CALLED TO reflect on the values instilled by the Ateneo, 2,574 students from both graduate and undergraduate programs took part in the 165th Commencement Exercises at the Ateneo High School Covered Courts from June 21 to 23.
After the Baccalaureate Mass, Commencement Speaker and 2023 Honorary Degree Awardee Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle delivered his address to the graduating class. His speech emphasized the importance of being true to oneself, aligning with the program’s theme, “Magpakatotoo: Magpakatao at Makipagkapwa-tao.”
Lux in Domino
Highlighting Ignatian values, Tagle expressed how the graduates must embody their Atenean learnings outside the academe, noting that being authentic and being a person for others is rooted in the University’s motto, Lux in Domino or “Light in the Lord.”
“Light is a good image to describe an authentic person and servant. […] We notice light only when it is deficient or when it is excessive. In both cases, light fails in its service because we do not see anything. Light should lead us to others, never to itself,” Tagle remarked.
In contrast to the meaning of “light,” Tagle also discussed how “inauthentic lights” in the form of selfishness, laziness, or indifference could result in “darkness.” He called upon the graduates to be a “humble light in the Lord” or “Lux humilis in Domino.”
“The test of your Ateneo excellence and wisdom is when you carry yourself and your expertise with lightness of heart and with a humble spirit,” Tagle declared.
More than numbers
Staying true to the Atenean principles, Class of 2024 Valedictorian Karen Joy Perez (AB SOCIO ‘24) highlighted that numbers are insufficient to define what constitutes an Atenean; rather, it is one’s principles that matter.
Recalling the graduating class’s two years of remote learning, Perez stated that focusing on their limited time onsite would only fill them with regret. “Hindi naman dinidiktahan ng bilis o tagal ng inilagi natin sa campus ang nibel ng ligayang naramdaman natin habang nasa kolehiyo tayo,” she said.
(The length of our stay on campus does not dictate the degree of happiness we have experienced in college.)
Moreover, Perez underscored the importance of genuine concern for others in all areas of society, mentioning instances where the Ateneo community voiced their grievances, such as the Ateneo Employees’ and Workers’ Union’s call for service benefits and the open letter requesting a temporary shift to online classes amid the previous months’ intermittent weather conditions.
“Saan man tayo dalhin ng ating mga susunod na magiging pagpili, sana huwag nating hayaang matabunan ng kasakiman ang ating mga pinaglalaban,” Perez asserted. (Wherever our future choices lead us, I hope that we do not let greed overshadow the things we are fighting for.)
She claimed that the true essence of being an Atenean is not dependent on rank nor quantity of any kind, but on the ways they are able to manifest the depth of their love, care, and concern for others.
Persons for others
Mirroring the will to serve the community, several graduates expressed how they plan to live out being persons for others as they step out of the Ateneo. Among them is Chriss Escobar (BFA ID ‘24), who shared that her creations are not just for herself but for the interests and interpretations of those who come across them.
Reflecting on the theme, Francesca Cruz (BS ME ‘24) conveyed that being a person for others lies in “every single thing” an individual does and every commitment they choose to make.
“Whether it’s working with someone and being a little bit more compassionate or empowering people to do better, I think that’s the best way we can use our Jesuit education and Ignatian values after [leaving] the Ateneo,” Cruz said.
Echoing the same sentiments, Ralf Borja (BS CTM ‘24) affirmed that being a person for others involves being aware of outside realities. He asserted that it entails empathy and taking action based on that care—not by just observing, but actively participating.
With reports by Akeezia Carreon and Ralph Nuñez
