The Sesquicentennial and the AdNU as Institution

Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J

Address
ADNU Faculty General Assembly
5 June 2009.

Historical Background

The first Jesuit mission arrived in the Philippines in 1581 – 428 years ago.  Originally there were four Jesuits belonging to the Province of Mexico sent by Fr. General Everard Mercurian to the Philippine Mission.  But one scholastic, Gaspar Suarez de Toledo, died during the voyage from Acapulco to Manila.  That left a very small community of three:  Fr. Alonso Sanchez, Br. Nicolas Gallardo,  and Fr. Antonio Sedeño, superior, to begin the work of the Jesuits in the Philippines. 

In time, other Jesuits arrived.  The first mission station was founded in 1593 by Fr. Pedro Chirino in the Visayas, at Tibauan, Panay.  Here, 416 years ago,  he opened the first school of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. 

In 1595, the College of Manila was formally opened by Fr. Sedeño in the Jesuit compound in Intramuros, on Calle Real, although it had already been operating five years earlier. The Colegio de Manila was also known as the Colegio de San Ignacio.  Even though it was not a university in the strict sense, it was still authorized to confer university degrees in theology and arts by virtue of privileges that Pope Gregory XV had conferred on all Jesuit colleges.  Here, the first Sodality of Our Lady – the forerunner of today’s Christian Life Communities – was established. 

We cannot go into the detail of the works of the early Jesuits in the Philippines.  But it is a fascinating story.  Those interested will find the definitive History of the Jesuits in the Philippines 1581-1768 by Fr. Horacio de la Costa or his Light Cavalry fascinating. 

“For close to two centuries,” de la Costa wrote, “the Jesuit Mission in the Philippines grew and prospered:  clearing the wasteland, building towns, evangelizing, teaching, exploring, charting, breaking its gallant lances in charge upon charge against the imported idols of Asia, transforming itself into a channel through which passed, clear and vibrant, into these Islands of the furthest East, the culture of Rome and the faith of the Martyrs.  All this was to end on the 17th of May, 1768.”

Suppression

On 27 February 1767 Charles III issued a decree banishing the Society of Jesus from Spain and the Spanish dominions.   The Society of Jesus had become victim to the atheistic and Masonic spirit of the Enlightenment, which it staunchly opposed, as well as to unscrupulous politicians -  Pombal in Portugal, de Choiseul in France, de Aranda in Spain - who manipulated the insecurity of King Charles III into hatred against the Jesuits. 

This decree reached Manila on 17 May 1768.  Thus, between 1769 and 1771 the Jesuits in the Philippines were transported to Spain, and thence deported to the Papal States in Italy.  In 1773 Pope Clement XIV signed the Brief, Dominus ac Redemptor, suppressing the Society of Jesus throughout the world.  Only in White Russia under Empress Catherine did the Society survive this suppression.

With the suppression of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines, the Colegio de San Ignacio closed.  The Colegio de San Jose, continued to exist, first under the secular clergy, then under the Dominicans. 

Restoration and Return

What was suppressed for political reasons, could be restored when the political problems passed … away.  After 90 years of absence, ten Jesuits – six priests and four brothers – led by Fr. Jose Fernandez Cuevas sailed into Manila harbor in the night of 13 June 1859 on the Frigate Luisita and disembarked the following morning, June 14.   That was 150 years ago, less about a week.

Within six months, the Escuela Municipal, a public elementary school, supported by city funds, was put in the charge of the Society.  It opened on December 13 under Jesuit direction in Intramuros.  In 1865 a high school and college were added, and the entire establishment was named Ateneo Municipal.  When government support ceased with the transfer of sovereignty from Spain to the United States, the name of the school was changed to Ateneo de Manila.  It received its university status in 1959 under Fr. Francisco Araneta.  Ateneo de Manila has moved on, as we all know, to be one of the premier universities of the country. 

We are celebrating therefore this year the sesquicentennial of the return of the Jesuits to the Philippines after the suppression, the sesquicentennial of the Ateneo de Manila with its historical roots in the Jesuit-run Ateneo Municipal, and the consequently the sesquicentennial of Jesuit education in the Philippines after the suppression.  Clearly, all these warrants for celebration interlock…

The sesquicentennial of Jesuit education in the Philippines – overlooking the pre-suppression mission school in Panay, the Colegio de San Ignacio, the Colegio de San Jose – now San Jose Seminary – presents a variety of educational interventions and includes the Ateneo de Naga. 

