PERSONNEL CONVOCATION 2024
18 JUNE 2024
Let us remain in the joy of the Gospel!
Dear friends, collaborators in the mission, good morning!
Welcome to School Year 2024 – 2025!
In 2013, Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation, reminded all of us to proclaim the joy of the Gospel in our missionary discipleship. This call is not just a proposal but a fundamental part of our school's mission. This call is a call to set our hearts in Jesus Christ through His Word, which challenges us to go forth, and through His Body and Blood, which nourish us in our mission. There may be endless disturbances and challenges in our lives and our mission, but we begin this year by remaining in the joy that Christ offers us. This is the joy we nurture in our hearts as we do our mission with zeal.
As we gather for this year’s personnel convocation, let us again remember Claret School of Quezon City's philosophy, vision, mission, and goal and reflect on these from the perspective of the theme for this school year—witnesses of the Gospel Joy like Claret. This year is a continuation of what we have launched in three years according to the inspiration and thrust of the XXVI General Chapter of the Claretian Missionaries—from our rootedness in Christ, we become audacious in mission and witnesses of the Gospel Joy like St. Anthony Mary Claret.
The Gospel Joy is not fleeting nor enshrined in our emotions. The Joy of the Gospel is a counter-witness to the joy the world offers us, especially the young people. We know the varied temptations in today’s society, where we might be provided material and sensational things for temporary happiness. However, we are taught to seek the joy from our encounter with Christ. What is more meaningful than our encounter with Jesus Christ through the Word and the Eucharist? Considering that our Father Founder became a living tabernacle, we must pattern our joy in the Eucharistic actions.
To witness the Gospel Joy like Claret, we have to find joy in being called. Just as the bread is taken, we, too, are taken from our realities to embrace a particular vocation. We have been called as individuals, but more importantly, as a community, to share Christ's mission here at Claret School of Quezon City. Being here is a vocation, and being here should spur the joy of sharing in the mission. It is the grace of God that brought each one of us here and gathered us to become a community of disciples. Every day, when we enter the campus and remember that we have been called for a particular purpose in this school community, we should have joy. Even when the call is for us to offer ourselves more for a challenging task and role, there has to be joy in our hearts. It is not out of pressure that we say YES to the Call; it is out of a grateful heart that we are able to say YES. For the disciples, having been called to share in Christ's life and mission brought joy to them. Peter replied to Jesus when asked if they will also leave him—Lord, to whom shall we go? Despite their limited capacity and imperfections, they found joy when Jesus Christ called them. The Holy Father tells us: “Every Christian is called to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love.” As Claretians, we find joy in being called and saying yes to Christ’s invitation.
Joy is also experienced when we recognize and appreciate the blessings we have. Just as the bread is blessed, we are certain that God has blessed us with every good gift that we need to fulfill the mission He has entrusted to us. Each day, as we rise and face our mission, our life is never empty of God’s goodness. From the rising of the sun to its setting, we recognize countless blessings in our lives. We probably have been tempted to complain as we make a litany of our woes and pains. However, beyond the list of grievances, an unlimited grace sustains us each day. Let us be awed by the wonders of God’s goodness in our personal and communal lives. Each one is blessed and each one is a blessing in this community. Let us embrace one another as a precious gift.
While it may be easy to find joy in the blessings we acknowledge, it is equally important and necessary to find joy in the act of sacrifice. The salvation offered to us is borne out of sacrifice. Jesus has offered His life as the new and eternal sacrifice. The bread that is broken reminds us of our lives in constant act of sacrifice. The missionary life is sacrificial, and martyrdom is a consequence. Hence, there may be demands that we have to take upon ourselves that we cannot simply ignore. When we took the challenge of going through the Junior High School Program Accreditation last school year, we knew it would be tough, but we had to sacrifice, and we found glory and joy in those sacrifices. Congratulations and thank you for the work! It will be the same as we embark on the Senior High School Program Accreditation this year. And we never stop. We shall submit additional documents to apply for a Level III Accredited Status for the Junior High School as we move forward to the Basic Education Accreditation. Let us remember there was not only a single drop of blood in the sacrifice of Jesus, which brought salvation. The life offered was never partial; it was total. Hence, we, too, are led to the same path of salvation in our missionary endeavor, and we should find joy in that act of sacrifice. Let us continue to sacrifice always for the greater good towards excellence in all areas of our operation—from Identity and Mission, Instructional Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, Faculty, Student Services and Support, Physical Plant and Instructional Support and Facilities, Leadership and Governance, School Budget and Finance, and Institutional Planning and Development. We shall review our goal of transforming individuals into servant-leaders and keep ourselves directed by the Annual Operation Plan in the abovementioned areas with the spirit of joy. There is no complacency in doing what we must do when we are filled with joy. We have to do everything with patient endurance.
Lastly, joy is to be experienced as we share our lives with others. The bread that was taken, blessed, and broken was also shared so that others may have life and have it in its fullness. Our lives should be offered to help others, especially the students given to us by the Lord. As we accompany them, we form them along the Claretian Formative Journey, which we call La Fragua, the Claretian Transformative Education Framework. Let this be explored and deepened in all the aspects of our formative lives. We cannot give what we do not have; therefore, we have to form our lives well so that we can offer something good to others. All the formation activities and all our acts of accompaniment with one another and with the young shall be signs of offering our lives not for our sake but for the sake of others and the glory of God. We continue to find joy in sharing our lives with the parish community, with the more extensive Claretian community, with the Catholic education community (particularly the CEAP), with the education community, with the private education community (primarily through the PAASCU and the PEAC), and with all others we have to walk with in the spirit of synodality. We also have to share our lives in caring for our common home. In the spirit of Laudato Si, we take serious steps to do more and care more for the Earth. The Red Goes Green Program should penetrate our campus and home lifestyle. We only have one Earth; let us protect it with greater zeal so the future will have a home. True faith in the incarnate Son of God is inseparable from self-giving, community membership, service, and reconciliation with others.
As we journey together this school year, we continue to elaborate clear indicators to define and understand our community’s vision and mission guided by our maxim—KNOWLEDGE IS BEST WITH VIRTUE.
Together, we are here, and together, we remain in the joy of the Gospel! Let us keep the missionary fire in the service of the Gospel ablaze! We are witnesses of the Gospel Joy like Claret!
SCIENTIA MAXIME CUM VIRTUTE
