Xavier School Community composed of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents gathered at the Fr. Rafael Cortina, SJ Sports Center for the annual mass of the Feast Day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, July 31.

The feast day commemorates and celebrates the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, who serves as an inspiration for Xavier School as a Jesuit school. It symbolizes the perseverance of every Xaverian to share and ignite their core Christian values to rise from challenges and hardships by turning to God. 

The day started with a celebration of the Institutional Mass presided by Fr. Joseph Y. Haw, SJ. During the mass, the homilist, Fr. Arnel T. Ong, SJ, campus minister, gave a heartfelt message with his homily about his experience going on a pilgrimage to Pangasinan on foot. His message emphasized the importance of perseverance and seeing through challenges until the end.

Fr. Haw also shared a short message at the end of the mass, applauding the school community for helping out and providing for those in need during the onslaught of Typhoon Carina. He mentioned how more than 2,500 relief packages and almost a million pesos were donated to those who were affected by the typhoon and its devastating effects.

High School Activities
After the mass, the JHS classes gathered for a simple pop quiz about the Jesuits and their mission which enlightened everyone about St. Ignatius and his lasting legacy around the world, whilst also making for an enjoyable activity. This included a question ranging from Jesuits who pioneered and spearheaded major inventions in the Philippines. This informed and inspired the students about the values of Ignatian spirituality and its long lasting impacts. 

Unlike the juniors, the seniors had an activity entitled “Quick-Fire Talks” hosted by the feature committee, wherein faculty members of Xavier School namely Mr. Pierre Reniva, Ms. Aimee Apolinario, Mr. Jay Perez, Mrs. Thess Ladrido and Fr. Jun Bugtas, SJ, talked about their experiences serving and being a person for others. This event showcased each speaker’s experiences in relation to service and selflessness.

An example of an act of service is the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines shared by Mrs. Ladrido and Ms. Apolinario. They detailed their past experiences in Bukidnon where they taught the local community and subsequently learned to appreciate the local culture. 

It is also worth mentioning the experiences shared by Mr. Reniva, Mr. Perez, and Fr. Bugtas on their being a “brother” and teaching those who are less fortunate through the Tulong Dunong program. Along with this, they also mentioned the importance of servitude and selflessness in light of the recent Typhoon Carina. 

To conclude the Ignatius Feast Day, each class held a salo-salo and class program, celebrating the spirit and significance of the day. During the afternoon, the faculty and staff had an institutional spiritual growth activity (SGA) led by Fr. Jun-G Bargayo, SJ. 

The Mass, activities, and the feast would eventually culminate in the community’s further understanding of the school’s Ignatian heritage and what it truly means to embrace Ignatian values.