Hosted by the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU), this year’s Formation Colloquium was held in Davao City on July 3 – 7, 2012. It was participated by delegates of the various formation offices of different Jesuit schools and universities in the Philippines, namely ADDU, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU), Ateneo de Zamboanga University ( ADZU ), Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan and Loyola School of Colon (LCC) in Palawan.
In the course of the discussion, Fr. Joel Taborra made a remarkable statement when he emphasized that “the challenge for the formation cluster of Jesuit schools and universities is not the formation of knowledge but the formation of freedom.” He further elaborated when he said, “The statement may sound like an oxymoron but becomes significant when we want to establish the direction and priorities of the kind of students and employees our schools are preparing for to share to the society.”
The sharing of Fr. Taborra elicited various reactions from the other participants. Many were even questioning whether the bigger slice of the pie should not be apportioned to academic excellence but instead, to the formation of the persona of the being for others. Some of these concerns were enlightened when Eva K. Galvey walked the participants through an understanding of the kind of spirituality that moves individuals to the passion of doing what they are doing.
Representing ADZU were Fr. Wilfredo Samson SJ, Judith Joy Tugade, Estesa Xaris Que – Legaspi , Engr. Stevan Dimaguila, and Cellyn Aron – Verallo. Notably, the participants described the experience “as a ray of light to guide the path in seizing the frontier that Ateneans are about to engage in after a hundred years of existence in a culturally diverse Western Mindanao.”
Participants to the 4th Formation Colloquium, hosted by Ateneo de Davao University
July 3 -7, 2012
