September 10, 2017, Oratory of St. Nicholas of Tolentino – Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon, SDB, DD., congratulated the UNO-R community for a culture unique only at UNO-R. A culture of silence, prayer, participation and serenity during Eucharistic celebration. The Bishop noticed that there is always this beautiful experience at UNO-R when there are spiritual activities. He commended the Religious and Lay administrators, faculty and staff and students for this beautiful experience that is really conducive for prayer. He encouraged the community to share this with other communities. The Bishop noted that the theme on holiness speaks of the real character of UNO-R. Interiority and prayer are manifestations of holiness. It is one’s capacity to be holy like God, who is holy. Bishop Buzon shared that God is love and that everything we do, as we aspire to be holy, should be founded on LOVE. However, he reminded everyone that love has two faces – the tender and the rough. He shared that the former face is very easy but the latter is a little bit hard. This is the love that makes one grow. He told a story of the nature of the lioness, where it is so tender on her cubs on their early years but as the cubs would grow, she would bit them and wrestle with them to the point that the cubs will fight her back. In fact, she will now wean the cubs by fighting them. Also, learning lessons from the giraffes. They would kick their fawns once they see them ready for life. This is the rough love. The lioness and the mother giraffe are simply telling their young that they (the lioness and the giraffe) will not always be there to protect them. The Bishop also shared that when we discipline or teach our students or children, we need to do it with love. We need to be harsh at times and at times we also need to be tender. Relating the gospel and the readings to the real situation today, he reminded everyone that we should utilize the social media in spreading the Good News. It is noticed that today there are lots of untruth, uncharity and fake information in social media. We have to manage these only with love. We have to remember that there is no personal sin, only social sin. The effect of sinful acts will not only be for an individual but it will affect the whole community. The Good Bishop reminded everyone that today, we need to be prophets for our misled and confused leaders. We need to correct the wrong notion that the world is teaching us today. We need to stop all of these killings, uncharitable acts and untruthfulness around us. The bishop, together with the other bishops of the dioceses in Negros Island recently issued a joint statement regarding the state of the nation and the island. Bishop Buzon was joined by Prior Provincial Rev. Fr. Dionisio Selma, OAR; Bacolod Prior Rev. Fr. William Villaflor, OAR; UNO-R President Rev. Fr. Eduardo Celiz, Jr, OAR; UNO-R VP-Academics Rev. Fr. Don Besana, OAR; VP-Administration Rev. Fr. Enrico Peter Silab, OAR; VP-Religious Affairs Rev. Fr. Persiuz Joseph Decena, OAR; Rev. Fr. Abraham Latoza, OAR; Rev. Fr. Walthrode Conde, OAR; Fr. Joel Naranja,OAR; Fr. Julian Bermejo and Fr. Henry Donasco. Distribution of the Blessed loaves of St. Nicholas (Panecillos ) was done after the Mass.
- 14 Sep
- 2017