With the theme “St. Dominic: Living the Truth, Walking in Hope, Serving in Charity”, the annual Triduum in honor of the founder of the Order of Preachers was observed on August 3 to 5, 2022, at the UST Chapel (Santísimo Rosario Parish Church). The Thomasian community was able to join virtually through the official UST Facebook page. For the first day, the Faculty of Civil Law Regent Rev. Fr. Isidro C. Abaño, O.P., and the UST-AMV College of Accountancy Regent Rev. Fr. Franklin F. Beltran, O.P., served as the main presider and homilist, respectively. On the second day, the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management Regent Rev. Fr. Roland D. Mactal, O.P., was the main presider and the College of Information and Computing Sciences Regent Rev. Fr. Gaspar Sigaya, O.P., served as the homilist.
The Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines His Excellency Most Rev. Charles John Brown, D.D., presided over and delivered the homily on the third day, reflecting on St. Dominic’s role as “a light for us. [He is] a light that gives glory to our heavenly Father, a light that is transmitted.” Most Rev. Brown recounted that the Dominicans carry the tradition of singing the Magnificat Antiphon, where St. Dominic is addressed ‘O Lumen Ecclessiae’ or ‘O light of the Church’. “The light of St. Dominic did not remain inside of him like a light under a bushel basket. That light was transmitted. That light was illuminating others. That light was given to the Church. […] That idea of transmitting the light, of letting it shine, is central to the Dominican charism of ‘giving to others the fruits of one’s contemplation,’” explained the Apostolic Nuncio.
Referencing the Magnificat Antiphon, he encouraged “each and everyone of you, to become a kind of [light for others] lumen ecclesiae, a teacher of truth or Doctor Veritatis, a rose of patience, someone who gives the water of wisdom to others by the way in which you speak, and most importantly, in the way you live. This is the beauty of the Dominican vocation. This is the gift that God has given to the Church in the figure of St. Dominic – praedicator gratiae, a preacher of grace, who gave to others the light that was given to him.” One way to begin a life of contemplation is through praying the rosary, according to the Apostolic Nuncio, who said, “When we do that, His mysteries become alive in us and we become capable of transmitting those to others.” The Solemnity of St. Dominic’s Feast Day, which falls on August 8, was marked with a special University holiday.
