Tag: No. 11

No one understood

why he indulged in the agony of

the pen, as he dragged it

across the ghostly sheet,

and spewed out emotion

line per line.

Once the verses had been finished,

came the

torture—to be corrected and

freed from error

by the master—

verses, slashed open with

every mistake,

until they bled scarlet, with the promise

of being better.

No one understood

his masochistic endearment

to punishment and healing,

why he took delight in the vicious cycle

he had to live with.

To others, he had gone mad

FILIPINO Dominicans marked the solemnity of their spiritual father St. Dominic de Guzman last Aug. 8, as they looked forward to marking the 800th anniversary of the foundation of the Dominican Order in 2016.

Holy Masses were held at Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City, headquarters of the Dominican Province of the Philippines, as well as at the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas and Colegio de San Juan de Letran de Manila, two important Dominican centers of higher learning.

At the massive shrine of Santo Domingo, Franciscans led the Eucharistic celebration, following a tradition among Dominicans and Franciscans that the leaders of each mendicant order preside over the commemoration of the feast of the founder of the other order.

CATHOLICISM has invaded the comic-book genre.

A group of devout Catholics is set to launch a comic-book series featuring an unlikely band of young heroes out to defeat the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

The message: Christian life requires catechism, prayer, and receiving the sacraments regularly, which are also the best weapons against demonic possessions and threats from evil spirits.

Patron Comics, written by pro-life advocate Anthony James Perez and published by Regina Caeli Publishing, deals with the popular theme of the occult to target young readers and thrill-seekers, but contains messages from Christ’s Gospel and the teachings of the Church.

TO BRING the study of Christian beliefs closer to the faithful, a theology crash course is now being offered at the UST Graduate School every fourth Sunday of the month.

Conducted by Fr. Jose Antonio Aureada, O.P., regent of the UST Graduate School, the theology course is considered an extension course of the Faculty of Sacred Theology. The first session was held at the Graduate School last July 26.

Topics include Synthesis of Fundamental Theology, Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization.

According to Louie Hermosa, one of the organizers, the three-unit course is open to all college graduates who wish to study theology “in a deeper sense.”

I WANTED someone to tell me that this wasn’t really happening.

I felt a brief sting in my stomach. I started to cramp. It’s becoming impatient. I can’t call it “he” or “she” yet; I’m not ready.

“Hoy, girl!” Maya waved her hand in front of my face and clutched at my arm. “Let’s go sit down first. I’m all sweaty from that jeepney ride. If only I had saved enough for that second-hand motorcycle Nestor was selling.”

I couldn’t focus on what she was saying. My eyes roamed around the room before I fixed them on the dull-looking wall. “Look at my face. It’s terrible,” she exasperatedly said, fanning herself with a frayed hand towel.

My voice was shaking. “I’m sorry for dragging you here. I didn’t want to go alone.”

THE MOTHER was haunted,

by memories of her son:

camouflaged in green,

and stained by red—

nightmares that made her break

in cold sweat,

pray to all the saints

that the heavens protect her dearest

from the enemy’s bullets.

She relived the days when her soldier was but

a little boy who always cried in school.

“Mama!” he implored,

as he marched back home,

a school bag hanging from his shoulder

alongside young men in faded polo shirts and slacks.

Soon, his shoulder bore the weight

of a mud-splattered rifle,

and he marched with men in proud salute,

who returned without him

THE UST Faculty Union (USTFU) filed a notice of strike with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) last Feb. 27 after negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the University administration ended in deadlock on Valentine’s Day.

The union, which represents 1,600 faculty members, accused the administration of negotiating in bad faith and failing to provide complete and audited financial statements needed during collective bargaining talks, despite repeated requests. The strike notice, signed by Dr. George Lim, USTFU president, also cited as basis the administration’s refusal to accept the union’s final proposal.

THE RULING Lakas Tomasino Coalition dominated the Central Student Council (CSC) elections anew as it grabbed four out of six posts, including the presidency.

LTC standard bearer and incumbent CSC secretary Ina Marie Angela Vergara of the Faculty of Pharmacy is the next council president, earning a lopsided victory over Lakas ng Diwang Tomasino (Lakasdiwa) bet Eisaku Ivan Bernardino of the College of Commerce and Business Administration.

Vergara, a fourth-year Clinical Pharmacy student, won a total of 16,273 votes, getting huge margin over the 9,634 votes obtained by Bernardino, incumbent president of Commerce student council.

UST’S fund drive for victims of typhoon “Yolanda” raised P5 million in cash and in-kind donations, officials said.

Cash donations totalling P1,321,499 and an estimated P3,450,000 worth of goods were received by the Tulong Tomasino Para sa Visayas program under the Simbahayan Community Development Office.

The donations came from the Thomasian community, Dominican priests and laity, and other partner institutions. Donations were brought to the towns of Coron, Palawan; Palo, Leyte; Bantayan, Cebu; and Guiuan, Eastern Samar; and to the provinces of Capiz, Aklan, Iloilo, and Antique.

THE USTv Awards ushered in its first decade last Feb. 21 evening at the Plaza Mayor by recognizing television programs and personalities that encourage the youth to become responsible viewers.

With the theme "Makabuluhang Telebisyong Hinubog ng Kabataan Ngayon," USTv's 10th edition reduced its categories to 22 from last year's 33 for a more filtered selection and more careful deliberation.

“Maaring maging mabisang batayan ng kanilang paniniwala, pagpapasya at pag-uugali ang telebisyon, kaya’t maging mapagmatyag sa mga mensahe sa likod ng mga programang binibigay nito,” said Vice Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. in his opening remarks.