Centennial Countdown: Assumption begins year of love
It's the year of LOVE!
Assumption -- Iloilo launched the second year of its five-year Centennial Celebration Countdown with the theme, "Love never says, I have done enough." last July 15, 2006. Several meaningful activities were held for the school community and the Alumni and Friends of the Assumption (FOA).
School Community
Rev. Msgr. Jose Maria Delgado, the school chaplain, celebrated the Eucharist with the grade school and high school students at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption. His homily challenged them to work for ‘agape', the highest kind of love.
The students then launched the Eco-Peace Zone at the High School Plaza with a simple para-liturgy followed by a tree-planting activity to mark the second year of the countdown.
Some students' terpsichorean skills were also witnessed through a ballet show that the Grade School and High School students took turns watching. The Claravall-Gonzalez School of Classical Ballet presented "Pasasalamat", a show thanking the Assumption for being its home for the last 22 years.
Friends of the Assumption
The main highlight of the 96th Foundation Day was the Euchaistic Celebration with Fr. Josef Schmölzer, MHM as the main celebrant, and Rev. Msgr. Jose Alba concelebrating. Symbols of love and freedom were present all throughout the Mass. It was heralded with a blowing of trumpets, to signal celebration and gathering.
The jubilee bell was also rung by fourth generation Assumption children. The symbolic rite was led by Mrs. Mary Margaret Gomez Deles and Sr. Cristina Augusta Ledesma. They were assisted by Alex Rivera Francia, great-grandson of Eva Sanson Yusay and Mary Alice Jarantilla Kanaan, great-granddaughter of Emma Esteban Campos.
The Mass was followed by lunch at the Refectory. In true Assumption tradition, the piéce de résistance was not the lechon,...but the Assumption tart (!), topped with good old guava jelly. Some alumni swear it is the only reason why they come back to the Assumption. The lunch was also spiced up with a multi-media presentation of last year's
Year of Faith -- the year that has been.
Ms. Marissa Segovia, President of the Assumption Alumni Association, spoke about last year's milestones and the "journey ahead'. She also met with the 2008 and 2010 jubilarians and initiated plans with them for forthcoming HomeComing 2008 abd 2010.
In 1910, ten courageous sisters of the Religious of the Assumption set sail from Spain to Iloilo upon the request of Bishop Dougherty. The first Assumption school in Iloilo City was in Via Plana on General Hughes Street. On July 15, 1910, the first Assumption School in the Visayas was opened. 96 years later, the spirit of our Foundress, Mother Marie Eugenie still lives on in the hearts of people it has touched.
As Assumption -- Iloilo embarks on this Year of Love, she calls on all her old girls and boys and friends to come home once again to a place called "Love."
See you home, everyone!