The University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos launched the EDUCAR and the Recoletos Educational Apostolate in the Philippines logo and motto for academic year 2019-2020.
Fray William Villaflor, OAR, OAR Councilor, Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno; Prior of Recoletos de Bacolod and UNO-R Vice President for Finance led the unveiling of the logo during the Mass of the Holy Spirit for Grades 11 and 12 last June 26, 2019, at the University Gymnasium. While, Fray Jose Alden Alipin, OAR led the unveiling during the Institutional Mass of the Holy Spirit last June 27, 2019. The theme for this 2019, according to the guidelines of the Order for the sexennium of the OAR General Council, is about the final reconfiguration phase of the Augustinian Recollect provinces.
This academic year, the Augustinian value of “COMMUNITY” is the highlight. The reflections of Fray Antonio Carron, OAR, General Councilor of the Order, on how to really understand the theme through the mind of our Father, St. Augustine was read during the launching.
These reflections are: First, the main pillar of Christianity, that St. Augustine emphasizes, is that of the community. Second, to live the community is to delight with the other, to be part of his life and to let the other be part of our life: this is the union of hearts and the union of lives. Third, for St. Augustine, the community does not remain on the human understanding, but it is more of the union of lives, the union of hearts directed towards God. Fourth, the presence of God gives meaning to community life. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for different peoples, from different contexts, with different concerns and objectives, to reach a union of hearts. And fifth, we are reminded of the inspiration of St. Augustine by the primitive community of Jerusalem that led him to found his first community, offering them the guidelines to live in harmony with a single soul and a single heart directed towards God. The meanings of the symbols in the logo were also explained. The logo shows a group of people clearly differentiated by the colors, but all with the same heart. This is a universal design adopted by all communities in the 4 provinces of the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Let this be the logo in all our endeavors and activities in the university.
EDUCAR is the international educational network of the Augustinian Recollect Family with presence in more than 100 educational centers around the world. To know more about this visits the webpage at www.educarnet.org.