On January 23, 1865, a normal school in Manila for male teachers was inaugurated by Royal Decree, was opened under Jesuit administration.  (Two years later, on Nov. 5, 1867 a normal school was founded by royal decree for ladies in Naga  at the behest of Bp. Gainza – the Colegio de Sta. Isabel.)

In 1910, Pope Pius X restored the Colegio de San Jose to the Society of Jesus.  It was to be administered as a Seminary for the education of Filipino secular priests.  It is still operating as such today. 

The Ateneo de Zamboanga began in 1912 as the Escuela Catolica, a parochial school run by the Spanish Jesuits at the old site of the Immaculate Conception Church.  Fr. Manuel Sauras, SJ was the first director.  In 1916, the Escuala Catolica became the Ateneo de Zamboanga.  In 1980 Fr. Ernie Carretero started the work to acquire university status for Ateneo de Zamboanga;  he also intervened vigorously to gain accreditation for the programs of his Ateneo.  His efforts paid off when Ateneo de Zamboanga was declared a University in 2001 under Fr. William Kreutz. 

In 1933 a high school named Ateneo de Cagayan was founded by the Jesuit missionaruy, Fr. James Hayes, S.J., who later became the first bishop/archbishop of Cagayan de Oro.  In 1937, Fr. James Haggerty was appointed its first Rector.  In March, 1958, the Ateneo de Cagayan received university status and its present name, Xavier University.  It was the first of the Jesuit schools in the Philippines to attain university status.  Fr. Francisco Araneta, S.J. was its first university president, and the first Jesuit university president in the Philippines. 

We come in in 1940, when on the invitation of Bishop Pedro Santos of Caceres, the Ateneo de Naga was founded as a Jesuit high school for boys, with Fr. Francis D Burns as he Rector.  …

In 1945 control of the Atheneum de Tuguegarao, founded in 1938 by Bp. Constancio Jurgens, CICM, Bishop of Tuguegarao, was given to the Jesuits and renamed Ateneo de Tuguegarao.  The school was closed in 1962 when the Jesuits left Tuguegarao.

In 1947 the Ateneo d San Pablo was established as an elementary and high school.  It was closed by the Diocese of San Pablo in 1978 and turned into a diocesan school.

In 1948, at the request  Archbishop Luis del Rosario,  the Jesuits took over St. Peter’s Parochial School and founded the Ateneo de Davao in Matina, Davao.  The founding fathers were led by Fr. Theodore Daigler, S.J..  The Jacinto campus was obtained in 1951 with the support of Bp. Clovis Thibault, PME, Bishop. Prelate of Davao.  The Ateneo de Davao gained university status in 1977 with Fr. Emeterio Barcelon, S.J., as its first University President.

And last but not least in schools founded by the Philippine Province Jesuits, the Loyola College of Culion is a high school and college run by the Society of Jesus in Barangay Libis, Culion, Palawan. Under the Jesuits, it was in 1948 the first private educational institution in Culion – originally serving the lepers, eventually opened for all. In 1985 it was the first and only private college in Culion  renamed from St. Ignatius College to Loyola College of Culion. 

That makes the Ateneos in Manila, Naga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Zamboanga and Loyola College of Culion, still existing, and Ateneos in Tuguegarao and San Pablo closed because of difficulties with bishops. 

Meanwhile, the Philippine Province has taken over schools from the Far East Province which had been expelled from China after the communist take-over.  These include Sacred Heart School-Jesuit in Cebu, Xavier School in San Juan, and Sta. Maria Catholic School in Iloilo – recently reinvented under the leadership of Fr. Manuel Uy as the Ateneo de Iloilo.

Five universities, one college, and three independent basic education institutions:  that is a formidable array of educational institutions for the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus – considering the fact that many Jesuit provinces – like Germany or Australia – do not have any universities. 

