SPU Manila INTER-OFFICE BULLETIN - St. Paul University Manila
SPU Manila INTER-OFFICE BULLETIN - St. Paul University Manila
SPU Manila INTER-OFFICE BULLETIN - St. Paul University Manila
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<strong>SPU</strong> <strong>Manila</strong> <strong>INTER</strong>-<strong>OFFICE</strong> <strong>BULLETIN</strong><br />
Vol. II No. 21 20 April 2009<br />
MESSAGE OF THANKS FROM THE FAMILY OF WAM<br />
As mentioned in the IOB last week, the father of Ms. Wynna Marie A. Medina, President of <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong><br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>Manila</strong>, passed away three weeks after suffering a stroke and was laid to rest on Maundy<br />
Thursday.<br />
Members of the <strong>SPU</strong> <strong>Manila</strong> community, as well as alumni, went to the wake and the funeral<br />
of Atty. Rodolfo Medina, who was the father of eight <strong>Paul</strong>inians.<br />
Late last week, Ms. Medina sent the following message of thanks through the internet:<br />
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.<br />
A Message of Thanks<br />
Our father, ATTY. RODOLFO (DIDING) G. MEDINA, lived a full life of service to others. He was a<br />
loving and protective husband and father, a nurturing grandfather, and the most faithful of friends.<br />
To everyone who stood by us and prayed with us in our most trying time as a family, during Dad's<br />
swift illness and his peaceful passing--- we are grateful.<br />
Thank you for your prayers which helped ease his passage into the next life. And, thank you for your<br />
prayers and presence which eased our grief as you reminded us that he is now in a place where<br />
happiness and peace prevail. Thank you for every smile you put on his face, for every challenge you<br />
gave him, and for every tear you shed for his passing.<br />
On behalf of our mother, Luz Aquino Medina, and his surviving siblings – Dr. Francisco (Paquing)<br />
Medina, Chit Medina-Gonzalez, Capt. Wally Medina -- we, his children, thank you.<br />
Wilhelmina and Raymundo Panlilio, Wynna Medina, Wanda Manikan(deceased), Wonina and Armando<br />
Bonifacio, Winifred and <strong>St</strong>eve Albano, Wendeline and Joseph Tumolva, Atty. Jose Gerardo (Boyet)<br />
and Rissa Bolongaita Medina, Wilma Worden.<br />
ALUMNI NEWS<br />
FROM THE SPMAFI<br />
At a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees of the <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> <strong>Manila</strong> Alumni Foundation, Inc.<br />
(SPMAFI), the trustees accepted proposals from the <strong>St</strong>eering Committee for the <strong>SPU</strong> <strong>Manila</strong><br />
Centennial for two initial fund-raising activities: a ballroom and line dancing with the Spirit of ’67 in<br />
July and a dinner-concert of D’Angelos in November.
The fund-raisers were suggested by Beth Sison-Tagle, Chairman of the Ways and Means<br />
Committee for the <strong>SPU</strong> <strong>Manila</strong> Centennial and presented to the alumni, on whose help the success of<br />
the fund-raising activities depends. The events will be held to raise seed money for other fundraising<br />
activities, which are intended to build up a Centennial Fund for student scholarships and<br />
professorial chairs.<br />
The university hopes to set up three professorial chairs: Fr. James B. Reuter SJ Professorial<br />
Chair in Drama, Estelita G. Juco Professorial Chair in Education, and Mother Madeleine Denoga, SPC<br />
Professorial Chair in Nursing. Each chair will require an initial funding of P 2,000,000.00.<br />
Another centennial project that will need the full cooperation of the alumni is the proposed<br />
museum, which will be located under the chapel, the space which used to be the library, and before<br />
that, the social hall.<br />
The SPMAFI will invite representatives of past and future jubilarian classes to the next<br />
meeting of the Board on 6 May 2009.<br />
UPDATE ON FR. REUTER AND XAVIER HOUSE<br />
The Reuter Babies, a group composed of former students who have worked with Fr. James B. Reuter,<br />
SJ in his theatrical productions, sent this petition to Fr. Jose Cecilio J. Magadia, SJ, Provincial of the<br />
Jesuit Province:<br />
We, the undersigned, respectfully implore you, Father Jose<br />
Cecilio J. Magadia, to delay the sale of Xavier House while<br />
Father James B. Reuter is still alive.<br />
His expressed intention has always been to obey the wishes of<br />
his superiors. However, we fear that any move will place him in<br />
a situation that will further weaken him and ultimately hasten<br />
his death. The stress of packing and moving out into a new<br />
environment will put a toll on his enlarged heart, his weakened<br />
lungs (he has to be attached to an oxygen tank 24/7), his<br />
arthritic ankles and knees (he is wheelchair-bound), and the<br />
rest of his 93-year old body (he has a caregiver 24/7). It is<br />
common knowledge that the elderly experience extreme<br />
difficulty in coping with change and need the comfort of familiar faces and surroundings. This is what<br />
Xavier House provides.<br />
We ask this not just because of this great man's deep and enduring service to the Jesuit community<br />
and the Filipino nation; Or just because this inspirational leader deserves nothing but the best; And<br />
not only because this man, like any man in the twilight years of his life, has every right to the best<br />
possible quality of life in his dying months. But we ask this because most of us will someday find<br />
ourselves old and frail, too, dependent on our own family for comfort and care.<br />
We pray that you ask him to stay. We believe that is the right thing to do and we hope that you will<br />
come to that conclusion as well.
