Confessions from a Neophyte
I have some confessions to make.
First confession: I am a neophyte in UP. Because of this simple reason, I have some personal prejudices and biases about entering UP just like other people outside UP. I thought that students here are very liberal about there ideologies. One of these ideologies is regarding faith in God. I have heard many stories about movements inside the campus that influence students to deny the existence of God in their lives. And I am somewhat convinced with that. In short, I pictured UP as “totally” an atheistic ground where students learn to live without believing in God.
Second confession: I am a former seminarian. I chose to study in UP because of her renowned academic excellence especially in my field of study. Along with that, I want to expose myself in a very secular world where I could meet different people with different ideals, which I was not able to do extensively inside the seminary. I expect my experience in this respected institution to be one of the grounds for me to weigh my scale whether to return to my seminary formation or to pursue my life outside the seminary.
I can say that I am glad being in UP at this point in my life. It is like a dream come for me. But along with my gladness is my FEAR. I am fearful that truly I will be submerged to the liberalistic world of UP that will lead me to ignore my own precious faith that was imbedded to me for years of studying in the seminary. Worst, I will learn to give up my own faith and live my life 180 degrees.
One morning, I was having my ocular visit in the campus. I was really fascinated by the vastness of the university. At one street I saw a very different building with a dome-shaped roof. Passing by, I was told that it is the parish of UP. I was astounded to here that UP has her own parish (minding my prejudices about UP). I tried to take a closer look and read that it was indeed a Catholic Church with the name of Parish of the Holy Sacrifice. I was really happy to know that UP has her own parish. I told myself, “UP is not really an atheistic world after all.”
One experience that really made me more realize about my incorrect prejudice about UP was when I attended my first Eucharistic Celebration at the UP Parish. I was surprised to see a lot of people, including my fellow students and teachers, gathering together for the 12 noon mass. I observed so many young people who were praying so hard, responding to the mass, conscientiously listening to the Word and singing the hymns out of their hearts, which I rarely observe in so many churches nowadays. After the communion, I was so touched by the beautiful Prayer of Sacrifice. Adding more to my astonishment, I saw a long line for confessions after the mass. I whispered to my self with a happy heart, “UP is not really at all a Godless university.” I was relieved because I must not to fear that I might lose my precious faith, because I experienced myself the existence of an alive and growing Catholic Christian Community inside the university that can even enflame more my burning faith to my God.
Why did I write this simple sharing about my experience? It is for the sole reason that I just want to let other people know, especially my fellow neophyte students, that, yes, UP is known for nourishing the potential intellect of great students through rigid academic formation. Sometimes because of our stringent academic requirements and acquisition of knowledge, we tend to forget to nourish our faith that leads us to ignore our spiritual life. Thus, many forces that are trying to persuade us that living a life without God---that we can make it on our own with the providence of God---is a fulfilling life easily dupe us. UP is not at all for molding our minds. UP also offers us an avenue where we can strengthen our faith especially in this environment where the tension between believing and not believing in God are so palpable. UP has her own parish, The Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, where we can be with God through prayers and the sacraments especially the Holy Eucharist, which must the center and the summit of our Catholic Christian faith. In my deep reflection, I can say that UP is truly a bulwark of wisdom and intelligence because she realized that the human person is not only composed of a mind that is in need of knowledge but also of a soul that is nourished by the love of God. Thus, Parish of the Holy Sacrifice exists.
May I conclude this simple sharing with an invitation for my fellow Catholic UPian to visit the Parish. Take your time to kneel and pray, to celebrate the Holy Mass, to experience the love of God through the sacraments. And may your experience make you realize that, indeed, God must be present in our lives amidst our busy scholar endeavor for He is our origin, our reason for our existence, and our final end. That He is the source of our life, strength, and even our knowledge; that we are nothing without Him. Let us be always reminded of the Psalms saying to us that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
(This is part of my journal dated June 21, 2009 at 5:30 pm)
First confession: I am a neophyte in UP. Because of this simple reason, I have some personal prejudices and biases about entering UP just like other people outside UP. I thought that students here are very liberal about there ideologies. One of these ideologies is regarding faith in God. I have heard many stories about movements inside the campus that influence students to deny the existence of God in their lives. And I am somewhat convinced with that. In short, I pictured UP as “totally” an atheistic ground where students learn to live without believing in God.
