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EMBOLDENED. Fr. John Stephen Besa encouraged the Letran Community to be the bearers of light during the institutional mass in honor of St. Dominic De Guzman. (Photo by Enrique Agcaoili/The LANCE)
By Ethaña Ramones
The Colegio’s new vice president for Religious Affairs Rev. Fr. John Stephen Besa, O.P. opens his homily, during the celebration of the Feast of St. Dominic de Guzman, with the statement: “At dahil tayong mga Letranista advanced mag- isip, pinagdiriwang na natin ang piyesta ni Santo Domingo kahit bukas pa ito.”
The institutional mass was held this afternoon at the Blessed Antonio Varona Gymnasium on August 7, in honor of the Dominican Order’s founder feast day on August 8.
Letran’s rector and president Rev. Fr. Clarence Victor Marquez, OP officiated the mass as he highlighted to the Letranites that: “We are Letran, we are Dominicans.”
Furthermore, the new VPRA Rev. Fr. Besa, focused on the 2nd Reading of the Gospel about the ‘light of the world’ and tackles about the significance of light in the bible of old and new testament.
He believed that St. Dominic illuminates the light of teaching and preaching to the people engulfed in darkness.
“Ang Letran hindi exempted, unti- unting nakadarama ng kadiliman at naging sikat na sikat tayo hindi sa liwanag kundi sa dilim,” Rev. Fr. Besa stressed.
The new VPRA urges Letranites to do a ‘challenge’ which encourages everyone to give light to the looming darkness in the Colegio. “Nais kong magbigay ng challenge – Letran Ilaw Challenge,” he urges everyone.
“Sa tila bagang padilim na padilim na mga pangyayari, magbigay ilaw ka sa Letran,” he added.
He encourages the students to give light to the school through their education, as well as the faculty to excel in teaching and the administration to light up the school community.
Rev. Fr. Besa also assured to all that no one will lose from this challenge.
“Huwag kayong mag-alala. Hindi kayo matatalo sa challenge na ‘to, sapagkat ang ilaw natin ay galing kay Kristo, galing kay Santo Domingo," Rev. Fr. Besa assured.
After the institutional mass for St. Dominic, Fr. Marquez officiated the blessing of the new classrooms at the Our Lady of Aranzazu Building which will soon suffice the lack of classrooms for college students.