Echoes from LMI

By Sr. Terry Caberte, AR.

Lady Mediatrix Institute will launch its 60th anniversary of its foundation this school year 2007-2008 so that next school year it shall be a big closing celebration. The Alumni have already plans to mark it. The Golden Jubilarians and the Silver Jubilarians will take charge of the celebration though the different batches have also committed to take their share.

Our Orientation Meetings with Parents during the first two Sundays right after the opening of classes were all successful. We didn’t have a big place here in LMI to gather the whole population so we broke them into different groups and schedules.  Each group formed their own Homeroom cell: Kinder, Grades 1 and 2; Grades 3 and 4; Grades 5 and 6. First year, second year, third year and fourth year. Each group elected its own set of officers to facilitate their activities. The main goal of each Homeroom cell is to put up at least a Family Day among them during the school year.

In line with the AR evangelization program, starting this school year 2007 -2008, we re- named our general PTA as LMI-Augustinian Recollect General Parents Teachers Crusaders (ARGPTC) which they all appreciated. The ARGPTC officers were also representatives from the elected Homeroom officers. Aside from putting up a Family Day by group, the ARGPTC look forward to a day of recollection for all Parents on their designated schedule. Fr. Rekto Hernandez will be their facilitator. Their other goal is to support the school’s project for whatever manner they can share. The new elected officers were inducted last July 22nd at 10:00 A.M. during our Student Mass presided by Rev. Msgr. Charles Herrera, our parish priest and school chaplain. Rev. Msgr. Charles has high hopes for Christian values formation. He is very supportive to the school’s spiritual needs. He and his fellow priests take turns in listening to confession every Tuesday afternoon. He initiated our students mass every second and fourth Sunday of the month at 10:00 A.M.  

Through the initiative and untiring support of the president of our LMI-ARGPTC, Dr. Cecil Budok and our excellent Rondalla instructor, Mr. Erwin Rolle (Professor and dean of Music at Enverga University, Lucena City) our LMI Junior Rondalla members are moving fast in their lesson. Both are very enthusiastic to expose our students to any activity where they can share what they learn. It would also be an opportunity for them to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem.   They were invited to play last August 19th, in honor of the Late Pres.  Manuel L. Quezon at the Quezon Convention Center to mark Quezon Day. Many achievers and successful personalities from the different areas like Education, entrepreneurship etc. in Quezon were recognized and were awarded. Sen. Mar Roxas was the Guest Speaker.

LMI Junior Rondalla with Gov. Raff, Nantes and Senator Mar Roxas

Batch ’77 had their remarkable Pearl Jubilee celebration last July 28th at their alma mater campus. It is their pride to say that their batch produced a priest and successful doctors, nurses and all other professions. Their Pearl Jubilee celebration started with a Thanksgiving Mass and their own priest Rev. Fr. Rekto Hernandez was their celebrant. In his homily, Fr. Rekto reiterated his joy and gratitude to all those who joined the celebration. Seventy percent from their batch came with their respective families. He also made it clear to them that each one’s success can’t be measured by the amount of money they earn at present but it could also be indicated on how they rear their respective families according to the Christian values that LMI imbibed in them. Five among them came from USA. They wore their own designed t-shirts with the theme “Hit back! Buhay pa Kami!” Fifteen vans with printed balloons tied on them joined their motorcade around the town with other scooters and owner cars. After their motorcade they proceeded to the Dinglasan residence for lunch and other affair .Each one was so excited to reminisce their past much more when they noticed that they were using their third year classroom for their mass. Lots of poses were also taken in many corners of their alma mater.

Batch ’77 on their Pearl Anniversary

Lucena Diocese Catholic Association (LUDICSA) where LMI is a member will celebrate its Pearl Jubilee this year. A series of Masses are offered for the intention and is rotated in every district. Each school will send representatives to attend the scheduled mass. LMI will have its Mass on September 6. On September 7, there will be a production that will depict the varied celebrations of Quezon from the different towns as they are known of, Pahiyas from Lucban, Lubid-lubid from Tiaong, and Candle Festival in Candelaria. It will be participated in by selected member schools. It will be presented at the Quezon Convention Center, Lucena City. LMI will present all about the Candle Festival that was initiated by Rev. Msgr. Charles Herrera, P.A, and our incumbent parish priest and school chaplain.

JO-ES Publishing sponsored our teachers’ seminar – workshop on Test and Measurement and the Art of Questioning last August 10, 2007. We requested from the parents to give us the second Friday for the Admin, Faculty & Staff for us to set this day for our regular seminar/ workshop and meeting. That was a very enriching and fruitful seminar especially on the goals and procedure on how to construct test questions. That was much related to what we took up during our Principal and Academic Coordinators’ seminar/ workshop.

LMI is blessed with many successful graduates who are now in many different places all over the world every two years, Mr. George de Guzman visits LMI to share his knowledge on Martial Arts. He is based in Canada but connected with UNICEF. He comes with his Canadian friends and they made it a point to visit all high school institutions- private or public.