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  After days of waiting, the feast of AdNU's patron saint, St. Francis Xavier, S.J., was finally celebrated last 3 December 2009. To prepare for this special occasion, a novena started last week with different departments sponsoring the daily mass. Outreach activities were also organized last 1 December 2009 to share the spirit of the occasion with partner communities and to remember the missionary works of St. Francis Xavier.
On the day itself, Ateneans and guests participated in a solemn mass presided by Fr. Xavier Alpasa, S.J. at 4:30 pm at the University Church. In his homily, he shared the four (4) important "P's". They are "Profit, Preparation, Proclamation, and Passion." To explain this he narrated to the community his experiences as a newly-ordained Jesuit Priest working in Culion. He spoke of the challenges and the realization of his mission through digressions mixed with humor and deep recollections of the poverty faced by his community. As point for reflection he asked the people this important question once raised by St. Ignatius to his friend St. Francis: What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?
After the mass, the traditional community merienda cena followed at the university gym. The sharing of warm food amidst the cold weather indicated that the season of Christmas was already starting.
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