DBTC Mandaluyong, Manila, The Philippines, 30 January 2024 -- Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) in Mandaluyong welcomed Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, on 26 January 2024. Cardinal Grech plays a vital role in the ongoing Synod on Synodality.
The planned visit started when Fr. Marc Will Lim, SDB, Vice President for Administration, received a call from the Secretariat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila - Office for Promotion of the New Evangelization (RCAM-OPNE) and inquired about the possibility of having DBTC as one of the itineraries for His Eminence. The said office, headed by Fr. Jason Laguerta, along with Fr. Mark Demanuele and Ms. Beng Corcolla, facilitated the retreat of the members of the DBTC with synodality as its topic. They are aware that DBTC, even in a school setting, embraces and lives synodality.
The revered prince of the Church from Malta was invited to grace the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE) held at the University of Santo Tomas to talk on synodality. He has visited many parishes and mission areas and even presided over the Mass at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila before the three-day seminar of all the bishops in the Philippines in preparation for their 127th Plenary Assembly.
During his visit to DBTC, a Sinulog dance from the Don Bosco Youth Center (DBYC) of St. Dominic Savio Parish (SDSP) hailed his arrival along with the joyous salutations coming from the Salesians, Lay Mission Partners, Students, Parents, and Alumni. It was followed by a program at the Roderick Flores Hall with a banquet prepared for every participant's enjoyment.
Mrs. Ma. Gina Estraza, a Lay Mission Partner in the Administration Department for 35 years, led the assembly into prayer. It was succeeded by a short video clip presenting the Mission, Vision, Goals, and Values of DBTC, including its roadmap with synodality as its methodology. Afterward, Fr. Ronilo Javines, SDB, DBTC Rector, introduced and officially welcomed Cardinal Grech. He stated in his remarks that the visit of His Eminence confirms that DBTC is walking on the right path which Cardinal Grech would eventually 'contradict,' expressing that it is DBTC that confirms the work on synodality.
Testimonials on the work on synodality, as lived in DBTC, were given momentarily by Mr. Ken Kishimoto, Director–Office for Human Resources, Mrs. Evelyn Calibo, Principal, Basic Education Sector, and Fr. Lim. Moreover, performances from Bro. Anthony Rodriguez, SDB, who serenaded the Cardinal along with the assembly with two Italian songs and five musical pieces from the Rondalla Group of the DBYC of SDSP, completed the two-hour encounter with the Cardinal and representatives of the Educative Pastoral Community (EPC) of DBTC. Finally, the Salesians headed by Fr. Javines handed over to His Eminence a statue of Mary Help of Christians as a gift for this historic event.
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