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Pananaw: Preaching through the print media
KAPATID transcends texts through devotion to Mary and the Dominican Saints
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IN THE TRADITION of the Order of Preachers, a Dominican friar must fully embrace the call to preach Jesus Christ in whatever manner that is fitting with the times. As St. Thomas Aquinas would say, “it is better to illumine than merely shine, to share the fruits of contemplation than merely contemplate.”
The Print Department of the Dominican Students’ Media Center is responsible for producing, publishing, and lay-outing materials to help the Dominican Student-Brothers in their Ministry of the word and for information dissemination and spreading the word to the faithful. The Pananaw Weekly Reflection is the official print apostolate of the Dominican Students’ Media Center (DSMC). Its weekly publication began in the year 1991. It was an effort to share the fruitful reflection of the Dominican Student-Brothers. The daily Pananaw Reflections of the Student-Brothers are posted in the community bulletin board, while the Sunday reflection is printed to be given to the faithful attending Mass and visiting the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila.
The original logo of the Pananaw features an image of a silhouette of a friar looking outside a window. It represents a friar looking outside, looking at the world. The cross window represents the perspective of Jesus Christ. A Dominican- Student Brother must learn to view the world in the perspective of the Lord Jesus Christ. Presently, the logo used in the current publication of the Pananaw takes inspiration from the original version of the logo of the publication.
DSMC vows to continue live streaming task as endemic is in sight
THE ENGAGEMENT of Dominican Students Media Center in the live stream mass was started way before the pandemic, in collaboration with RSL and Radio Veritas. Before, the live stream was limited only to some big events, such as La Naval festivities and Holy Week. The main task of the DSMC members was simply assisting the RSL and Radio Veritas. In short, at first, everything was done by the professionals arranged by the parish and the convent.
As the challenge of the pandemic strike and the Studentate was put into lockdown, the need for Live stream mass was in demand. Based on the initiative and help of Br. Wilhelm Bonon OP, in March 2020 the community decided to start the live stream mass from the Chapel of Studentate. As the protocol for the lockdown was relaxed, this practice was then transferred to the Shrine of Our Lady of La Naval. Some additional devotion and prayer were added later on, for instance, Rosary Hour, Liturgy of the Hours, adoration, and. In order to support the quality of the live stream, some additional equipment was purchased funded by the DSPB and the Convent.
In the present day, the DSMC members are still in charge of the live stream mass and prayer in Santo Domingo Church. The body also accepts some invitations to live stream some masses upon request from other institutions. The body also proposed a capability program of studentate for live stream, so that all brothers could also participate in the live stream apostolate. Following the exhortation of the Acts of the Twelfth Provincial Chapter to continue the online streaming of the liturgical celebrations (ACP 2021 Calamba 232), this practice is still faithfully observed, even after the Church was declared open for public, in order to promote our liturgical celebration to the faithful.
SANTO DOMINGO CHURCH is known for promoting a wide array of devotions. Being the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Naval, the Church is a bastion of devotion to the Blessed Mother and Dominican Saints.
However, things drastically changed when the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic gave an adverse impact on peoples’ mobility. Initially, there are Church and parish organizations incharge of leading the novenas in the Shrine.
But with the pandemic hampering the movement of everyone, the task of leading these devotions were entrusted to the Dominican student-brothers through the Marian Devotion Arm of the Dominican Studentate; the KAPATID Apostolic Group.
However easy the task may be, it imparts lessons which are essential and beneficial not only in the life of a student-brother but most of all, in his future ministry as a shepherd of the Lord’s flock.
True enough, this task is so easy to the point that a brother can be in danger of just babbling over the text. It becomes a monotonous activity and begins to be looked upon trivially. This is where the challenge lies and where we are being honed into. While our formation follows a certain structure, there is a temptation to do things out of mere compliance. This poses a challenge to prayerfully transcend the text. Having this done, it consequently leads to the instilling of devotion that gives meaning beyond the monotony of things leading to the development of the virtues the Blessed Mother and our Saints exemplify which we, as Dominicans, ought to emulate.
Developing virtues thereby leads one to be a preacher with integrity – a preacher who practices what he preaches. True enough, such is the wisdom why these activities are entrusted to us especially to those who just had their First Profession: because this can be a springboard towards becoming a religious with
“Developing virtues thereby leads one to be a preacher with integrity – a preacher who practices what he preaches.” integrity. BR. GLENDALE ANCHETA, OP
PST! The story behind Pagtugon sa Tawag’s name and logo
A CHILD IS TO BE BORN. While expectant parents are waiting for their child, they usually prepare for two things: the name and clothes. The name is important as well as the clothes. The name signifies our identity.
