work. That his work has been blessed is evident in the subsequent growth of the communities he founded: more than 6,000 Divine Word Missionaries are active in 63 countries, more than 3,800 missionary Servants of the Holy Spirit, and more than 400 Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration.

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PRAYER TO ST. ARNOLD JANSSEN, SVD

God, our Father, St. Arnold knew well by experience the pain of suffering and the cross which he called “the salt with which the eternal joys are seasoned.” He found his true happiness and bliss in abandoning himself totally to your will and in service to the Church. Therefore, with confidence we pray to him that we too may be trusting in our efforts to make known your love to all people.

St. Arnold, model of intimate union with God and of dedication to the missionary needs of the Church, implore God to endow men and women in our day with your spirit of dedicated love and service. Obtain for us strength and perseverance so that we may, with grateful hearts and generous zeal, accept our responsibility to carry forward the missionary work of the Church and in the power of the Holy Spirit fulfill that responsibility through Christ our Lord.   Amen.

DWCU 46TH FOUNDATION ANNIVERSARY

 

HAPPY 46TH FOUNDATION

ANNIVERSARY DWCU!

 

SILVER JUBILEE OF PRIESTLY ORDINATION OF FR. GIL T. MANALO, SVD

DWCU CELEBRATES THE

SILVER JUBILEE OF PRIESTLY ORDINATION

OF FR. GIL T. MANALO, SVD

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WORDS OF THANKS

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Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD – The Jubilarian

Firstly, to God who out of His steadfast love, have made each day of my 25 years as a priest a day of jubilee where he affirmed that my daily debts/sins have been mercifully forgiven; and that every day of those 25 years had been a moment of freedom to serve Him willingly.  To my Dad who guided me with his adage: that once I reached the rock bottom of my life I have no way to go but up.  To my Mom who instilled in me that one’s education and profession will help a person look, face, and live life from a certain perspective.  To my brothers and sisters who inspired me through the way they live their lives congruent to the Filipino and Christian values that they were brought up with.  To my brothers and sisters-in-law who have whole- heartedly embraced the Manalo Family. To my nephews and nieces who stimulate hope in me by doing their best in finding their social worth through their education and profession.  To my Superiors namely: Fr. Dante Venus, who took time to get out of himself and reach out, with my good memories of the way he guided me as a newly ordained priest.  To Fr. Gaudy Pugat who as a Superior had shared with me a heart of a confrere by having  listening ears.  To Fr. Jerome Adriatico who when the world seemed to be over my shoulders had always offered a different dimension that sheds enlightenment. To Bishop Jacinto Jose and the Diocesan Clergy of Urdaneta who have welcomed us SVD’s to their own flock. To my classmates in Philosophy who have accompanied me in my search for God through reason; To my Ordination Classmates most especially Fr. Nielo, Fr. John, Fr. Lim, who are present in this celebration, who have journeyed with me in facing the challenges of priesthood.  To all my SVD Confreres in the PHN Northern Province who have expressed their solidarity in the different events of my life as a priest.  To my family friends in Manila whom I grew up with  who have made my growing-up years meaningful. To the people whom I worked with, and served in Cagayan, Laoag, Vigan, Abra and Urdaneta who stood as my guides in discovering and in serving God through a dialogue with culture. To all the people who accompanied me in my journey as a priest; to all of you who graced this occasion with your presence, thank you very much, and God Bless You All!  – Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD

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LOOKING BACK IN MY 25 YEARS AS A PRIEST

By: Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD

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Fr. Gil’s Ordination 25 years ago

I got ordained on Dec. 12, 1987 at Christ the King Seminary and I belong to a class that had ordination in groups. The actual celebration of my silver jubilee in ordination was last Dec. 12, 2012.  So the question is why are we celebrating it on the 25^th of January? This is an instance where several occasion are merged together.  Firstly I had my birthday last January 22, then in fond memory of my father whose birth anniversary was last 21^st and death anniversary last 23^rd,  And today is the Feast of the Conversion of the Apostle Paul.  I find it providential that I am celebrating the 25^th year of priestly life on the occasion when Paul made a 360 degrees turn-around in his life, a total metanoia/conversion from being a persecutor of Christians to an apostle of Christ to the Gentiles.  He shared a significant role in the Church’s missionary journey when he  heeded the call of Christ to go out to the whole world, proclaim the good news to all creation.  Each one of us has his own salvation history and religious experience like St. Paul.  Mine started when I was a kid for having been educated in Lourdes School run by the Capuchins.  I developed a special admiration for priest and religious at an early age.  When I was in grade six I had a chance to go for an exposure to a High School Seminary in Manila but that did not lead me anywhere.  It was after having stopped from school after 2^nd year High School, when I seriously sought for the real meaning of life.  It was then that my childhood dream came back and my former Prefect of Discipline at Lourdes High School introduced me to Christ the King Mission Seminary; and that was the beginning of my journey towards becoming a religious priest and missionary at the Society of the Divine Word.  How did my 25 years of priesthood happen?  I would say that I owe it all to God’s graciousness and to the people who journeyed with me.

