The Dominicans in the Philippines: The hounds of Truth

Illuminating mankind’s path toward salvation, the “hounds of God” continue to bear the torch of truth on their mouths since their father, St. Dominic de Guzman, founded the Order of Preachers in 1216.

According to Fr. Roy Rodriguez O.P., provincial promoter of vocations of the Dominicans in the Philippines, ignorance is the origin of sin, and teaching the truth is the only way to liberate mankind from error.

Joey Velasco and his ‘Journey of Faith’: Images drawing strength from Christ

Despite his acclaimed artworks, businessman-artist Joey Velasco still doesn’t like to be labeled a painter. He prefers to be called a “heartist."

“I make it a point that I experienced first what I feel strongly about before I paint something,” Velasco told the Varsitarian.

Handicapped to move forward

“I had to find the courage to see me through the day, and so I knelt in silence and began to softly pray.” -Catherine Janssen Irwin

WHILE most freshmen find themselves excited to enter college, I prove to be in a different crowd. Just when most of them seem to begin expanding their horizons, I then found myself still trapped in my shell, thinking that changing myself for a university setup is pernicious.

UST Parish nixes PPCRV poll watch

Despite being a key church in the Archdiocese of Manila, the UST’s Santissimo Rosario Parish failed to send volunteers for the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) poll watch during the May 14 elections.

Only the Santissimo Rosario Parish failed to send volunteers among churches in district 4 of Manila, PPCRV secretary general Bro. Clifford Sorita told the Varsitarian.

Pinoy kid's miraculous healing hastens Assumption founder's canonization

One year and three-month-old Risa Bontoc was diagnosed with septo-optic-dysplasia with left schizenphaly, a congenital malformation syndrome in the brain which could have made her blind, crippled, and mute. The third adopted child of Carmen and Rosendo Bontoc, Risa would have rhythmic rotative movement of the eyes that doctors said resulted from the syndrome.

Physicians from the United States where Risa was diagnosed for treatment said that cure was highly improbable and that it would take a miracle to cure the child. Indeed, it took two years of the Bontoc couple’s intercessory prayers to Blessed Marie Eugenie for Risa to turn well. Her case is now a cause for Blessed Marie Eugenie’s sainthood.

Theology Week 2007: Catholic schools to stress moral values vs. corruption

Do Catholic schools produce corrupt politicians?

Despite a good number of national and local leaders educated in Catholic schools, the country still topped the list of most corrupt countries in Asia according to the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) survey last month.

Whether Catholic schools are part of the blame and what these institutions should do were the talking points of the speakers of the Theology Week 2007, a five-day lecture series last April 16 to 20 at the UST Martyrs’ Hall.