My Easter Message
Dear Friends of the IWS,
A Very Happy Easter to you all. Easter is a celebration of LIFE. Sometimes we take life for granted . And yet it is the only one we have and it is short . So it is important that we live it to the full with awareness and joy. So I wish you fullness of LIFE and JOY during this Easter Season.
As you see in the following articles, IWS is fully alive and kicking. Let me give you some background of some articles in the newsletter. How did we get a van? Well you see our van CERES was given to us by MIVA of the Netherlands. It is 8 years old so we applied for a new one but unfortunately we were rejected. Anyway , one day I got a call from the CEO-President of Hyundai, Asia, Ms. Fe Perez Agudo. When I visited her in her office she congratulated me on being cited among the 100 inspiring women in the world by WOMEN DELIVER. She also told me that she was a scholar of St. Scholastica’s College when I was Dean of College. So now she wants to pay back. She has actually 10 scholars already but she wanted to give tribute to me by making me a beneficiary of her FUN RUN FOR A CAUSE. So not only did I get a commitment that HYUNDAI will partner with us in constructing a mission hospital in one of the poorest province of the Philippines, in Catarman Samar, she also promised to give IWS a van when I told her about our need. So in the FUN RUN where 24, 000 runners took part, our van with IWS and HYUNDAI logos was displayed. And after the RUN, we drove it home to IWS. It was just on time to use it to transport the ICWS participants who arrived on that day and would be brought to Mendez the next day. Enjoy reading the columns.
With Warm Greetings,
Sr. Mary John, OSB
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Members of the diplomatic corps, government, business and non-government organizations took part in the milestone Hyundai event ‘Run for a Cause’ last April 2, 2011 led by Korean Ambassador Lee Hye-min, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) chairman emeritus Richard Lee, Leyte fourth district Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez and her husband Richard, HARI president and CEO Fe Perez-Agudo, and Gawad Kalinga founder Antonio Meloto and Sr. Mary John Mananzan of the St. Scholastica’s Institute off Women’s Studies. |
Moving Beyond Faith Workshop
We have a new addition to the list of trainings we offer. The recent addition is a training called Moving Beyond Faith: An Interfaith Discussion on Ecological Justice which was sponsored by the United Board of Christians for Higher Education in Asia (UBCHEA). The first pilot training was done last February 21-25, at the Institute’s farm, the Women and Ecology Wholeness farm in Mendez, Cavite. The training was attended by 15 participants, 7 male and 8 female teachers coming from the UBCHEA network.
The course tried to explore questions such as what religious tenets in the four major religions can help us decide how to value life and distinguish between right and wrong environmental attitudes and practices, is there a need for a single, complete set of environmental values (one theory)? Or what are the factors that keep our current ideologies and practices in place? What is the role of gender in the ecological movements? What is the intersection between gender, religion and ecology? As a finale to this batch, the participants were able to attend the celebration of the EDSA revolution on February 25.
Also, we are currently having the Intercultural Course on Women and Society, its the two month training offered to women from Asia and the Pacific. We have 14 women coming from 4 countries namely Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines and Korea. The training started last April 4 and will finish by June 1. Right now, they are on their holy week break, while I on the other hand, take time to write you a short note.
Aside from the MBF, regular trainings are still offered by the Training Department. There will be several Women and Spirituality trainings and a possible Trainer’s Training this coming year. Also, there will be the regional reunion evaluations that will commence from July – September.
Oh by the way, please graduates do updates us of your contact numbers so we can get it touch with you regarding the dates of the upcoming trainings.
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Sr. Mary John Mananzan and Mr. Avron Boretz of UBCHEA with the participants of the Moving Beyond Faith Workshop. |
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The IWS staff with the participants of the Intercultural Course on Women and Society |
Sr. Mary John Mananzan is one of the extraordinary people who are being honored on the international list that has been put out by Women Deliver, the leading global advocate fighting for women’s rights and maternal health. The list recognizes those who successfully navigated the corridors of power, along with those on the frontlines, who have worked to expand rights and choices for girls and women everywhere.”
Women Deliver said that Sister Mary John was instrumental in developing a feminist and third-world theology within the Catholic Church, boldly challenging the Church’s hierarchical and male-dominated views, and introducing feminist activism into the country’s Catholic faith.
Women Deliver 100 list, which includes former first lady and now US secretary of state Hillary Clinton who was given recognition for being “a role model to millions and a relentless advocate for women worldwide,” honors men and women, both prominent and lesser known, who have committed themselves to improving the lives of girls and women around the world.