The first lesson that we could learn from St. Paul is that every conversion is the celebration of the mercy of God.   St. Paul urged the people to make him as an example that though he was a foremost sinner, God has been compassionate and forgiving to him. I remember when I had my thanksgiving mass as a newly ordained priest, in my homily I toyed on the word “Salamat” (Thank You) and derived two words from it namely: “Sala “ (Sin) and “lamat” (Crack/fissure). I stressed on my unworthiness in being chosen as a priest for I am a sinner and empathically, I emphasized the fragility of my vocation.  On hindsight, I would say that I was romanticizing priesthood then.  After 25 years of priesthood I stand here in front of you in humility admitting that those years were not all years of faithfulness to God and worthiness of my achievements, rather they represent the mystery of God’s unfathomable goodness and steadfast love to me.  Yes, I would say that though broken I have been very much blessed by God’s loving mercy.

Fr. Gil with his parents

The second lesson is that we have to recognize and be thankful for the Ananiases in our lives. It is to be noted that the grace of conversion came from God directly as Jesus spoke to Paul on his way to Damascus; but the knowledge of his mission came through the humble service of Ananias.  Truly God speaks to us through other people who serve as his instruments.  There had been many ananiases in my life: my parents, family members, relatives, friends, superiors, classmates, people I worked and lived with in my mission assignments and all of them have a common denominator of being God’s eyes, ears, nose, hands, and heart.

Lastly, that conversion is completed by our becoming witnesses to Jesus our Savior.  St. Paul shifted from being a persecutor to a witness; from a sinner to a saint.  The negative experience of St. Paul paved the way for his conversion. Russel Kelfers rightly expressed this in his poem as he stated: “The trauma you face was not easy and God wept that it hurts you so; but it was allowed to shape your heart so that into his likeness you’d grow.” And Rick Warren would say that “when anything in creation fulfills its purpose, it brings glory to God. Yes all of us have been called for a purpose-laiden life.

My priesthood is the instrument that allows me to grow, though slowly, into the likeness of my Savior.  May I invite you then to join me in concluding this reflection with a prayer:

            Lord Jesus, my Savior and friend, you are the Eternal High Priest who bestowed upon me the gift of vocation.  Thank you for being compassionate and patient in moments when I was frail and weak.  Thank you for the encouragement that you have shown when hope seemed to be dim. Thank you for the tap on the back when I was in my finest form and most of all thank you for my family, relatives, SVD-Community, co-missionaries and friends to whom you made yourself real and present, and through whom you extended your constant care and support.  Lord stir up in me the affective warmth of your most sacred heart so I could love you more faithfully and serve you more truthfully through your people. Amen.

THE ALAB CLASS

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THE SILVER JUBILEE OF FR. GIL T. MANALO, SVD

IN PICTURES

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January 25, 2013— is a momentous day not only for Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD, but also for the whole DWCU community.

Together with four of his batchmates from Alab Class of 1987, Fr. Manalo, the president of Divine Word College of Urdaneta, commemorated their 25th Priestly Ordination Anniversary. It was also considered as a double celebration for the president as he also an extension of the celebration of his birthday.

Throng of guests gathered for the event, which includes Fr. Manalo’s family, the SVD community, close friends, and the DWCU employees and students.

The festivity started with a Holy Mass presided by the school president himself together with other SVD priests from different parts of the country. During the Mass, Fr. Manalo had also renewed his vows and commitment to his vocation. Testimonials were also given by people who knew him better as a way of giving tribute to his years of priesthood.

After the Mass, a short program was prepared by employees and students of DWCU. Selected high school students, the Sneak Peek Crew, performed an energized dance number. The father and daughter duet of the Romero Family was also a moment worth watching. The college students along with Fr. Tanysun Sunico, SVD and Fr. Elmer Loreto, SVD, performed a song and dance number that quietly cause an entertained uproar of the crowd. To end all intermissions, the DWCU faculty and staff rendered a choral performance of classic songs.

To end this memorable event, the president gave his message of thanks for those who attended as well as declaring the cancellation of classes in the afternoon.

SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Theme: Faith and Love to Mary: Bring Hopeful

and Peaceful Advent

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Blessed Pope Pius IX proclaimed on December 8, 1854: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”

We also celebrate the First Friday mass, and the season of Advent, the time of preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas and the start of the liturgical year in the Roman Catholic Church. This refers, first of all, to our celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas; but second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His Second Coming at the end of time.

Indeed, today we will be beseeching the Holy Spirit to be with us and bless us as that we may all strive to be companion to one another on our journey towards growth in knowledge, wisdom and grace. In this season of advent may we learn, love, share and live our commitment as true Christians.

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a time to celebrate the great joy of God’s gift to humanity in Mary, and to recognize with greater clarity, the truth that each and every human being has been created by God to fulfill a particular mission that he and only he can fulfill.

