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SJS celebrates CIVICS Week
Today, St. Joseph School (Iloilo), Inc. celebrates the culminating activity of the CIVICS Week with the theme, "World Peace: A Global Concern." As part of the CIVICS Department of SJS, we are proud to say that indeed, we had activities that enhance the talents and skills of every Josephian. The High School students really prepared for their classroom-based exhibit which will be opened tomorrow presenting civilizations in the ancient times as assigned per class. Moreover, they have debate, lip synchronization, extemporaneous speaking and essay writing contests. Of course, the elementary has its own showcase of talents like verse choir, essay and poem writing and flag making.
I would like to share Blessed Bea Plondaya's essay which ranked first in the said contest entitled, "Peace: Fact or Fiction?"By the way, Bea is the Editor-in-chief of the Yellow Bird, the official student publication of St. Joseph School (Iloilo), Inc. in the elementary department.
The doves and laurel leaves may say it all, but do we really know what real peace means?
Roget's Thesaurus and Mr. Webster listed them down... harmony, accord, friendship, amity, goodwill, absence of war, say it, name it, the meanings are in variety but the essence is still unfelt.
Peace... the most expensive commodity these days, the most valued but attainable aspect of life. How do we achieve world peace? Can we still achieve it? As guns rattle, and the deafening sounds fill the air, will there be a chance for peace to surmount all odds?
Saint Thomas Aquinas once said and I quote, "Pax opus justitia." peace is the product of justice. Indeed, this is true, because man is a rational being, yet he ceases to be one when difficulties come in. Man lives in a life wherein facts are much stranger than fiction. Man likes to live in a dream land. There is that grim reality that we have to deal with. Man knows what peace is, yet, despite that gift of logic, man does not want to use his prerogative so that it can serve – a common purpose on the morally-accepted ideology. Then, where is peace and justice there?
At present, what is happening to the world? Graft and corruption is rampant. Crimes, famine, thirst, violence... name it, the world has it. Government versus the church on their view about human life; government against rebels on their quest for supremacy and there are innocent civilians in between. Will we ever achieve the so-called peace in the midst of chaos?
Peace is not within our reach. Why? It is because people will always try to have for themselves the best of everything – power, influence, money – at whatever cost, even stepping the rights of others in the process. We have been in this maze since time immemorial, and we shall be like this if we continue with our selfish motives.
Now, can we achieve liberty in tranquility? We have two choices as human beings. Will we lift our fellowmen up? Or will we drag them down? Peace, is it a fact or will I continue to be a fiction. The answer lies in our hands.
Congratulations to all the winners for the different contests and more power to all Josephians! In behalf of the Civics Department, I would like to thank all the Josephians for the support and participation in making the CIVICS WEEK celebration a meaningful and successful one.
And to all Ilonggos, have a safe todos los santos!