Tagaytay City—The Divine Word Institute of Mission Studies (DWIMS) recently welcomed members of its community to a day filled with spiritual enrichment and engaging academic discourse on August 12, 2023, at the DWIMS Chapel. The event was attended by DWIMS incoming first year students, current students, alumni, and professors.
The day featured the Holy Mass in honor of the Holy Spirit, the Actus Academicus lecture, the academic orientation, the DWIMS Director’s meeting with the students and the Alumni General Assembly and election of officers.
The day began with the Holy Mass in honor of the Holy Spirit, commencing at 9:00 AM. The sacred ceremony was presided over by newly-elected DWIMS Director Rev. Dr. Samuel N. Agcaracar, SVD, D. Miss.
In his homily, Fr. Sam acknowledged the challenges in molding missionaries through DWIMS, noting that this transformative process is intrinsic to realizing their vision of creating agents of God's mercy and compassion. He discussed how academic ventures are opportunities for DWIMS and its community to discover God’s limitless and unconditional love for us all.
At the end of his message, Fr. Sam warmly welcomed incoming students to the institute and expressed hope for the academic year.
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Following the Holy Mass, an illuminating Actus Academicus lecture was delivered by former DWIMS Director and current Vice Director for Research and Publication Rev. Dr. Edgar G. Javier, SVD D. Miss, at 11:00 AM.
The lecture centered around the theme "The Future of the Church is Mission (Pope Francis)" with the title "Revitalizing Mission in the Church." Fr. Edgar’s insightful message shed light on the profound relationship between the Church's future and its mission, offering new perspectives and inspiring thought-provoking conversations.
In his lecture, Fr. Edgar discussed the need for the Church to be a center of communion, compassion, and evangelization, emphasizing personal and transformative approaches in sharing God's love. He called for an attractive message of love, compassion, and holiness, urging DWIMS to reflect on its role in spreading God's message of hope. He underlined the importance of stepping outside the confines of the Church and being present in the lives of those in need, in alignment with Pope Francis's teachings.
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After the Actus Academicus lecture, a special "despedida" was held during the day, bidding farewell to Rev. Fr. Gerry P. Donato, SVD, and offering gratitude and best wishes for his new journey.
The following academic orientation, facilitated by DWIMS Vice-Director for Studies Rev. Fr. Antonio M. Pernia, SVD, SThD, provided invaluable information for both new and returning students, ensuring a smooth start to the academic year.
Afterwards, Fr. Sam met with the DWIMS students for the first time as the institute’s director. Finally, the day concluded with the Alumni General Assembly, led by Ms. Socorro Moralina, President of the DWIMS Alumni Association.