“The word of the Lord came to me thus: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jeremiah 1:5-6)

DWCU Staff Lunches 3Fs

Targeting physical and spiritual fitness, the Divine Word College of Urdaneta staff actively participated in the kickoff of the Fit and Faith Formation last June 15, 2012.

The said event was divided into two parts. It started with the Faith Formation at the Holy Spirit Chapel which was facilitated by Fr. Tanysun C. Sunico, SVD, the Campus Minister. Here the staff was reminded on how to be fit through faith.

Immediately after, the four groups namely Mission Animation, Communication, JPIC, and Biblical Apostolate lead the parade to the St. Michael gymnasium for the Fit Formation.

It highlighted the cheer dance competition with nutrition as the main concept, presentation of group shirts with their explanations, and Search for Mr. and Ms. Fit and Faith 2012 where the candidates displayed elegance and composure in their sports attire, talent and question and answer portion.

Emerging as champions in the cheer dance competition was the JPIC followed by Communication, Biblical Apostolate and Mission Animation.
Meanwhile, the Biblical Apostolate was able to take home the award for the Best Shirt.
The rigorous search, on the other hand, crowned Maybelle O. Pameroyan from the Biblical Apostolate and Romer Majarucon from JPIC as the Mr. and Ms. Fit and Faith 2012; John Vincent San Juan from the Biblical Apostolate and Karla Ursua from JPIC as 1st runner-up’ Samson Dulay and Elvira Cayabyab, both from Communication, as 2nd runner-up; and Eric Castro and Deem Agcanang, both from Mission Animation as 3rd runner-up. Minor awards were given to Pameroyan as Ms. Talent and Best in Sports Attire (Female), Majarucon as Mr. Talent and Dulay as Best in sports Attire (Male).

The contests were adjudged by Cindy Manubag-Marzan, Marvin C. Marzan, and Oneil “Yesha” Jovero, alumni of DWCU.

The event ended with a closing prayer lead by Fr. Edgar C. Calunod, SVD.

The Biblical Apostolate Group

The Mission Animation Group

The JPIC Group

The Communication Group

 

PARAYNO RETAINS PTA PRESIDENCY

Parents and Teachers Congregate in General Assembly

In a somewhat unanimous vote by fellow parents, Mr. Julio F. Parayno III kept his position as the president of the Parents-Teachers Association of Divine Word College of Urdaneta. The election which happened last June 30 at the St. Michael Gymnasium also served as the General Assembly of the PTA and was attended by the parents from students in Pre-School, Elementary, and High School Department.

Aside from Parayno, other parents have also been elected to complete the set of Executive PTA Officers for the School Year 2012-2013. It included: Mrs. Aurora S. Manzano, Vice President-Pre-School & Elementary; Dr. Fred Enrile, Vice President-High School; Mr. Reynald T. Mamasig, Secretary; Mrs. Marivic Manzano, Treasurer; Mrs. Aimee B. Ridao, Auditor-Elementary; Mrs. Louela Ramos, Auditor-High School; Mr. Neil G. Tablada, P.R.O.-Elementary; and Dr. Agnes Leored Rioflorido.

With regard to the flow of the meeting, it started with the prelude of “Welcome to the Family” and Opening Prayer that was led by Fr. Tanysun C. Sunico, SVD, DWCU Campus Minister. It was followed by the Introduction of Non-Teaching and Teaching Staff of the school which was presented by the heads of the different departments. In other matters, concerns regarding Campus Pastoral had been laid out by Fr. Tany and Mrs. Mylene dela Paz presented the Financial Report of the PTA from the previous year. To break the monotony of the event, the new teachers from the High School Department put on an unforgettable performance with their intermission number. Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD, the school president, had also given his piece about the general concerns that needs to be undertaken for this year. He said that “Collabaration and Coordination” is the key to reach out the goals that have to be attained especially with the K to 12 Curriculum being fully implemented. He also added that with the proper process of growing up, not only by the students but also of the DWCU community, K to 12 will result to a transformation that we have to go along in time. Fr. Gil had also aired out concerns regarding the security inside the campus and that with the implementation of the ID system for fetchers, car stickers for the service transportation, and lunch pass system, the students will somehow be more safeguarded while they are inside the premises of the campus.

During the meeting, Mr. Parayno had also given his thanks and appreciation for the efforts of PTA last school year which are evident in the improvements and helps rendered for the school. The school also showed their gratitude for all the hard work that Mr. Parayno exerted in fulfilling his duty by giving him an extraordinary plaque of appreciation with pictures of the different year levels in high school carrying a banner saying “Thank You Sir Rammy”. It just proved that words are not enough to show appreciation for Mr. Parayano’s deeds.

The assembly ended with the parents meeting up with the advisers of their children for the election of PTA Homeroom officers as well as discussing some concerns with regard to the welfare of their kids.