RVM Schools In Southern Mindanao Hold Regional Educators’ Congress

Thirteen schools of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) gathered for the Southern Mindanao Region Educators’ Congress on February 22 to 24, 2024, held at St. Mary’s College in Tagum City.

With the theme, Quality Transformative Ignacian Marian Education (QTIME): Forming Communities of Pilgrims of Hope Towards Synodality, 413 RVM Sisters, lay administrators, teachers, and staff celebrated the joy of being part of the Ignacian Marian family.

The jurisdictional milestone officially opened with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Rev. Fr. Paul John Banay-Banay, DCT.

Sr. Maria Marissa R. Viri, RVM, Regional Director for Higher Education of the RVM Education Ministry Commission (EMC), stressed the alignment of the gathering to the Synod on Synodality, where educators and youth formators are pilgrims who share in the evangelizing mission of the Church for the transformation of this troubled world.

The regional RVM EMC lined up a variety of activities for the two-day Congress, including two talks – [1] Empowering Educators in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Prof. Eric John G. Emberda, Dean of the College of Computer Science of the University of the Immaculate Conception (UIC) and [2] QTIME: Forming Communities of Pilgrims of Hope towards Synodality with Rev. Fr. Jose Junar N. de la Victoria, DCD, an alumnus of UIC Grade School and currently the parish priest of Sta. Anne Shrine Parish, Davao City.

Further, a cultural night was also held where the sisters and personnel showcased their talents in singing and dancing.

Moreover, the second day was set aside for the sports fest, the third day was for the talk on synodality followed by the spiritual conversation, and the raffle draw as ‘pahalipay.’

The 13 participating schools come from the three provinces of Davao, Davao City, and North Cotabato – St. Mary’s Academy of Caraga and St. Mary’s College Baganga from Davao Oriental; St. Mary’s College of Tagum from Davao del Norte; Our Lady of Fatima Academy and University of the Immaculate Conception from Davao City; St. Mary’s Academy Sta. Cruz, Holy Cross Academy of Digos, St. Mary’s College of Bansalan from Davao del Sur; Notre Dame of Makilala, St. Mary’s Academy of Kidapawan, St. Mary’s Academy of Midsayap, and Notre Dame RVM College of Cotabato from North Cotabato.

The RVM Sisters and Pilar College of Zamboanga City personnel endured 27 hours of long ride to join the gathering.

During the culmination, Sr. Maria Lourdes Cao, RVM, Regional Director for Basic Education of the RVM EMC, reminded the attendees to continue to be witnesses of God’s love and leaven at the service of the Church. She ended by saying, “As we have listened during this Congress, may we also create space to hear the voice of God through the mission of bringing QTIME to our students with our communion and participation finding its deepest roots in our love and commitment to the RVM Education Ministry.” (S. Maria Merma Liza M. Shalah, RVM)