Bacaoco: Viva Don Bosco! Altiora Quaero!

FEBRUARY 6 was the 54th General Alumni Homecoming of Don Bosco–Victorias. We, Batch ’85 who are commemorating our silver jubilee, hosted the activity.

Saturday’s homecoming (which extended into the wee hours of Monday for our batch) easily ranks among the best days of my life.

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The Salesians of Don Bosco marks its 150th year of service as a religious congregation. It works in more than 130 countries all over the world for the welfare of 15 million souls.

The Salesians are the third largest missionary congregation in the world while the International Federation of Don Bosco Alumni is reputedly the largest alumni organization in the world. And we are part of this congregation and organization!

The day started with a concelebrated mass officiated by four Salesian priests – Fr. Brodie Segovia, Rector of Don Bosco-Victorias; Fr. Felino Albesa, Vice-Rector; Fr. Jaime Carmona, Rector of Don Bosco-Dumangas; and, Fr. Demetrio Carmona.

Fr. Demit, a member of Don Bosco-Victorias Batch ’60 which is celebrating its golden jubilee, was the main celebrant. He came all the way from Don Bosco-Mandaluyong to attend the celebration. For almost a decade now, he has been researching on a cure for cancer at Mandaluyong.

It would have been great it we had a priest-batch mate officiating in the mass but it was not to be. Fr. Brodie informed us that one of our batch mates, Fr. Cyril Cardinal, did not make it because he got left behind in Don Bosco-Dumangas. Fr. Brodie disclosed that Fr. Jaime assigned Fr. Cyril to be the Vice-Rector of Don Bosco-Dumangas so that Fr. Jaime can attend the homecoming while Fr. Cyril has to man the fort back in Iloilo.

Twenty five years after graduating from Don Bosco, we would have attended thousands of masses in different parishes officiated by numerous other priests.

However, celebrating mass in Don Bosco with your fellow Bosconians and officiated by fellow Bosconian priests is an experience unlike any other mass we have attended. For the mass alone, the visit to Don Bosco was already more than worth the time and effort.

Fr. Brodie reminded us of our heritage as Bosconians – divinely blessed to experience Don Bosco’s preventive system and holistic education and constantly embraced by Mama Mary’s mantle of protection.

Contrary to rumors that Don Bosco might relocate to other places, Fr. Brodie emphasized that Don Bosco has been in Victorias for 60 years now. It will remain in Victorias for the next 60 years and for another 60 years! Amen to that, Fr. Brodie!

Things change but Don Bosco remains an anchor for Bosconians. It might be difficult for others to understand our fierce pride in our Bosconian heritage.

When we return to Don Bosco, we see the same football field, gym and wooden benches, classrooms and hallways where we used to run, jump and shout when we were students.

During homecomings, you visit these familiar places and reminisce. You talk with former schoolmates whose faces somehow remained the same but whose waistlines, hairlines, blood sugar and cholesterol levels have already changed. But Don Bosco remains the same.

Fr. Demit recalled how he heard his calling to the priesthood. According to him, it was the kindness of Fr. Rao, the then-principal of Don Bosco-Victorias, which encouraged him to enter the seminary because he wanted to emulate Fr. Rao’s kindness to the students. He reiterated that one single Salesian can reach out and touch hundreds and thousands of lives and lead them closer to God.

Fr. Demit cited as an example the work of Bro. Elmer Rodriguez in Mandaluyong. Bro. Elmer, a lay Salesian, is familiar to us because he has been assigned in Don Bosco-Victorias during our stint there.

We affectionately called him Bro. Macho because of his strength. When you do something silly, Bro. Macho will grip either your hands or the muscles on your shoulders and squeeze until you cry out that you will never do silly things again.

Bro. Elmer, according to Fr. Demit, works with the out-of-school youth. He takes care of at least 250 youth whom he provides with food, clothing, technical training and job placement assistance. The Salesians have a vow of charity. They don’t possess much material things and neither does Bro. Elmer. He goes around seeking what Fr. Demit said is “limos” just to provide for the needs of the youth under his care.

Fr. Demit has clearly illustrated what a single Salesian, whether a priest or a lay brother, can do to help other people. He challenged us, particularly Batch ’85, to sponsor at least one Salesian seminarian as our way of somehow paying back our alma mater.

He reminded us to remain true to our motto, “Altiora Quaero” – we seek the higher things. In everything you do, always aim high! Strive for excellence! That’s the Bosconian way of doing things.

Batch ’85 will meet this Saturday to discuss how we can rise up to the challenge. I also enjoin all other Bosconians to contribute and do our share in supporting Salesian seminarians so that there will be more people who will continue the works of our patron saint, St. John Bosco. Bosconians, stand up and be counted!

Salamat gid to the two Fr. Carmonas (Demit and Jaime) for coming over. Salamat man kay Fr. Brodie kag kay Fr. Albesa for the warm welcome. Thank you very much to Ma’am Corazon Garcia, Ma’am Alegria delos Reyes, Ma’am Ninfa Segovia, Sir Andrei Delgado and other faculty and staff who graced us with their presence. Nagdugang sady

a kay nagkadto kamo.

Mabuhay ang Batch ’85! Mabuhay ang Don Bosco-Victorias! Viva Don Bosco!

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