Hope as God鈥檚 plan for us in the future

Cardinal Tagle reflected on the Lenten message recently delivered by Pope Francis, who emphasized the three theological virtues of 鈥淔aith, Hope, and Love鈥� that serve as a guide in the coming of our Lord Savior, Jesus Christ. 鈥淲e believe that Hope is God鈥檚 gift. It is a grace. Hindi po tayo ang gumagawa ng pag-asa. Ang pag-asa ay regalo ng Diyos. Tayo ay taga-tanggap. Tayo po ay taga-hingi ng biyaya ng pag-asa,鈥� Cardinal Tagle said. 鈥淚f we try to produce hope by ourselves, chances are it will just disappear after a few moments. Lasting Hope comes from God,鈥� he added.

Echoing Pope Francis鈥� ideation of hope as a daily experience, Cardinal Tagle said hope is focused on the future that is opened up by God through His Son. 鈥淗ope is being able to see a future. At kung pupuntahan natin ang kabaliktaran, sino ang desperado? Sino ang mga walang pag-asa? Yung mga tao na wala nang naikitang kinabukasan. There is no more future in their eyes,鈥� Cardinal Tagle said.

According to Pope Francis, Hope is about being able to see a future that is not fabricated by human beings. Hope is a future that God Himself offers to us. 鈥淚t is a future God the father opens up to us, for us to enter and that future world have been made possible through Jesus鈥� death, and especially his resurrection,鈥� Cardinal Tagle said.

Moreover, Cardinal Tagle added that Hope means that we must believe that history does not end in mistakes, violence, injustices, and as well as the sins that crucify love. 鈥淗ope means receiving from his open heart, the father鈥檚 forgiveness. Ang pag-asa ay ang paniniwala na ang kasysayan ay hindi nagwawakas sa ating mga pagkakamali,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ercy is stronger than our sins that the Love of God can conquer the ultimate enemy, which is death. But this we seek in faith if we believe in the power of the passion and the resurrection of Jesus,鈥� Cardinal Tagle said.

Cardinal Tagle underscored that we must not be short-sighted, meaning that we only see our own faults and others鈥� too. Likewise, Cardinal Tagle said that the Covid-19 pandemic brought people together to help others in need. However, individualism returns every now and then, aiming to push the people to their breaking point, resulting to despair and nihilism.

鈥淚f we pray and we allow God to encounter us through the risen Lord. Let his light inspire our weary hearts. Let Jesus, who was raised by the Father from the dead, open for us a future, which may be our efforts will not be able to produce,鈥� Cardinal Tagle said. 鈥�Kaya tayo nagkaka-despair kasi tayo lang ang bumubuo ng sinasabi nating better future. But hope is focused on what God will do and what God has already done through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,鈥� he said.

Experiencing hope daily
According to Cardinal Tagle, the true essence of Easter is to give us a refreshed vision through the virtue of Hope, which we must experience daily and regardless of season. 鈥淚t is in the simple, ordinary day-to-day existence that the risen Lord shows His triumph. And so, we can experience Easter joy if we are attentive to Jesus鈥� presence in the ordinary events of life,鈥� Cardinal Tagle said.

The Institutional Easter Recollection was organized by the Office of the Vice-Rector for Religious Affairs, Center for Campus Ministry, and the Graduate School of Law. Following Cardinal Tagle’s sharing, Vice-Rector for Religious fr. Pablo T. Tiong, O.P. celebrated the Holy Eucharist.

Watch the Easter Institutional Recollection here:

The post Cardinal Tagle leads Easter Recollection for Thomasian Community appeared first on 探花精选.

Communications Bureau Director Rev. fr. Christopher Jeffrey L. Aytona, O.P. will be the main celebrant and preacher on the first day of the Triduum Masses; while College of Education Regent Rev. fr. Maximo P. Gatela O.P., PhL will lead the second Triduum Mass; and lastly, College of Science Rev. fr. Louie R. Coronel, O.P., HEL will cap the three-day Eucharistic Celebration.

The online Masses are made possible through the initiative of the Office of the Vice-Rector for Religious Affairs and the .

On March 19, 2021, the University will hold its online Institutional Lenten Recollection.

The post 2021 Triduum Masses in honor of St. Joseph appeared first on 探花精选.

The online recollection will start with the praying of the Stations of the Cross.

Meanwhile, Faculty of Sacred Theology professor and former Rector Magnificus Rev. fr. Rolando V. Dela Rosa, O.P. will lead the online Lenten Recollection and the Eucharistic Celebration for the solemnity of St. Joseph.

