The celebration of the feast of
the Assumption in CDO today was eclipsed by the preparation of the investiture
of the incoming president of Xavier University, REV. FR. ROBERTO “Bobby” C.
YAP, SJ. And so, we had a very quiet mass at 6:30am today in our tiny chapel
with Most Rev. Msgr. Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ, Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, as
celebrant. Friends brought flowers, “kakanin” for breakfast and warm greetings
to spruce our day.
Archbishop
Antonio J. Ledesma, SJ presiding at mass
This was followed by the formal
blessing of the MAGIS STUDENT CENTER by the former president, REV. FR. JOSE
RAMON T. VILLARIN, SJ at 8:30 am. This center houses the university canteen,
bookcenter and the offices for student services and organizations.
Fr. Jet Villarin, SJ, blessing the Magis Center
The new XU
Canteen
Lunchtime was a very private
moment among the five of us with a lone special guest, MARIDEL TAMPARONG (an
old girl from Herran, who married and settled in CDO) who brought food. We had
a festive lunch straight from the kitchen of Gran Caprice!
CDO Community with Maridel Tamparong
We had an hour to rest before
dressing up for the final engagement of the day, the INVESTITURE! The four of
us wore our finest attire, the formal habit, dressed to the formality of the
occasion. We had our second mass with the Archbishop again presiding at 3pm.
Around 17 Jesuits came for this occasion headed by the Provincial Superior, Fr.
Jojo Magadia, SJ, Fr. Danny Huang, the four former XU Presidents and all the
other heads of Jesuit schools. After the mass, there was a 30min interval
before the formal ceremony. The investiture ended by 7pm. There was a large
banquet prepared for a thousand people at the covered courts.
The red carpet investiture at XU
Chapel
Fr. Bobby Yap being given the XU Mace
This was how Assumption feast was celebrated this day.
According to Fr. Bobby Yap, he chose August 15 so that he can ride on the feast
of the RAs and charge the bill to them. So, we wait until the bill comes…
