Recollection on Immaculate Conception Day

THE Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated every first Sunday of December with a mass at the Manila Cathedral. A procession of imagens of Our Lady and saints would follow. The 35th year the annual procession took place last Sunday, 6 December, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; 93 images from distant parts of the country participated.

The hermano mayor for the procession hosted by the Cofradia dela Immaculada Concepcion in the last five years is a man of consequence. It began as a husband-and-wife devotion; but the widower continues the patronage in memory of his departed wife Bootise.

On the day itself of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, the Balding Eagles Class ’60/’64 and their spouses held a Christmas party at the posh residence of this same man of consequence.

When our class president, former BIR commissioner Jojo Buñag, asked us to choose a suitable caterer, one smart aleck said that we could not multiply the loaves and the fishes commensurate to the host’s hospitality. (Our host had picked up the tab for the Spirit of ’67 plus a husband-and-wife duo band, 10 DI’s, and several other frills. BTW, in times past, the Christmas lights on his rooftop visible from EDSA were a bellwether of the state of the economy.)

So it was agreed to leave the menu to be decided by our host, who would accept our humble contribution of three digits per head.

The evening began with the praying of the holy rosary; although it was a Tuesday the recitation was on the Glorious mystery in deference to the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception.

Before saying mass, Fr. Bert Ampil, SJ, explained that he was normally available to hear confessions. (He assured that he was hard of hearing in the left ear; but in the interest of time, he obliged our high school valedictorian and Sodality prefect Rant Castillo’s earlier suggestion for a general absolution on the promise that the penitent would go to confession after.)

Neither space nor my faltering memory would do justice to Fr. Bert’s homily. On the Immaculate Conception: Who are you now: “Blessed are you among women” and the response, “Sundin ang loob mo” (Thy will be done.)

Fr. Bert led us to reflect, 51 years away from Loyola Heights, on what we have become or how we would like to be remembered by future generations. Have the seeds of character sown by the Jesuits borne the fruit of magis (“For the Greater Glory of God”)?

He paraphrased a poet’s eulogy about the death of John F. Kennedy, thus:

What our Ateneo experience was, it was. What this experience is fated to become Depends upon us.

Remembering what this experience was – The principles we learned, the ideals we aspired for, And how we choose to live by them, or die for them – Will decide its meaning for us all.

He continued to Thomas Merton’s prayer of confidence and faith to be led on the right road and concluded with St. Ignatius’ prayer for generosity.

After the holy communion, Fr. Bert quoted the opening prayer of the mass by the priest and the response of the faithful:

Introíbo ad altáre Dei. to the altar of God.)

(I will go

Ad Deum qui laetificat juventútem meam.. (To God, the joy of my youth.)

(He may have injected the beginning prayers at the end… if only to remind us how we were young once.)

Speaking for the class, Ernie Fajardo thanked Fr. Bert for the experience of a “recollection.” To which the good father replied with a spiritual advice, “Stay recollected.” FEEDBACK: jsoeabetozxaide@gmail.com