The Sesquicentennial Celebration

We are participating through the Jesuit Educational Association in the celebration of the sesquicentennial of Jesuit education in the Philippines ourselves as a Jesuit educational institution.  When the Ateneo de Manila kicks off the celebration with a 7:00 am Mass on 14 June to be presided over by His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales I will be there with the other Presidents representing each of our schools.  When Fr. General comes in celebration of the sesquicentennial celebration of Jesuit education in the Philippines to address representations of our schools, we will be represented by our key administrators from the high school and the colleges.  When asked to contribute a project in instruction, research and outreach each in celebration of the sesquicentennial, we are contributing for instruction our partnership with Loyola College of Culion in Tourism Management – a partnership that is now completing a small teaching hotel and shall manage a 187 Environmental Sanctuary in honor of Jobo and Dulce Fernandez.  Mr. Deo Princessa III is our resident point person there, where we are coordinating with two Jesuits who have worked here at the Ateneo de Naga, Fr. Florge Sy, now the Parish Priest and President of LCC, and Fr. Javy Alpasa, the next President of LCC.  In research, we are designating the current research being done by URC through Fr. DJ de los Reyes on the Peñafrancia Devotion.  In outreach, we are contributing the ongoing work in our four outreach areas to give 40 illiterate out-of-school youths the gift of literacy. 

Institutional Accreditation

The context of the sesquicentennial of Jesuit education in the Philippines is most appropriate for the celebration of our new institutional accreditation by PAASCU.  Following on the heals of our Level III program accreditation and our CHED-conferred autonomous status, we applied for institutional accreditation.  During the last meeting of the Board, when this application was up for review, I was asked to leave the room.  When I came back, the board’s ovation was accompanied by heartfelt personal congratulations:  we had just become the first higher educational institution nationwide to receive institutional accreditation by PAASCU.  For those of you who wish to understand the exact technical nature of the meaning of institutional accreditation, a primer has been prepared for our website. It is granted to institutions where:

1. The Arts and Sciences, Business and Education programs shall have been granted at least Level III status.
2. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the school’s program offerings shall be accredited.  The accredited programs should have at least Level I status. 
3. The performance of graduates in the licensure examinations shall be at par with or above the national passing rate for at least three consecutive board examinations.
4. The school shall have well-developed internal quality assurance mechanisms.
5. Majority of the total student population should be enrolled in the accredited programs

The AdNU Institution Beyond PAASCU

As we celebrate this achievement, and hopefully commit ourselves to maintain the performance for which we have been recognized, there are other aspects of our institution which we can celebrate:

One is the existence of the Academic Council, the University Research Council and the University Social Involvement Council and the creative tension that is generated by these councils in implementation of their respective missions.  Another is the rank and promotion system for faculty which integrates instruction, research and outreach.  A third is the Ignatian Formation Program for employees  as well as for students that is undoubted the best-articulated program among all the Jesuit schools in the country – if not in the world.  Finally, a competent administrative system that provides and maintains the support facilities necessary for the accomplishment of our mission.

Certainly there is much room for improvement as our fresh attempts at a new Corporate plan – or Corporate Roadmap – for the next five years is already showing.  There will be time to talk about this later.

Beyond the Charisma of Individuals

But for now, if in the context of the sesquicentennial celebration we are privileged to celebrate our institution, two elements must come to light:  first, that an institution seeks to fix performance beyond the gifts or charisma of individual persons – many of whom give their best years or lives to the institution, before moving on.  Doctors and nurses may have considerable healing power individually as they go about using their skills to help heal people. But when they come together and institutionalize their services into programs with fixed and predictable goals, enabling facilities, and support activities, they achieve something far beyond the sum total of what they can individually perform.  When individual doctors or nurses retire, or move on, the successful institution provides for appropriately qualified replacement.  Such is what a hospital does, or for that matter, a government organization, or a private corporation.  Because of the synergy of the combined and integrated efforts of individuals, the institutional whole is greater than the sum of its parts and more permanent than the service contracts, or terms of administrators, or lifespans of the individuals.  This is why we can celebrate a sesquicentennial of Ateneo de Manila ,or a centennial of Ateneo de Zamboanga, or next year the 70th anniversary of the Ateneo de Naga.    We can celebrate with awe.  And gratitude.

Yet Dependent on Individuals

At the same time, it must also be admitted that no matter how well-established or recognized the institution, the institution prospers or falls on the energy, genius, commitment and dedication of individual persons.  In an institution no one is indispensible, because in another sense everyone is indispensible when the institution is called upon to perform optimally, to survive personnel changes, to survive the retirement of icons, or – as indelibly etched in our memory – even the sudden death of a President, to respond to new challenges, to overcome threats from the environment,  to continue to improve in the performance of its mission.  I think we all know:  Ateneo de Naga University is a great institution – not just because of its number of students in accredited courses nor its array of quality control mechanisms but because of persons who dedicate their competence, their talents, their lives to the mission of the Ateneo de Naga – come what may.  It is a great institution because its people know how to close ranks when the institution is threatened; its people close ranks when the existence or welfare of the institution is at stake.  It is because of its people – closing ranks - that Ateneo de Naga survived near closure, worked its way to university status, worked its way through rough seas because of the swiftness of our growth to level III accreditation, then to autonomy, and now finally to institutional accreditation.  Soon, it will work its way to Level IV accreditation!