WEWF— Comings and Goings
The phrase “comings and goings” best describes life at the farm, depicting the cycle of life. A few days before Christmas last year, Tinang, the farm dog that many of you may still remember, bid us goodbye. Everyone at the farm was heartbroken, for Tinang had been the sweetest, most giving companion for the past 13 or 14 years, graciously accompanying the staff on every orientation tour of the farm. She was buried by the large dita tree.
And the amazing thing about the dita tree is that, four months after, it is in full bloom. Everywhere around the canopy are dainty white flowers that give off the most fragrant, delicate perfume at night. On a moonlit evening nowadays, stay a while under the dita tree to take in life’s fragrant, vibrant energy.
One of the sows recently had five cute piglets, all reserved for a parish priest who also wants to raise native pigs not dependent on commercial steroids-filled feeds in his congregation’s farm in nearby Silang.
A cabbage patch is always a sight to behold. Looking like giant green roses, the outer leaves are large and spread out, and in the center is the kernel of the cabbage. Guests are always thrilled to learn the cabbage on their plates came from the plots outside the house. We will need to wait for the cold months again, however, before we try growing them again.
Alexa, a frequent visitor of the farm, was given her first turtle in 2002.“Tatay seemed to like the turtle, and decided to buy three more. We named them Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michaelangelo, after the Mutant Ninja Turtles of that popular movie.” A year later, one of them died. Early this year, Alexa and the rest of her family decided to donate the three remaining turtles to the farm.
Alexa was a guest of the farm for the recent holy week break. “I saw one turtle just below the surface of the water. I was happy to see it. Also, I found out that there is an additional turtle--from the farm’s koi pond! So now, they’re the four ninja turtles again!” the turtles can really swim, and it also has a place where they can bask. Finally, they have a proper home!”
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| Tinang found rest under a now wildly blooming dita tree. |
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Alexa introduces the turtles to their new home one by one |
A New Vehicle for IWS
Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), exclusive Philippine distributor of Hyundai vehicles, kicked off its 10th year yesterday at the Quirino Grandstand with a historic early morning “Run for a Cause” to benefit four iconic humanitarian foundations – Gawad Kalinga, Haribon, Habitat for Humanity, and St. Scholastica’s Priory.
To salute the achievements of Sister Mary John Mananzan, one of Women Deliver’s Top 100 Most Inspiring People in the World, , HARI forged a partnership with St. Scholastica’s Priory to put up the first 25-bed Maternity Mission Hospital with a pediatric ward and laboratory services in Catarman, Northern Samar, one of the country’s poorest provinces. In addition, a new van was given to the Institute of Women’s Studies.
“The Institute of Women’s Studies of St. Scholastica’s Priory is very pleased to be part of this great run which benefits our project,” said Sr. Mary John.
PHOTO GALLERY
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MOA signing between Hyundai and IWS last April 1 2011 with Sr. Mary John, Sr. Baptista, Mr. Lee and Ms. Agudo of Hyundai |
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Prestigious guests during the Moving Beyond Faith Workshop: Abbess Min Jiao, Amina Rasul and Ms. Lizette Tapia |
SNIPPETS
It is with great pride and joy to announce that the IWS TV program, Nun-Sense, Makes Sense, celebrated its 1st year anniversary last February. To commemorate the special event, an episode featuring the program’s staff and crew shared their thoughts and learnings on the said program.
Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, the Vice President for Academic Affairs of St. Scholastica’s College and Sr. Celine Saplala, the school’s Socio Pastoral Action, formally joined the IWS Board of Trustees during a meeting last November 4, 2010 in NURSIA. Sr. Mary Thomas was officially elected as the Chairperson of the IWS BOT during the said meeting.
The other members of the IWS-BOT are Sr. Angelica Leviste, Sr. Cecille Ido, Sr. Mary Paul Baul, Prof. Asuncion Azcuna, Ms. Conchita Manabat, Prof. Arche Ligo, Ms. Marion Cabrera and Sr. Mary John Mananzan.
The Institute would also like to congratulate Maria Aida Gaerlan and Susan Balindo, IWS Admin Associate and Bookkeeper respectively, for the 5 years of service with the Institute. We would also like to congratulate our consultants Mr. Jonathan Rondina and Rebecca Marquez and one of our friends who helps in our TV Program, Mr. Mark Espino.
