By: Vicente Ignatius Mate IV, Samantha Bernardo
Rev. Fr. Jose, OP, baptizes three students from the Collegiate Department. Photo courtesy of Vicente Ignatius Mate IV of The LANCE.
Letranites from the Collegiate Department were welcomed to the Catholic community as they were baptized at the Colegio Chapel on Friday, December 1, 2023.
The program, sponsored by the Office of Religious Affairs and presided by Letran-Manila’s Rector and President, Rev. Fr. Fernando Raymund P. Jose, OP, welcomed three new individuals to the community.
In an interview with the LANCE, Fr. Jose shares that the program is an avenue that welcomes those who want to join the Catholic community.
“We already had before baptism- adult baptism- sponsored by our Religious Affairs Division. We [also] welcome them para lumalim ang kanilang pananampalayata sa Katolikong pamamaraan,” said Fr. Rector.
Zabrina Hong, a first-year journalism student and one of the newly baptized Catholics, shares with The LANCE that the Colegio helped her in considering her baptism as she was only baptized now despite growing up in a devout Catholic family.
“Growing up, lumaki din ako sa Catholic family. Ako lang kasi yung di nabinyagan samin…Malaki yung part ni Letran kasi yung sa RE na subject, doon mas nag-open yung knowledge ko about Catholicism and also mas madali kasi nandito na lahat,” Zabrina shared..
The Baptism Rites was a part of the program for the First Communion of the students from the Elementary Department.