DBCS Launches a New Book

By Dcn. April Jerome S. Quinto, SDB

Parañaque City, the Philippines, 24 January 2019 -- Don Bosco Center of Studies (DBCS) celebrated the feast of our titular patron Saint Francis de Sales, on the third day of novena to Saint John Bosco, which is also the first monthly commemoration of Mary Help of Christians in the Philippine church’s Year of the Youth with the launching of the book “Tayo na sa Antipolo: A Theo-dulâ of the Alay Lakad sa Antipolo” by Fr. Juvelan Paul Samia SDB.

The Aula Magna of Mary Help of Christians in DBCS was the venue of the launch. It began at 2:15 pm with the opening prayer. Dcn. John Quincy Caballo SDB led the prayer and stood as the emcee of the afternoon program. Fr. Michael La Guardia SDB, DBCS Dean and President welcomed the guests, the author but most especially the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Antipolo which visited DBCS for this occasion. The author, Fr. Juvelan, gave a presentation of his book. He gave a background on how he chose to undertake the study and write the book and discussed salient topics included in the book. He also pointed out the special features of the volume and thanked the people behind the publication.

DBCS invited two experts to review the work of Fr. Juvelan. Manuel Victor J. Sapitula, PhD an Associate Professor of Sociology in the University of the Philippines—Diliman read and reviewed the work under the lens of his expertise in Sociology of Religions. Fr. Genaro Diwa, SSL, the Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy of the CBCP gave an evaluation and appreciation of the text based on the precepts of the Church on Sacred Liturgy and Popular Piety. Both experts presented their expert opinion on the new work. The full text of their review will be available on the next issue of Lantayan the Official Journal DBCS.

The Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage–Antipolo, Fr. Reynante Tolentino expressed his joy and positive reaction at the publication of this book that dealt with the devotion to Our Lady of Antipolo. He confessed that he, like the author, is a devotee of Our Lady and shared that he too walks with the millions of pilgrims doing the Alay Lakad to the Shrine every Holy Thursday night. Now as the Rector of the shrine he is more aware of the magnitude of the devotion—as many as 3.2 million pilgrims do the Alay Lakad. The book, he said, will help him minister more consciously to the pilgrims.

Fr. Rafael Dela Cruz SDB, Rector of DBCS and the foremost proponent of Theo-dulâ as a way of doing theology today presented tokens of appreciation to the experts, Fr. Tolentino, and Fr. Juvelan. He closed the program noting that it takes a devotee to understand a devotion. He encourage all present to continue the dialogue and discussion on Popular Piety. The assembly prayed the prayer to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. Fr. Juvelan stayed on to sign copies of the book.

Tayo na sa Antipolo: A Theo-dulâ of the Alay Lakad sa Antipolo by Fr Juvelan Samia SDB is the fourth of the DBCS Monograph Series which includes: Theo-Dulâ of the Salubong: A Filipino Theological Dramatic Approach to Popular Religion by Fr. Rafael Rey M. Dela Cruz Jr., SDB (2014); Youth Discipleship by Fr. Raymond Victor Acuña (2014); and, A Body Broken for Broken People: Divorce, Remarriage, and the Eucharist by Fr. Francis J. Moloney, SDB (2015).

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