by John Vincent F. Capanang
The Saint Louis University – Basic Education School, with all its administrators, teaching, and non-teaching employees observed the Advent Season through a Eucharistic Celebration last December 19, 2022, held at the Elementary Department’s Chapel. The Eucharistic Celebration included a Penitential Rite for all attendees, as part of SLU-BEdS’ way of observing the theme of the Advent Season which is “anticipation, preparation, and renewal.” The celebration was presided over by our dear University President Rev. Fr. Gilbert Sales, CICM, and concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Emanuel Enjang Pranatal, CICM.
The Eucharistic celebration was timely held as the SLU-BEdS administration, faculty, and non-teaching staff gratefully closed off the year 2022 as a newly-consolidated unit within the University. Saint Louis University, as a premiere Catholic school, puts prime importance on the integration of Christian formation activities in its institutional activities and programs. Topping its list of institutional objectives is the goal of strengthening its Catholic Identity and Mission, and the Office of the Vice-President for Mission and Identity (OVPMI) is tasked with overseeing the achievement of this crucial goal. The OVPMI, through the Center for Campus Ministry (CCM), ensures that all members of the SLU community have their spiritual life continuously nourished through the observance of various liturgical celebrations, as well as spiritual formation activities.
Additionally, SLU’s commitment to the provision of services and activities such as these to its community members is also a way of answering the call to become a missionary institution. Founded by the CICM missionaries, it still, to this day, espouses the advocacy of the CICM in manifesting the Kingdom of God may it be on the frontiers or in the city streets. In addition to its continued excellence in the academic field, SLU strives to systematically align itself with its international peers through various internationalization efforts such as ISO certification, and institutional alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Activities such as these serve to fulfill SLU’s mission of providing an avenue to its stakeholders for them to grow and develop their Christian life vis-à-vis their continued advancement in their professional and academic life.
