Photo by Mario T. Dagdag
THE OLDEST organization in the Ateneo has come a long way in its journey towards educating the less fortunate continues on well into the future.
It was in 1905 when Fr. Francisco Rello, SJ, while walking down the streets of Tondo, envisioned an organization where students could be convened so that they could teach catechism.
This vision soon materialized in the form of an org originally named “Catequistas del Ateneo.” The org was then renamed to the Ateneo Catechetical Instruction League (ACIL), retaining, however, the practice of teaching catechesis to five areas in Quezon City.
In honor of their 105th year since their establishment, ACIL launched a week-long set of events dubbed as “Drive to 105: Biyaheng Ibang Klase!”
The ACIL Week was held from November 15 to 20 at the Social Sciences Foyer.
Photo by Mario T. Dagdag
Ascertaining relevance
ACIL Executive Secretary John Reuben Ferrer said that ACIL, as an org that has lasted for 105 years, has to keep up with the changes in the environment, while maintaining the traditions which define the org.
He said that adaptation is essential to ensure that ACIL would still be relevant. “ACIL has been dynamic. Catechism is a very difficult thing to set. It’s not [like] you have to repackage and repackage it. [We have] to make sure that it’s always relevant,” he added
Throughout the years, ACIL continues to maintain its decades-long traditions. Thus, the org trains its members through its three-fold formation philosophy: social awareness, spiritual formation and catechetical formation.
While spiritual and catechetical formation are provided by the org through weekly and month-end sessions, social awareness involves the participation of the members. This means ACIL members have to be aware of the issues and the social conditions of the place where they teach catechesis.
ACIL on the rise
The journey of ACIL has not always been steady.
Ferrer said that a few years ago, it struggled to maintain accreditation. “It was really a problem. But then of course, it’s always a rebound. We’re on the rise right now.”
However, he did not mention the reason as to why ACIL almost lost accreditation.
Junior Kyle Martin Alimurong said that the sustained activities made him stay in the ACIL. “I first went to ACIL because of [National Service Training Program], but when I saw what their activities are, I liked the organization [and] I decided to stay.”
ACIL’s Member Relations Officer Katrina Gabrielle Narciso said that this year has been great because of the support coming from the alumni and the members themselves.
“It’s been a struggle for everyone. [But] we’ve been able to keep up the mission of teaching about God to our kids and making Christ the living reality to them,” she said.
Member training
Meanwhile, according to Narciso, this celebration of ACIL Week had 12 project heads composed mainly of freshmen members.
She said that they got two members to spearhead each project instead of the usual one person per committee scheme.
Junior Ma. Michaela Andrea Tanjangco said that this encouraged the members to participate in ACIL Week. “[The event] wasn’t heavily promoted, but because of the council, the events were still well attended. It’s a nice way to cultivate talent for the future administrations of ACIL.”
After the 105th?
Next year, ACIL has different projects lined-up for the community such as the “Kampanya ni Kristo” and the “Youth Catechetical Congress.”
“Kampanya ni Kristo” is a project that was started by Sanggunian Secretary-General Maan Delos Santos.
This year, it involved getting the catechumens, the children undergoing catechesis, to answer the question “Kung bibiyahe ka kasama ni Kristo, saan mo siya dadalhin? (If you were to go on a journey with Christ, where would you bring Him?)”
The project entailed that the catechumens answer this question by drawing. The Top 20 drawings were then exhibited in the SocSci foyer so passersby could vote for the best artwork.
The child whose artwork garners the most number of votes would receive a full set of school supplies from ACIL.
Meanwhile, the Youth Catechetical Congress, a gathering of all youth catechetical organizations in Manila, is scheduled on February.
Ferrer said that gatherings as such would become avenues for orgs to discuss how they would adapt to changing times. “How do we make it more catchy? How do we sell it? What other communities would need our service?” Ferrer said.
