Ateneo Student Catholic Action

Area Overnight Orientation

SA mga pupunta man o hindi sa Area Overnight...

DAPAT pa ring pumunta sa Area Overnight Orientation. ..hehe

lalo na't si Mr. Ralph "Tatot" Quiblat ang ating speaker on Liberation Theology...

AtSCA -- has its roots from the Liberation Theology Class of Fr. Giordano (that's 34 years ago!)

KAYA! Punta na!

B307

August 29

Wednesday

4:30 - 6:00 pm

REMEMBER REMEMBER REMEMBER!!!

Area Overnight -- September 1, 2007

May MAss tayo BEFORE (or AFTER) you go to the area for the tutorials -- 12noon ..SANVITORES Chapel, Loyola House of STudies

Please please take note :D salamat!

Labels: ANNOUNCEMENT

Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 4:37 PM | |

By
Mel Sta.Maria
AtSCA 1978
Given at the AtSCA ED SESSION
August 22, 2007

Let me re-introduce myself. I am Mel Sta.Maria. I am just a lowly
professor of law at an obscure law school in Rockwell Makati where
about eight (8) Atscan alumni and alumnae are studying. I am also
a lawyer. I guess I am more known to you all as the father of
Patty, one of your newest members who kept on reminding me not to
forget this day as if this day will be your "life-defining" AtSCAN
moment. Well, this definitely will not be that "life defining" AtSCAN
moment, but I hope the words you hear today will guide you towards
that direction. I graduated from this great Jesuit
institution not as summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude, or
with honors, or even an officer of any organization, but just
merely an ordinary biology student who was SIMPLY AN AtSCAN.

"SIMPLY AN ATSCAN." This phrase meant so much to us then
during our time as AtSCANs here. Our moderator, Fr. Francis Reilly
of the Society of Jesus, always reminded us of the virtue of
SIMPLICITY. SO , today I have decided to talk about SIMPLICITY and
not those complicated super-deep socio-theological issues about the
structure of society and what-nut. Fr. Reilly always said that
if we are simple in our ways , we will better appreciate and
understand the basic facts and demands of life, which, in turn,
will carry us through in the Ateneo, in our apostolate, and in our
lives as a whole.

By practicing the virtue of simplicity, I do not mean that
we all become simpletons or retardeds or oppressed or that we always
wear old clothes or shoes or socks with holes. It is not that. It
is not even more than that. It is profoundly BEYOND THOSE THINGS.
So, what then were the attributes of our simple-mindedness as
AtSCANs then, which, if observed, I think will serve you well even
today.

First, we strived to have that basic attitude of going into
ACTION for the good of others. Imbued with this desire, we felt,
humbly, that nothing can go wrong. If you put good into action,
then, in the end, no matter what you do, WALA TALAGANG SAYANG as
Ediboy Calasanz used to say to us then. One does not have to do
something dramatic , earthshaking or trailblazing. The weekly
apostolate in your respective centers every Saturday anticipated by
the children whom you have learned to love, the stroke of the chalk
to teach children that 2+2 is not five, the singing and the
dancing you do that makes the children laugh, the heartfelt warm
embrace you give to children that likewise gives joy and comfort to
their parents, these are all good and well. Keep on doing them.
This is the significance of the word "ACTION" in ATSCA. It is a
commitment in the flesh. ISANG MASIGASIG NA PAGTATATYA. As the song
goes "ISANG PAKIKIBAKANG HINDI NAGAALINTANA NG MGA HIRAP NA
DINARANAS." Your actions will give JOY to others. You are JOY-
CARRIERS.

Second, we recognized that we lived in a community.
Ateneans, after all, should be "persons for others." This is the
import of the word "Ateneo" in AtSCA. Ateneo is a Jesuit institution
and we know that one of the attributes of Jesuit training is not to
be isolated from the world, but doing good things with the world- a
sense of SOCIAL AWARENESS, a special sensitivity to the plight and
the situation of people around you, especially in your centers.
Looking at it from a different perspective, social awareness is the
ability to witness and to be witnessed. BUT it is not only YOU
becoming witnesses to what the world brings, but the world
witnessing what YOU bring to the world. Somehow you must have
some witnesses of what you have done, even without intending to be
witnessed. I do not suggest that you preen yourselves and brag
about what you do SO that others will see. That's not the point.
The objective is to simply and unassumingly be committed and do
what has to be done for the good of others: ISANG PAGBUBUKAS
PALAD. And if people see this, let them be "infected" by your
commitment. Let it be like a virus, but a good contagious virus
propelling people who witnessed you to emulate your commitment.
You can start this "infection" with your own special companionship
in ATSCA and in your centers. Cherish one another, as Ateneans, as
companions, because each one of you is a witness to the other's
good deeds.

Third , conscious of our own inadequacy, we strived to
passionately YEARN TO LEARN as Fr. Reilly appropriately said. Your
present station in life today is that YOU ARE STUDENTS in this
Jesuit institution. Do not forget that. Learn as much as you can.
Make yourselves better and better each year. What you sow now will
greatly help you in the future. Always strive for the best. To be
good , to be studious and to pass your subjects excellently do
not negate the spirit of simplicity but rather gives it
justification. This is the significance of the word "STUDENT" in
ATSCA. As students , NOT ONLY should you do good to others, BUT you
also have to do good to yourselves. You must always do your best and
try your hardest. You may fall short every now and then, but that's
OK. Remember: WALANG SAYANG.