Second confession: I am a former seminarian. I chose to study in UP because of her renowned academic excellence especially in my field of study. Along with that, I want to expose myself in a very secular world where I could meet different people with different ideals, which I was not able to do extensively inside the seminary. I expect my experience in this respected institution to be one of the grounds for me to weigh my scale whether to return to my seminary formation or to pursue my life outside the seminary.
I can say that I am glad being in UP at this point in my life. It is like a dream come for me. But along with my gladness is my FEAR. I am fearful that truly I will be submerged to the liberalistic world of UP that will lead me to ignore my own precious faith that was imbedded to me for years of studying in the seminary. Worst, I will learn to give up my own faith and live my life 180 degrees.
One morning, I was having my ocular visit in the campus. I was really fascinated by the vastness of the university. At one street I saw a very different building with a dome-shaped roof. Passing by, I was told that it is the parish of UP. I was astounded to here that UP has her own parish (minding my prejudices about UP). I tried to take a closer look and read that it was indeed a Catholic Church with the name of Parish of the Holy Sacrifice. I was really happy to know that UP has her own parish. I told myself, “UP is not really an atheistic world after all.”
One experience that really made me more realize about my incorrect prejudice about UP was when I attended my first Eucharistic Celebration at the UP Parish. I was surprised to see a lot of people, including my fellow students and teachers, gathering together for the 12 noon mass. I observed so many young people who were praying so hard, responding to the mass, conscientiously listening to the Word and singing the hymns out of their hearts, which I rarely observe in so many churches nowadays. After the communion, I was so touched by the beautiful Prayer of Sacrifice. Adding more to my astonishment, I saw a long line for confessions after the mass. I whispered to my self with a happy heart, “UP is not really at all a Godless university.” I was relieved because I must not to fear that I might lose my precious faith, because I experienced myself the existence of an alive and growing Catholic Christian Community inside the university that can even enflame more my burning faith to my God.
Why did I write this simple sharing about my experience? It is for the sole reason that I just want to let other people know, especially my fellow neophyte students, that, yes, UP is known for nourishing the potential intellect of great students through rigid academic formation. Sometimes because of our stringent academic requirements and acquisition of knowledge, we tend to forget to nourish our faith that leads us to ignore our spiritual life. Thus, many forces that are trying to persuade us that living a life without God---that we can make it on our own with the providence of God---is a fulfilling life easily dupe us. UP is not at all for molding our minds. UP also offers us an avenue where we can strengthen our faith especially in this environment where the tension between believing and not believing in God are so palpable. UP has her own parish, The Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, where we can be with God through prayers and the sacraments especially the Holy Eucharist, which must the center and the summit of our Catholic Christian faith. In my deep reflection, I can say that UP is truly a bulwark of wisdom and intelligence because she realized that the human person is not only composed of a mind that is in need of knowledge but also of a soul that is nourished by the love of God. Thus, Parish of the Holy Sacrifice exists.
May I conclude this simple sharing with an invitation for my fellow Catholic UPian to visit the Parish. Take your time to kneel and pray, to celebrate the Holy Mass, to experience the love of God through the sacraments. And may your experience make you realize that, indeed, God must be present in our lives amidst our busy scholar endeavor for He is our origin, our reason for our existence, and our final end. That He is the source of our life, strength, and even our knowledge; that we are nothing without Him. Let us be always reminded of the Psalms saying to us that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
(This is part of my journal dated June 21, 2009 at 5:30 pm)
posted by Franklin at 8:06 PM
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