The University of Saint Louis, as a CICM school, has been a month-long home to four CICM novices for their school immersion from November 9 to December 8, 2017.

This is the first time that the CICM Theophile Verbist Novitiate, based in Taytay, Rizal, has included such activity in its novitiate program.

The novices, who are preparing to become full-fledged members of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Latin: Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae), are Brothers Alef Cesar Augustinho, Julius Ronald Allo Bunga, Meil Udiel Francisco, and Jimmy Lawas.

Brother Alef Cesar Augustinho is from Minas Gerais, Brazil; Julius Ronald Allo Bunga from West Sulawesi, Indonesia; Meil Udiel Francisco from San Quintin, Pangasinan; and Jimmy Lawas from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

In a letter from the CICM Theophile Verbist Novitiate, the school immersion aimed at nourishing the novices’ interaction with students and expose them to USL while doing vocation animation.
The novitiate hoped that the immersion would make the novices better understand USL’s vision-mission and the relevance of the school in building young people with Christian values and become better citizens of the nation.

Activities of the novices included visits in Elementary, High School, and College classes sharing in specific subjects their relevant experiences with vocation animation talks; attendance to daily masses and recollections with students and teachers; visit to the Dinggin Ka Learning Center (DKLC), the University’s learning center for the hearing- and speech-impaired, and other units/offices in the University; attendance to programs such as the CICM Day, Graders’ days, Family days, and Catholic Educators’ Day; and participation in outreach and off-campus social activities (tree planting, jail visitation, mission drive/ “daily sacrifice,” and donations campaign). The novices also assisted in some work at the Campus Ministry Office. At one time, the novices visited Saint Mary’s University, fellow CICM school of USL, for an activity.

Brother Alef Cesar Augustinho quotes the words of Pope Benedict XVI which, the novice considers, a summary of his feelings, insights and learnings in relation to his immersion, “Catholic schools become place where God´s active presence in human affairs is recognized and every young person discovers the joy of entering into Christ’s ‘being for others’ as well.”

The novices expressed their gratitude to Rev. Fr. Rex Salvilla, USL CICM Liaison Officer, Rev. Fr. Thiago Silva, USL Vice President for Mission and Identity (VPMI) and Chaplain, and to the USL community in general.