Date: 29 January 2015
Weekly Memorandum No. 2016 – 2.1
TO: AdZUHS Community
FROM: Father Principal
1. Principal’s Message:
For two consecutive weekends, some Ateneo JHS students coming from the socio-civic cluster clubs and some teachers have conducted outreach activities to students of Lunzuran Elementary School, Sta. Barbara Elementary School, and Sibulao National High School. I remember that the day after last Sunday’s family day, a group of teachers (Ms Tampipi, Ms. Alegado, Mr. Andaya, Ms. Salialam, Ms. Bilbar, Ms. Velasco, Bro. Esteba, and Bro. Lacang) – still tired from the previous night’s event – traveled about a hundred kilometers away from the city to go to Sibulao National High School to exercise their social responsibility, interacted with a group of Grade 7-10 students of the said mountain barangay, and donated school supplies and slippers that were collected through the efforts of our Junior High School students.
Side by side with academic formation, AdZUHS desires its students and teachers to become persons of character, to become morally, spiritually and socially formed. The late Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, formulated the concept of “multiplier effect,” that students who are formed in our schools might, upon graduation, be influential leaders in society and become agents of transformation.
Jesuit education takes place both inside and outside the classroom. At different times, in and out of class, we are invited to become men-and-women for others; we are encouraged to be involved in the variety of service projects; we are asked to offer our gifts and talents in service to our world especially to the forgotten and marginalized, and be open to learn from those we serve.
The Ateneo experience is not only a commitment to academic excellence, but the school believes that the acquisition of knowledge and our commitment to justice, together, create the highest quality learning experience. We are always asked to reach out to others in the community, always remembering to live by the magis, the more.
May we have more men-and-women for others.
1. Faculty and Student Updates:
a. Fr. Pen Abuan SJ &Mr. Honey Rod Alfaro will be in Manila on February 3 – 6 (Wednesday – Saturday) for the final seminar-workshop on the Philippine Catholic Schools Standards. As you may already know, AdZUHS has been identified by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines as a pilot school.
b. Here’s a news article from “Scouts Philippines.”
“The Boy Scouts of the Philippines congratulates EMILIO D.S. AQUINO II of Zamboanga City Council for being elected as the new Regional Scout Representative for Mindanao to the National Executive Board.
“As RSR for Mindanao, Scout Aquino will be one of the only three (3) Senior Scouts who will act as a member of the National Executive Board for a term of one (1) year to represent the Scout Membership.
“Scout Aquino was elected during the 2016 National Scout Youth Forum for Mindanao held last 21 – 22 January 2016 at Tagum City. He will be replacing Outstanding Scout Christian John Saludar of Davao City.”
Again, congratulations, Em-em Aquino of Gr. 9 Lewis, from the AdZUHS community!
c. Carlo Rafael San Agustin of Gr. 10 Ignatius of Loyola is among the qualifiers to the 13th National Science Quest and Quiz to be held on February 5 – 7, 2016 in Baguio City. The theme for this year’s competition is “Go global, go excellence thru Science research and invention to save mother earth.” The contest aims to promote academic excellence in Science and create camaraderie and sportsmanship among students, pupils and teacher-coaches. He will be accompanied by Mr. Jeffrey Barrera.
d. The following students will represent the Division of Zamboanga City in the 2015 Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Athletic Association (ZPRAA) in Roxas Municipality, Zamboanga del Norte on January 31 – February 4. The winners in the said Regional Meet will represent Western Mindanao in the forthcoming Palarong Pambansa to be held in Bicol this April.
Rodlyn T. Mendoza (Gr. 10 Jerome), CJ Joy P. Bondoc (Gr. 10 Jerome), Arafat Abdul (Gr. 10 Jerome),Ahmad Rauf L. Panduga (Gr. 10 Jerome), Carlos Luis F. Arrieta (Gr. 10 Jerome),
Al Francis Rhayan U. Viray (Gr. 10 Rodriguez), John Luwi B. Fernandez (Gr. 10 Rodriguez), Mohammad Rafie I. Abam (Gr. 10 Evans),Ahmed Ashied Ilaji (Gr. 10 Evans),Rodney B. Roa (Gr. 10 Kostka),Tristan Carl D. Usman (Gr. 10 Evans),
Kristian Louis H. Oliveira (Gr. 9 Realino),Brandon D. Recinto (Gr. 9 Realino), Antoni Wenzel V. Agbayani (Gr. 9 Realino),Ephraim John S. Yu (Gr. 9 Ogilvie), Luis Miguel T. Francisco (Gr. 9 Briant),Algenne Marhee P. Amiruddin (Gr. 9 Xavier),
Mary Lleanne P. Amiruddin (Gr. 8 Bellarmine), Ayesah S. Alhabsi (Gr. 7 Canisius), Mary Athena Abella (Gr. 7 Colombiere).
