January 24, 9:30 p.m. – MANILA ARCHBISHOP Cardinal Gaudencio B. Rosales formally opened UST’s Quadricentennial festivities on Monday afternoon (January 24), ushering in a Jubilee Year or a year of pardon.
The prelate declared the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church or UST Chapel a Jubilee church, granting pious visitors a plenary indulgence which remits punishment due to sin under Church teaching, and giving the Quadricentennial celebrations a spiritual dimension.
Thomasians witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime Church event when Rosales struck the portal of the chapel with a hammer three times and knelt at the entrance. The clergy led by Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., Rector of the University, opened the door to let the penitents process. The choir sang “Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat,” or “Christ conquers, Christ rules, Christ commands.”
Cardinal Rosales, who obtained the Pope’s permission to grant special blessings and indulgences to UST community, said the Holy Door symbolizes Christ, the only “door to salvation.”
The cardinal presided over a Concelebrated Mass in which he called on Thomasians to spread the University’s blessings as it marks its 400th year. The Thomasian community must share the value of education brought by the “miracle of the first door UST opened 400 years ago,” he said.
Dwelling on the vision of UST’s founder, Miguel de Benavides, O.P., the third archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Rosales paid tribute to Thomasian education and its contributions to society.
“Education is beneficial to one’s own formation –– for one to be able to contribute to the good society with their duty to God and country,” Cardinal Rosales said.
De la Rosa said the proclamation of the Holy Year is a “gift from the Church” to the University.
Those who visit the chapel from January 2011 to January 2012, as well as those who will join Quadricentennial rites will gain the indulgence after confession, Holy Communion and prayers such as The Creed, Our Father, and Hail Mary.
Penitents should also pray for the intentions of the Pope and prepare themselves spiritually.
UST also opened the Quadricentennial Fair to kickstart the Quadricentennial Week, which runs until January 28. Mika Rafaela A. Barrios
[bg|jubilee_mass|5|85|random|13|#FFF|1|Cardinal Rosales opens Quadricentennial Jubilee Year]
