Recoletos educators meet to keep informed, inspired

The Recoletos Educational Apostolate in the Philippines (REAP) will hold its first National Recollect Educators’ Congress (NREC) at its flagship school, San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) in Manila.

To be held from April 16 to 18, the intellectual gathering of educators, administrators and nonteaching personnel aims to develop a deeper understanding of the Recollect identity, history and charism.

The NREC also plans to enhance teaching competencies of its faculty, come up with a distinct Recollect pedagogy and establish strong friendship and brotherhood among its members.

Some 200 participants from nine Recollect schools nationwide have already signed up for the event.

Participating schools are SSC-R Manila, SSC-R Canlubang, SSC-R Cavite, University of San Jose-Recoletos, Colegio de San Nicolas de Tolentino-Recoletos, San Pedro Academy-Recoletos, San Pedro Academy Valencia, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos and Colegio de Santo Tomas-Recoletos.

Registration fee is P3,000 to cover food, speakers’ honoraria and kit.

With the theme “Recoletos Education: Kindling the Heart and Empowering the Mind for a Responsible Stewardship,” the three-day event is designed to strengthen the vocation of Recollect educators.

Rev. Fr. James Bumangabang, OAR [Order of Agustinian Recollects], overall chairman of the NREC, said that by the end of the congress he expected participants “to know how to interpret the Augustinian Recollect spirituality in their workplace, find ways to respond to the call of the Mother Church to the mission in the classroom and school administration, and love more the Recollect identity as Recoleto educators.”

REAP has lined up activities that will “keep everyone busy, informed and inspired.”

The first day will focus on the statement and review of the “Recoletos idearium and charism,” with Rev. Fr. Raul Buhay (outgoing REAP president), Rev. Fr. Julius Marcos (REAP president) and Rev. Fr. Arnel Diaz (provincial secretary and director of SSC-R Manila basic education).

A group activity will be conducted to help participants understand the concept better. Each cluster will then present its report.

Capping the first day is the musical play “Late Have I Loved You” by the SSC-R Manila Center for Culture and the Arts.

It tells the story of the school’s patron saint, Augustine.

The play begins when Augustine is already old and contemplating his monumental work, “The Confessions,” with two of his closest friends, Possidius and Alypius. He narrates his life in Thagaste in Africa, his earlier lust for fame and women and his miraculous conversion. The play culminates in Augustine’s baptism in Milan, Italy.

On the second day, participants will listen to Francis Kong’s talk about enhancing passion and commitment to the teaching profession and to Prior Provincial Rev. Fr. Lauro Larlar’s discourse on the Augustinian Recollect pedagogical principles.

A workshop on applying these principles in the classroom will follow. The day will end with a cultural presentation.

On the third and last day, Dr. Paraluman Giron, chairperson of DepEd’s technical working group for the K to 12, will give updates on the program to prepare the Recoletos schools offering basic, secondary and tertiary education.

In the afternoon, while most participants will enjoy sports activities, like basketball, volleyball and badminton, a core group will formulate a K to 12 transition management plan for each Recoletos school.

The transition program will be presented to the participants in a plenary session before the closing and awarding ceremonies.

For inquiries, call 7348931 to 39 loc. 115 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].