People would know us by our name and because of that, parents spend time thinking about what to name their child. It could come from a book of names that lists different names and their meaning. Some would just name their child after a saint or maybe a famous person.
As for the clothes, parents would spend money to make their child look good and presentable. Usually, they would wait for the gender confirmation coming from the obegyne doctor before purchasing these clothes. Traditionally, blue clothes are for males while pink are for females.
These are some of the preparations when a child is to be expected. But how about an organization such as an apostolic group? Thirty years ago, the pastoral formation of the Dominican Studentate was established with five “children” or apostolic groups. In this article, we will see how the student brothers prepared for the birth of the vocation discernment group of the Dominican Studentate as they prepared the name and the logo.
During that time, the vocation discernment group of the Dominican Studentate planned to conduct a “name search” contest. Student brothers were asked what names would be fitting for the said apostolic group. They posted a blank sheet of paper on the whiteboard wherein the brothers could write their suggested names.
Usually, the format of the name is expressed in an acronym. Because the group is about vocation discernment, suggested names contain the words “vocation,” “God,” and “calling.” Among the names that were written by the brothers, it was decided that in the future, the vocation discernment group will be named PST or Pagtugon sa Tawag.
PST or Pagtugon sa Tawag is something common to every Filipino since when we would like to call someone, we would produce the sound of “Pst!” instead of calling their names. What a way to brand the group that caters to the needs of those who are called by God?
Pagtugon sa Tawag is a Filipino phrase that is translated as “heeding the call”. Every individual is called by God to a life of holiness. All we need to do is to answer that call. How? PST helps them in answering God’s call by providing vocation promotion and discernment programs leading to Dominican formation.
As for the logo or the “clothes” of the child, it features an open capiz window. In between those two window panes, one could see a rising sun bearing the black and white color of the Dominicans.
It seems to me that the logo is very symbolic. Why? Two open capiz window panes may represent the opportunities that could come once we answer God’s call. The use of capiz windows could represent the vocations found in the Philippines. The black-white rising Dominican sun may be St. Dominic who is the light of the Church, the founder of the Order, and the exemplar model of a life of holiness
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND THE DOMINICAN HABIT
THE DOMINICAN HABIT is a topic which always interests the participants of our Vocation Promotion Program, both the candidates and even the brothers. It is undeniable that the Dominican habit is one of the several reasons why young men get interested to enter the Dominican Order.
The Dominican habit has a pious tradition of its origin. But it is also fascinating because of the vesting prayers of each part of the habit. Among all the vesting prayers of the Dominican Habit, one is closely related to our Holy Father St. Dominic–the vesting prayer of the scapular. This prayer comes from the fourth stanza of the Marian Hymn Ave Maris Stella. The original lyrics is, “Monstra te esse matrem, sumat per te preces qui pro nobis natus tulit esse tuus.”
The early chroniclers of the Order recounted that St. Dominic loved to sing, especially during his journeys. Among the many hymns he sang, Ave Maris Stella is the most loved. This hymn was popular in the Middle Ages because the Marian hymn during vespers was frequently used by travelers to pray for a safe journey. Most probably, St. Dominic adopted this medieval practice as his personal devotion.
What is the necessity of this vesting prayer or hymn when the friars wear the scapular? This hymn does not only invoke one of the oldest Marian titles, it also reminds us that our life is a journey toward the heavenly homeland. As the seaman is guided by the star to see the direction in the ocean, we also need the guidance of Mary, the Star of the Sea, in the journey of life. Furthermore, this hymn recalls Mary as our Mother. We invoke Mary, our Mother, as intercessor to Jesus our Lord because we believe that Jesus will not reject the petition of his Mother.
The friars are constantly reminded that when they wear the scapular, they put themselves under the protection of Mary, our Mother, and guide. It is also a constant reminiscence of the relationship between St. Dominic and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Every time the friars wear the scapular, our mind goes back to the journey of St. Dominic remembering that when he preached the Gospel of Truth, he also brought the Blessed Virgin Mary day and night through hymns and prayers. BR.
THE BLESSED Virgin Mary gives the scapular to Blessed Reginald of Orleans. (PHOTO COURTESY OF
FR. LAWRENCE LEW, OP)