2. Activities and Events for February 1 – 6, 2016
a. February 1, Mon. * 7AM: Monday Assembly
Sponsors: Interact Club and Tourism Club Moderators: Ms. Mary Lucel B. Sumatra & Ms. Pearl Marjorie G. Vidal
* 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Grade 10 Deliberations (Day 1)
* Brebeuf, Kostka, Evans, Garnet
b. February 2, Tue. * 7:30 – 9:30 AM: Manners and Etiquette session (c/o Guidance Office) for Gr. 9 Borgia and Gr. 9 Briant
* 12:45 – 2:45 PM: Manners and Etiquette session (c/o Guidance Office) for Gr. 9 Lewis and Gr. 9 Ogilvie
* 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Grade 10 Deliberations (Day 2)
* Rodriguez, Ignatius of Loyola, Jerome,
c. February 3, Wed. * 7AM: Class Mass c/o Gr. 9 Lewis (Moderator: Ms. Christian Jade Encilay)
* 7:30 – 9:30 AM: Manners and Etiquette session (c/o Guidance Office) for Gr. 9 Pignatelli, Gr. 9 Realino, and Gr. 9 Xavier
* 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Grade 9 Deliberations (Day 1)
* Xavier, Pignatelli, Lewis, Realino,
d. February 4, Thur. * 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Grade 9 Deliberations (Day 2)
* Briant, Borgia, Ogilvie
e. February 5, Fri. * 7AM: Class Mass c/o Gr. 9 Ogilvie (Moderator: Bro. Arbie Tindugan)
* 7:30AM – 3:45 PM: CEM Test for all Grade Level Students
(Gr. 10 Garnet will have a separate schedule for the test)
* 7:30 AM (Day 1): Overnight recollection for Gr. 10 Garnet * 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Grade 7 Deliberations (Day 1)
* Southwell, Daniel, Chabanel
f. February 6, Sat. * 12NN (Day 2): End of Overnight recollection for Gr. 10 Garnet * 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM Grade 7 Deliberations (Day 2)
* Berchmans, Colombiere Faber, Canisius
* 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM Grade 8 Deliberations
* Campion, Regis, Pongracz, Arrowsmith, Bellarmine, Claver, Britto
3. Teach Us To Pray: Savoring
James Martin SJ
Many of us lead busy lives and are constantly rushing around. As a result, it’s hard to slow down and, as the saying goes, “smell the roses.” That can be a problem because it means we often don’t pause to take stock of life’s blessings.
Moreover, we seem to be hardwired to pay closer attention to problems rather than to blessings. Psychologists suggest this may be a remnant from our prehistoric past, when human beings needed to be hypervigilant about danger. The caveman or cavewoman who was attentive to physical threats was more likely to survive than the contemplative person, who would be more likely to be eaten up by a fearsome beast while he or she was dreamily pondering a sunset!
Those two tendencies – to rush and to focus on the negative – can be combated with savoring.
In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius Loyola recommends that the one praying “relish” or “savor” certain spiritual moments. For Ignatius this meant returning to a particular prayer that held great fruit. But it can also mean recalling something that happened during your day, or in your life, for which you are grateful and revisiting it in prayer. You do this almost as if savoring a good meal, reveling in it – slowly and deliberately enjoying it. Then you express thanks to God. Such gratitude is a foundation of the spiritual life because it helps us to see how much we depend on God, and how much God freely gives u.
As the thirteenth-century German mystic Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘Thank you,’ it will be enough.”
James Martin is a Jesuit priest and author of Between Heaven and Mirth, The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, and My Life with the Saints.