The post 2021 Institutional Lenten Recollection appeared first on 探花精选.

UST Center for Campus Ministry Director Assoc. Prof. Richard G. Pazcoguin, O.P., and College of Education Regent Rev. fr. Maximo P. Gatela, O.P., PhL will be the speakers for this online Lenten Recollection. Fr. Gatela is also the Religious Assistant of the Catholic Teachers鈥� Guild of the Philippines.

Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with your God is organized by the Center for Campus Ministry, Sanctus Dominicus Educators, Lay Dominican Fraternity, and the Catholic Teachers鈥� Guild of the Philippines.

The post Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with your God appeared first on 探花精选.

The also held Triduum Masses from January 22 to 24, 2019 with the theme 鈥淜eep us in Beauty, in Truth, and in Virtues: Celebrating St. Thomas聽Aquinas in the Year of the Youth.鈥�

In his homily, the Father Rector discussed how true beauty can lead to a life of holiness, saying that, 鈥淪a Filipino, ang salitang 鈥榢agandaan鈥� ay hindi lamang tumutukoy sa panlabas na anyo. Laging sinasabi natin na ang kagandahan ay makikita sa loob. Kaya beauty is the splendor of being鈥� Sa mga Pilipino, ang konsepto natin ng kagandahan ay ang pagiging 鈥渂uo.鈥� Ang buong loob ay maganda. Ang tamang loob, maganda rin. Ang mabuting loob, maganda rin.

Kaya ang kagandahan sa mga Pilipino, ay 鈥渂uo.鈥� May integridad, totoo, at mabuti. At ang kagandahang ito ay magdadala sa atin patungo sa langit. Integridad, ibig sabihin ang isip at ang puso ay magkaugnay. In sync. At dahil magkaugnay ang isip at damdamin, hindi pagkakasala ang kilos at malinaw ang aksyon.鈥� (In Filipino, the word 鈥榖eauty鈥� does not only refer to the external appearance. We always say that beauty can be seen from within. That is why beauty is the splendor of being. The Filipino concept of beauty is in 鈥渨holeness.鈥� A whole sense of self is beautiful. A just and kind self is also considered beautiful, which is why beauty is equated with wholeness of the self. There is integrity, truth, and goodness. This beauty can bring us towards heaven. Integrity means that the mind and the heart are linked. In sync. And because of this link between the mind and heart, the resulting actions are not sins and there is clarity in decisions.)

Through integrity and having a whole sense of self, one can be committed, said the Father Rector. He explained, 鈥淜aya competent ang mga Tomasino kasi ang mga kilos at gawa ay tama, akma 鈥� At ang pagmamahal, compassion, ay hindi labis at hindi kulang. Sapat.鈥� (Thomasians are competent because their actions are right and just鈥� and their love, their compassion, is neither excessive nor lacking. [It is] sufficient.)

The Father Rector further discussed that through the values of commitment, competence, and compassion, a saintly life can be achieved. He ended his homily with the challenge, 鈥淒o we have what it takes to be a saint? Yes, we have. Buo dapat [ang loob], tama dapat [ang kilos], sapat dapat [ang pagmamahal].鈥� (Have integrity, act justly, and be
compassionate.)

The feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, patron of Catholic schools and one of the Doctors of the Church, falls on January 28, a holiday in UST.

The post 鈥淧ursue true beauty through integrity鈥� Rector urges faithful at St. Thomas Feast Day Mass appeared first on 探花精选.

The course is a 7-Saturday program that includes lectures, workshops and a required mission experience. Topics include Youth Spirituality and Prayer, Catholic Youth Ministry, Effective Youth Leadership, Management of Organization, Peer Counseling, Youth Catechesis, Public Speaking, Youth Advocacies and Critical Thinking.The Course instructors are provided by both UST and the Archdiocesan Commission on Youth. Among the Thomasian instructors were:

The certificate of completion is awarded to participants who have completed at least 75 percent of the total course hours, passed the oral examination and completed the course requirements, which include reflection papers, special projects and a mission experience. 

The first batch finished their program in March 2013, with 21 graduates. The second batch produced 24 graduates (August 2013). Batch 3 produced 34 graduates (June 2014). The fourth batch, with 25 graduates is received their certificates on July 4, 2015, with no less than His Eminence, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, presiding over the graduation mass and commissioning rites. To date, ten Thomasians have earned the certificate.

The post Manila Archdiocese, UST Campus Ministry, Simbahayan offer certificate course on youth ministry appeared first on 探花精选.