By Francheska Griño
To open the joint celebration of this year’s Lasallian Mission Festival and Students’ Week, De La Salle University-Dasmariñas (DLSU-D) officially welcomed the relic of St. John Baptist de La Salle on April 18 with a solemn procession and a holy mass.
The relic is a gift from Rome to the Lasallian family and brothers in the Philippines, along with the celebration of Saint La Salle’s 300th death anniversary and the Lasallian Jubilee year in 2019.
According to Dr. Grace Olorga, campus minister of the DLSU-D Campus Ministry, the relic was housed in Residencia De La Salle for two years after the relic tour in 2020 was postponed due to the pandemic.
“As of now, wala pa kaming update kung itutuloy yung tour pero at least during this Lasallian Mission Festival 2022, we are very happy na nandito siya ngayon,” Olorga said.
She also shared that the relic, being part of a deceased person’s body or object, is significant for Catholics and Christians because it is a sacramental and a “special” sign from the church, which we believe encourages and blesses us with the grace of God.
“The life of [St.] La Salle is an inspiration for us to help continue his mission to provide human and quality Christian education to the youth and the poor, so you become more of a Lasallian lalung-lalo na pag ikaw ay nakikisalo at nakikiisa dito sa misyon na ito,” Dr. Olorga added.
Moreover, the DLSU-D’s University Student Government (USG) President, Niña Ligan, expressed the overwhelming happiness of seeing fellow students at the occasion.
“This is actually the first time that we have an onsite activity here, di ba. It has been two years na nawalan tayo ng onsite activity, and I’m very happy na meron tayong ganitong pagkakataon to welcome the relic of St. La Salle and the students,” Ligan said.
The USG President also shared that the event does not only practice the three Lasallian core values, but it also serves as a guide in knowing one’s service and mission in life, which is significant in reaching one’s dreams and goals.
The relic will return to Residencia De La Salle after the closing mass on Saturday, April 23. It will be then housed in the Shrine of St. John Baptist de La Salle in De La Salle University – Laguna.