Following is the statement of Fr. Magadia, sent by Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ, President of the Ateneo<br />
de <strong>Manila</strong> <strong>University</strong>:<br />
March 31, 2008<br />
<strong>St</strong>atement regarding the 'sale' of Xavier House<br />
In its issue of 31 March 2009, the Philippine Daily Inquirer<br />
(PDI) ran a front page article on the 'sale' of Xavier House that<br />
demands some clarifications, not only because of its<br />
misstatements of fact but also on account of the innuendoes<br />
and implications it fosters.<br />
1. The article falsely claims that a done deal has been made<br />
between the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus and the<br />
SM Group for the purchase of the Xavier House property. The<br />
Provincial and Province Treasurer are quoted as denying this; but a source from the SM Group<br />
(conveniently left unnamed) is produced to state the contrary. In no uncertain terms the article<br />
adopts the latter as the correct version. This is not true. The Province has had no contact with the<br />
SM Group, has not even gotten to the point of putting the Xavier House property up for sale.<br />
2. The PDI article also tends to misrepresent the whole issue as if it were nothing more than a<br />
money-making scheme. It brushes aside the reality that the Province is in real financial straits,<br />
exacerbated by the ongoing world financial crisis. The rising costs of medical care for our senior and<br />
infirm Jesuits and formation for our younger men have taken a toll on province resources. These<br />
resources are dedicated to almost a third of Philippine Jesuits who are in formation, and an even<br />
bigger group of some 110 who are over 70 years of age, 61 of whom are 80 and above. Along with<br />
this, the Province also has to support other works that are not self-sufficient. It is unfortunate that<br />
people do not realize that the Province is not Ateneo de <strong>Manila</strong> or Xavier School, and that funds do<br />
not come out of one big pot that is commonly shared.<br />
3. Fr. James Reuter, with whom I spoke this morning, is very much dismayed at and disturbed by<br />
the PDI article. He lamented the distortions it presented and the picture of him and of the Jesuits<br />
that the article unfairly painted. Father Reuter continues to affirm that the Society of Jesus he<br />
entered almost seventy-five years ago has always cared for him and will continue to do so to the<br />
end. He well knows that despite all difficulties, the Philippine Province remains committed to make<br />
sure that all our Jesuits in our different communities are provided for and attended to.<br />
PAULINIANS ALL: GROUP SITE ON FACEBOOK<br />
Bernardita Azurin Quimpo, AB ’67, has created a group site on Facebook.<br />
Called PAULINIANS ALL, the site is open to alumnae/alumni, students, faculty,<br />
staff and NUNS of all <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> schools in the Philippines.
<strong>Paul</strong>inians from different <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> schools and universities, like<br />
<strong>St</strong>/ <strong>Paul</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>Manila</strong>, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> <strong>University</strong> Quezon City, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong><br />
<strong>University</strong> Dumaguete, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> <strong>University</strong> Tuguegarao, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong><br />
<strong>University</strong> Iloilo, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> College of Makati, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> College Pasig,<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> College Paranaque, and Rosary College Vigan have signed<br />
up, sent pictures, and shared news and comments with their fellow<br />
<strong>Paul</strong>inians here and abroad.<br />
Some sample pictures sent to the site are the following:<br />
High School 1963, <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Paul</strong> College of <strong>Manila</strong> …<br />
AB 1967, SPCM with some Sisters ……<br />
As of the first week of April, the site had over 2,000 members. Congratulations, Bernie, for<br />
proving that the <strong>Paul</strong>inian spirit is alive and well and shining through!<br />
LAST WEEK’S ACTIVITIES IN <strong>SPU</strong> MANILA<br />
14 April 2009<br />
European Week (Linggo de Lingua 2) Meeting<br />
1:30 - 4:00 P.M.<br />
Coffee Shop, HRMTC<br />
***********************<br />
16 April 2009<br />
SMI-IC Presidents’ Meeting<br />
9:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.<br />
SMI-IC Presidents’ Meeting with Liaison Officers and Committee Chairs<br />
3:00 - 6:00 p.m.<br />
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