UST VICE Rector for Religious Affairs Fr. Pablo Tiong, O.P. encouraged Thomasians to make prayer a habit during their stay at the University and regularly attend Masses at the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church.
In his homily during the second Mass celebrating the “homecoming” of sophomores and juniors at the Quadricentennial Pavilion, Tiong said students could find treasure greater than material possessions by praying and going to church.
“There in the chapel, we will learn a lot about the treasure of the Kingdom of God. Coming here in the University, in between Masses, the blessed sacrament is there,” Tiong said.
The vice rector also said the statue of UST founder Fr. Miguel de Benavides, O.P. could be interpreted as the prelate pointing to and inviting students to go to the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church.
“Madaming kwento kung anong ibig sabihin ni Bishop Benavides kaya nakaganito ‘yung kaniyang kamay. Sabi nila, ‘pag mababa daw ang grades, pumunta ka na sa ibang university,” he said.
“[A]llow me, dear students, to see another meaning in the gesture of our founder. Ikutin lang natin nang kaunti ‘yung kanyang daliri, and our dear Fr. Benavides will be pointing to none other than the UST Chapel,” he added.
Tiong urged Thomasians to find time to enter the UST Chapel and say a prayer inside even without Mass going on.
“We invite you, our dear students, kahit walang Misa, Fr. Benavides is pointing his hand for all of us. That way is the chapel, and he leads us to the treasure that if we are going to find the Kingdom of God [and] if it is going to be in our hearts, we start with a prayer,” he said.
He also reminded the sophomores and juniors to not give in to fake happiness brought by temporary pleasures.
“We hope that in your stay at the University, you will always be in search of treasures and that as you live your student life here, may that fire of faith, hope, and love lead you to speak the truth—the real truth,” Tiong said.
The second batch of homecoming rites consisted of sophomores and juniors from the Faculty of Arts and Letters, College of Information and Computing Sciences, College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, College of Education, Institute of Physical Education and Athletics, College of Nursing and College of Science.
UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. told the Varsitarian that the University would finish today’s “homecoming” events despite the heavy rains brought by Severe Tropical Storm “Florita,” before holding an emergency meeting today to discuss activities for the basic education cluster set for tomorrow, Aug. 24.
