Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan held its four-day 85th Commencement Exercises with the Baccalaureate Mass and the Convocation on the first day, 10 July 2024, at the XU Gymnasium. During the Convocation, XU President Fr Mars P Tan, SJ presided over the conferment of awards which honor those who defied the odds and chose to serve Mindanao and its different cultural and religious groups.
XU administrators and guests grace this year’s Convocation
Fr Bienvenido F Nebres, SJ was named this school year’s esteemed speaker for his outstanding contributions to the fields of mathematics, science, education, and social reform which have made a lasting impact on the academic, scientific, and social landscape of the Philippines. He was also awarded the degree of Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa.
Fr Ben has always been dedicated to social change and passionate in helping disadvantaged individuals. This dedication steered his involvement with the Gawad Kalinga Foundation (GK) for more than 20 years in the belief that walking with and for the poor is the most important thing. “I want the younger generation to know what it means to walk with the poor.” This also led him to foster strong relationships with all those he collaborated with during the Marawi Siege in 2017.
Aside from this, Fr Ben is a leading figure in the Philippine academic community. He is the inaugural President of the Mathematical Society of the Philippines and a notable personality in the Southeast Asian Mathematical Society. His leadership in the Ateneo consortium, including his three-year stint at XU, paved the way for significant improvements in the academic programs of the country.
Fr Ben receives his award from XU President Fr Mars
In his speech, Fr Ben congratulated the graduands and called on them to extend their gratitude to their parents, teachers, administrators, the staff, and most of all God, for making their dream of graduation possible. He also acknowledged his friends and former colleagues whom he worked with when he was XU President.
He then shared words of wisdom to the graduands to help them “navigate and succeed” as they enter the world of work.
Work hard. “Life is difficult. give your best, work hard.”
Be persistent and courageous. ‘In the face of difficulties, huwag sumuko, pray for courage and push on.”
Keep faith with God, with your family and loved ones. “You will face difficult times in your life. God, family, loved ones are who will see you through.”
Fr Ben also recounted the struggles in his journey to Mindanao and the important lessons he learned from these experiences.
Lesson one. “We are a diverse and often divided country. But we are united in our dream of a good education for our children.”
Lesson two. “The way forward to our becoming a people is by sharing a mission of caring.”
Lesson three. “In your world of work, the so-called real world, you may feel that people are only interested in their own success, that it is a “dog-eat-dog" world.”
Lastly, Fr Ben invited the graduands to connect with communities on the ground, find time to look at the children embarking on the same journey to where they are now, and find time to volunteer to tutor or teach these children. “You will find your caring rewarded a hundredfold.”
Fr Ben addresses the graduands of the 85th Commencement Exercises
The late Archbishop Emeritus Fernando R Capalla, DD was given the Archbishop Santiago TG Hayes SJ Award for his service to the Church in Mindanao. Archbishop Capalla was steadfast in his belief that genuine conversations foster understanding among the different religious groups and diverse cultures in Mindanao. One of his notable acts was his successful negotiations with both sides of a rebellion in Cagayan de Oro City on 5 October 1990 that gave civilians safe passage.
Archbishop Capalla remained in Mindanao until his retirement in 2012 where his unwavering commitment to peace and tackling the underlying causes of conflict has left a lasting legacy, poised to inspire future generations. This commitment is encapsulated in his statement: “At the heart of peace is peace in the heart.” He passed away at 89 on 6 January 2024.
Msgr Paul Cuizon, Vicar General and Oecononomus Archdiocese of Davao, receives award for Fr Capalla
Fr Eliseo R Mercado Jr, OMI,PhD The Fr William F Masterson SJ Award was posthumously presented with the Fr William F Masterson SJ Award for his contributions to social development. He showed a deep understanding of the armed conflict in Mindanao and was greatly involved in the peace process so much so that he was called “friend of the Muslim.” When he passed away on 23 May 2021, this moniker was placed on the cross in his graveyard to highlight his relationship with everyone - ordinary civilians, Muslims, indigenous peoples, and the rebels.
Speaking on his behalf, Rev Fr Romeo S Saniel OMI said that he once asked Fr Jun if he was not scared working in a dangerous mission and war-torn areas of southern Mindanao. To this, Fr Jun would say, “Matagal na akong takot but my faith in God and love for the poor are greater than my fears.”
Rev Fr Saniel OMI also recounted that Fr Jun experienced having two high school students die in his arms in a bombing incident in Maguindanao, and that the two boys marked him for life of peace and dialogue. “To take the road less travelled by that is, to be wounded in the act of loving, to understand in a climate of misunderstanding and to trust in an atmosphere of suspicion.”
Fr Romeo Saniel, OMI Executive Director for the Oblate Missionary Foundation - Interreligious Dialogue, accepts the award in Fr Mercado’s stead
Andre’ Socorro F Doria, a Summa Cum Laude of Bachelor of Science in Development Communication, was chosen as the Class Valedictorian. In his valedictory speech, he talked about how Ateneans persevered and thrived and shared in XU’s mission toward the “authentic search for the truth.”
Andre’ posed the question “Am I in truth? Are we in truth?” to his fellow graduands and shared three points to reflect on: “We must seek the truth. We must probe for the truth. We must defend the truth.”
He asked his fellow graduands to continue the authentic search for the truth “by bravely and adaptively seeking your own, conscientiously probing to help others, and collectively defending those in need and be of greater service to Mindanao.” He urged everyone to become “purpose-driven leaders grounded in truth: seek, probe, and defend” because it is “the truth that sets us all free - veritas liberabit vos - to a world more peaceful, just and sustainable.”
Andre’ delivers his valedictory speech (Photo credits to the Crusader Publication)
This year’s Faber Awardee is Christ Israel A Millare, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education Major in General Science. Following the example of St Peter Faber, the recipient of the Faber Awards integrates well the fruitful interlocking of prayers and active service demonstrated through their readiness to embark on missions with courageous humility and uncompromising self-giving. Throughout his years in college, Christ has exemplified the qualities of a Faber Awardee through his service and dedication going above and beyond the call of duty.
“One striking moment was during [my] time with SIAP as a volunteer. There was one simple activity, a Christmas gift-giving to the less fortunate children of CDO, [and] it was a very inspiring moment because I saw the gratitude and hope in the smiles of the children [and that moment] inspired me to persevere in achieving my goals in life.”
In his closing statement, Christ said that despite the daunting thought of being on their own, they should “seize the moment and put God as the center of our path.”
Crist receives this year’s Faber Award
XU President Fr Mars P Tan, SJ gave the Closing Remarks during the Convocation. He extended his congratulations to the graduands and their families. He encouraged them to pursue their aspirations and in doing so, they must follow the ways of St Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, and Peter Favre, “whose resolute pursuit of their profound desires led to significant contributions to the Church and humanity.”
Fr Mars emphasized the need to be responsible in using knowledge to help in the progress of society. He called on the graduands to “actively utilize their education, position, abilities, and resources to extend compassion and support to others, address hunger, alleviate poverty, advance education, preserve the environment, advocate for the vulnerable, create opportunities, inspire hope, build peace, and foster reconciliation and solidarity.”
Fr Mars extolled the exceptional awardees who led inspiring lives: Fr Ben Nebres, Abp. Nanding Capalla, and Fr Jun Mercado, who led exemplary lives and worked for God and His people. He expressed hopes that this year’s class of graduates “will seriously consider pursuing the same dream they dreamed and treading the same less-traveled road they took.”
Fr Mars encourages graduands to pursue aspirations
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