Sophia University alumni who were participants of Sophia-at-Xavier, a biennial cultural program from 1974-2000 between students of Sophia University in Tokyo and Xavier University, have raised ¥ 1M for the survivors of Sendong.

This is the second time that the group did a fund raising activity in behalf of the survivors. The first time was in May 2012, when they raised close to ¥2 M.

As with the previous donation, 50 percent of the money will go to Xavier Ecoville, while the other 50 percent will be given as grant-in-aid for Sendong-affected XU students.

This second cash gift was continuously raised after the first donation and this time especially during the 88th birthday of Fr Francis Mathy SJ, Sophia University professor emeritus who directed the Sophia-at-Xavier program.

“We asked him what he would like to have as a birthday gift,” shared Mariko Tadokoro, Sophia-at-Xavier Batch ’74. “He hesitantly answered that he needed nothing for himself, but that if we insisted on any gift, he would appreciate gift money so that he could add it up to the funds raised previously for CDO.”

Mariko said that she and her fellow Sophia-at-Xavier alumni did as Fr Mathy wished. She added that, “Fr Mathy himself contributed some of his own money to make the donation a million yen.”

Although the Sophia-at-Xavier program ended in 2000, after 14 batches and a total of 275 participants, Mariko and her group continues to remember fondly the people of Cagayan de Oro.

“Our love and gratitude for the people of CDO and Xavier University continue to live in our hearts across time and space, and we wish our little donation would be of any help to those affected by the Sendong."