The Ateneo de Naga University was graced by the presence of His Eminence, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, last 28 June 2015. The Archbishop of Manila served as the guest of honor during the Clergy General Assembly in the morning, and as the Main Speaker in the Academic Convocation in the afternoon.

Clergy Assembly

Every year, as part of the celebration of the Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, the Ateneo de Naga University hosts the Clergy General Assembly. The first half of the annual occasion started with an Opening Prayer, followed by the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Confession at the University Church of Christ the King. The second part was held at the Fr Pedro Arrupe Convention Center where the participants listened to talks and announcements from the Archdiocese.

The program featured a lecture of Cardinal Tagle who shared his thoughts on the Emerging Trends in Theology. He was introduced by Fr Angelo Silerio, SJ, University Chaplain, who also served as the emcee. Scholastic Robbie Paraan, SJ facilitated the open forum. The assembly culminated with a meal plus a raffle for the clergy which was facilitated by Br Raymund Belleza, SJ. Archbishop Rolando Tirona thanked Cardinal Tagle and the Jesuit Community for the lecture and generosity in hosting the event, respectively.

Academic Convocation

In the afternoon, students, teachers, and staff all gathered in the AdNU gym for the academic convocation, an event every semester which discusses the various church encyclicals and how they can guide the university in terms of reflection and direction. The Cardinal’s talk tackled Care for the Earth: An Imperative in the New Frontiers (A Challenge and Mission for Jesuit Educators). This theme was anchored on the newly released church encyclical Laudato Si’ of Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ. After the session, teachers and students also had the chance to speak with Cardinal Tagle through the Q&A session.