Last July 30, the Council of Organizations in the Ateneo and the Sanggunian ng Mag-aaral invited the Ateneo community to celebrate the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola through Ig-night. According to their promotional materials, Ig-night would consist of a Eucharistic celebration at the Church of Gesu, followed by a parade, and a free concert at the Bellarmine Field. It was a night of camaraderie and solemnity as students, faculty members, administrators, personnel, and alumni commemorate the man who solidified the core of the Ateneo education.
In the days that followed after Ig-night, however, there wasn’t much talk about the event. No one talked about how meaningful or not meaningful the Ateneans’ way of celebrating it was, or if it changed their perspective on the Ateneo education. Unlike other school events, like the UAAP men’s basketball games, there were barely any photos, videos, or blog entries posted on sites like Multiply that show what happened during Ig-night.
Though the Internet isn’t the only way for the community to show its appreciation, it says a lot about how it celebrated St. Ignatius day. Is celebrating his feast day once a year enough for the community to commemorate the changes he initiated that molded the Ateneo? How else can the community remember the man behind magis, cura personalis, and other values instilled in its members?
It is the Ignatian spirit that inspires Ateneans to strive for academic excellence, holistic growth, and integrity, among other values. From the moment its students chose to enroll in the Ateneo, they are expected to know who St. Ignatius is, and what values he instilled in the community through the courses the school has to offer. However, it seems that many still don’t know, or have no plans of knowing, St. Ignatius.
When the Ateneo held Ig-night, the number of Ateneans who heard mass was not as abundant as the number of those who usually attend university social gatherings or athletic events. If the organizers of the said event would not arrange a free concert, would there have been less in attendance? Would Ateneans even consider commemorating the life of St. Ignatius?
It is inevitable for the typical Atenean to attend, and pay more attention to his academics, org activities, or even basketball games. He should always remember, however, that these priorities are rooted in the values that St. Ignatius instilled in him. This man, who may be most familiar to some only as the statue outside the Manila Observatory, deserves more than an annually held event as commemoration. The Atenean should make a conscious effort in living out St. Ignatius’ ways, and the legacy he left that formed Ateneo. After all, it is in his community that its members choose to live for the greater glory of God.