LAST but the most important of all, AND FORGIVE ME IF I
SOUND LIKE A PRIEST NOW, we always strived to nurture that basic
childlike faith believing with all our hearts and minds that, in the
EUCHARIST, JESUS again reincarnates HIMSELF in TIME AND SPACE ,
yes, in history, to physically enter our body and soul. THIS IS THE
CENTERPOINT- Si "HESUS NA AKING KAPATID; to faithfully believe that
at the moment of communion, we become incorruptible as the HOPE of
the resurrection is physically within us. From this CENTER OF HOPE
radiates everything. This HOPE gives us inner power and inspiration
in our tasks as AtSCANs to "infect" others. This is the essence
of the word "CATHOLIC" in ATSCA: To be physically and spiritually
with Jesus and to MANIFEST Jesus to others. Truly, this
consciousness of HIS presence makes AtSCA and your activities an
APOSTOLATE.

Without Jesus, who is the HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION, in your work,
and in your studies and, indeed, in your midst, your efforts will
just be as dry and hopeless. It will be meaningless. Looking forward
to the room prepared by HIM in heaven will be a mere figment of
your imagination. ITUON NATIN ANG ATING PANINGIN KAY JESUS NA SIYANG
PINAGMULAN NG ATING PANANAMPALATAYA, AT SIYA RING NAGPAPASAKDAL NITO
( Hebreo 12:2). " Let us fix our gaze on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith." I remember this line in the Gospel very
well. This is the reason why, during consecration, I and my cellmates
in AtSCA then , gazed at the bread and wine.We believed that we were
gazing at Jesus at that moment when Fr. Reilly performed the greatest
miracle in the world. I still believe it today. It is such a loving,
awesome, powerful, and mystical moment. In philosophy of religion,
we say "mysterium tremendum"

And, of course there might be some of you who are not Catholics, but
its ok, if you are not Catholic, nurturing that faith in Jesus can
likewise be achieved by being cognizant that GOD is with you
spiritually. EMMANUEL- GOD with us.

With all these in mind when we were here as ATSCANs, we went
through our centers and attended our prayer meetings every week with
a meaningful commitment which was Christ-centered. We attended the
ATSCA MASS. During our time, it was the Wednesday 12:15 noon MASS.
To prepare for this talk, I visited the multiply site of Gerard to
see how AtSCANs might look like today. And you know, you just looked
like us during our time. And as I watched the video of Richie in
his multiply site showing members of Cell Marytown singing "You are
Mine" in their prayer meeting, I felt nostalgic and, on a personal
note, it brought me joy because I saw my daughter as one among you.
I watched the short video and it reminded me of that kind of profound
simplicity I am talking about. There is no fanfare, but only an
unassuming meaningful togetherness WITH CHRIST: praying, witnessing
and joyfully sharing among cellmates , silently knowing that each
AtSCAN in that prayer meeting is a committed student doing what is
good for the glory of Jesus in the community. What A UNIQUE KIND OF
LOVING COMPANIONSHIP. "Where one or two of you gather together in MY
name , there AM I in your midst." That is not merely a promise from
Jesus. It is his assurance and divine commitment.

So SIMPLICITY, stay simple AtSCANs. We tried to live out
those attributes and even today, many of us are still living them.
Don't get me wrong; we are not saints or holy men and women or
brilliant people. We just simply try our hardest to live our present
station in life and make Christ our CENTERPOINT.

In the end, AtSCA is not only a unique kind of joyful
companionship among Ateneans but it is also a great opportunity to
live a simple Christ-centered life and to make the love of Christ
radiate in your studies, in your family, in your centers and in the
community. And if AtSCA is a loving and radiating companionship,
then take hold of it and live it and let it not get away while you
are at the Ateneo.

MARAMING SALAMAT SA INYONG LAHAT. Para sa Diyos at sa
Bayan.

Labels: FEATURE

Monday, August 27, 2007 at 4:54 PM | |

Kadipa Pics

Labels: Gallery

Monday, August 20, 2007 at 9:43 AM | |

Area Overnight

hinihintay ka nilang makasama...

At dahil gusto mo rin silang makasama...

AREA OVERNIGHT na!

September 1-2, 2007

Saturday to Sunday

Kaya...

magsimula nang magpaalam sa mga magulang niyo...

masayang BONDING MOMENT to, promise!!!!!

Labels: ANNOUNCEMENT

at 9:42 AM | |

Ed Session

AUGUST 22, Wednesday 4:30 - 6; Social Sciences Building 280

Sana maka-attend tayong lahat. Our speaker will be Atty. Mel Sta. Maria. Dad yan ni Patty of Marytown ha... At AtSCAn din yan so super rich for sure yung makukuha natin from his talk!

What's an ED SESSION?
Basically, it's a talk (or sometimes, a workshop) wherein AtSCAns are presented with issues and concrete ideas that help us grow in our formation as members of AtSCA.

How does an ED SESSION go?
Well, we invite an AtSCAn out there (being an AtSCAn beyond the walls of Ateneo) in the real world to talk to us, students.

AUGUST 22, Wednesday 4:30 - 6; Social Sciences Building 280

Labels: ANNOUNCEMENT

at 9:40 AM | |