The Bicolano Element

What is behind this, I sincerely believe, is not just fear of lost jobs.  Jobs are important, but not everything.  What is behind it, I think, is a pride in what is Bikolano mettle institutionalized in this Ateneo which insists on serving its people with the best of what it has, and smiles when the rest of the world stands back in awe.

The Spirit Behind the Institution

What is increasingly behind this, I believe, is what I tried to express in my homily during our Mass of the Holy Spirit.  An awed openness, a grating sensitivity, a realistic responsiveness to the Spirit – the Holy Spirit - breathing in our midst, merging mission with movement, meaning with motion, contentment with discontent:  calling us in our unfinished goals, pushing us in our inadequate motivations, disturbing us in our complacency, comforting us in our failures, strengthening us in our struggles, enlightening us in our consternation, consoling us in our achievements, and always, implacably, relentlessly, leading us to the greater truth.  It is the Spirit who leads us to the interiority of our travails – through the endless drudgery of correcting papers, making reports, delivering lectures – to union with a personal, redeeming God responding in our responses to the need of a student to understand, or the need of the student just to be recognized, or even to be loved.  It is the Spirit which pushes us to push against the boundaries of ignorance, push beyond the boundaries of knowledge, to arrive at new insights, new truths, new ways of enriching human experiencing and uncovering evidence of God’s grace and God’s presence in a marvelously created world.  It is the Spirit which urges us to go beyond our comfort zones to use our knowledge to help people work their way out of destitution – because this is what the Lord too rejects. It is a Spirit, I believe, that we increasingly open ourselves to in our self-reflection, our self-discovery, our prayer, our contemplation, our attention to motions of consolation and desolation within, our conversations with Jesus, our obedience to the Father, our devotion to Ina, a Spirit which blows where it will and cannot be institutionalized, but the Spirit which in our institution makes all the difference.  The stronger our vulnerability to this Spirit, the stronger our institution.  The stronger our fidelity to this Spirit – and not to persons, nor to ideologies, nor to fixed ways doing things – the more love, generosity, kindness, courage, gentleness, magnanimity, constancy and self control are institutionalized in our university.

In the sesquicentennial celebration of Jesuit education in the Philippines, we celebrate our institution as one among many Jesuit institution in the Philippines, now signalized by PAASCU’s institutional accreditation, yes, but as an institution uniquely constituted in its community of scholars, teachers, students and friends in the Lord committed to its mission, who are predominantly Bikolano, and whose accomplishments are proudly Bikolano.  Even more uniquely we celebrate the particular manner in which the Spirit moves in this institution, relentlessly leading it to knowledge, truth, love and service.

Specific Challenges Today

Today, as we thank the Lord for our institution, it may be that the Spirit is leading us to the following:

Renew our commitment to the AdNU Institution peopled mainly by Bicolanos and moved in its mission and achievement in the world by the Holy Spirit.

Contribute to institutional planning that will improve our delivery of integral education and formation, provide for leadership change on various levels of the university, and Level 4 Accreditation before our 70th Anniversary in 2010.

As the 300th Anniversary of the devotion to Ina, our Lady of Peñafrancia, approaches in 2010, contribute with the local Church to an urgent renewal of the devotion through catechesis, reflection, prayer and research.

Renew our institutional commitment to local and national development.  This must include the university position on the current efforts at  Constitutional Change – and what I hope will be vigorous opposition to this violation of the Constitution in perpetuation of one of the most darkest chapters in the history of Philippine democracy.

Thank you for all you do and sacrifice

I know this has been a long address.  Thank you for your patience and kind attention.  Let me close by exercising one of my happy prerogatives as your president.  In gratitude for our new institutional accreditation by PAASCU and in celebration of the sesquicentennial of Jesuit education in the Philippines which begins formally on Sunday, June 14, 2009, I am declaring Monday, June 15, 2009 a non working holiday for all in the University. Thank you for all you do and all you sacrifice to make our Ateneo de Naga a great institution and a distinguished Jesuit educational university in the Philippines!