Bridgetines Forging Hope: Educating Young People in Justice and Peace

“ BRIDGETINES FORGING HOPE – Educating Young People in Justice and Peace!” is the theme of the Centennial Summit of Bridgetines being held May 2-3 at the St. Bridget College- Alitagtag Campus.

About 300 participants from the four Bridget schools – St. Bridget College- Batangas, St. Bridget School- Buhi, St. Bridget School- Quezon City, and St. Bridget College- Alitagtag, composed of student leaders, with some teachers and Good Shepherd Sisters, are expected to attend.

Sr. Maureen Catabian , coordinator of Women, Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation Office of the Philippine Province said that the theme for the Centennial Summit of Bridgetines is a convergence of the  aspirations of the Good Shepherd Congregation in its celebration of the Centennial Presence in the Philippines : “Weaving Compassion, Embracing Challenges and Forging Hope!” and  the challenges posed by the Universal Church in the Celebration of World Day of Peace last January 1, 2012 as expressed by Pope Benedict XVI in his message : “Educating Young People in justice and peace”. 

These two challenges connect the theme of the Centennial Summit as it gathers the future young leaders from the four St. Bridgets’ Schools to engage in a meaningful encounter as they dialogue on the 6 important issues confronting the youth today , offer their commitment and actions of hope and enrich one another on their experience of the Good Shepherd heritage in their respective regions through cultural and liturgical activities. 

The objectives of the summit outlined by the Ministry Team/WJPIC and the Education Council are: 

1.  To provide opportunities for Bridgetines to learn and discuss on current social, global  issues and offer actions and resolutions as a way of forging hope

2. To experience the Bridgetine spirit as a community of young leaders being agents of integral transformation in the country today

3. To be enriched by the Good Shepherd Heritage as experienced  in each region through creative liturgical and cultural expressions

4. To raise the awareness of the youth in promoting  vocations and share in the mission of the Good Shepherd Congregation

The Six Good Shepherd Issues to be discussed in simultaneous workshop camps/tents  are :

 1. Prostitution 2. Migration 3. Trafficking 4. Girl-Child 5. Economic Justice 6. Ecology. 

 There will be a group of facilitators to help prepare and conduct  the workshops (One Teacher and One RGS Sister working as a Team ) and 1 or 2 Resource speakers to share and discuss about each issue. The following are the proposed title / speakers for each topic:

 “The Girl- Child: Bata May Boses ka ba?”  c/o SBS QC

1. “Migration and Trafficking – Tools for Development?” c/o Ministry/WJPIC Team
2. “Prostitution as Gender Violence” c/o SBC Batangas
3. “Economic Justice : Globalizing Poverty?” c/o SBCC
4. “Ecology : Climate Change ka ba?” c/o Ministry/WJPIC Team

The Conduct of the Workshop will be like a “Summer Camp-Out” Style. It will be interactive and dialogic  in nature. Short films/videos/Songs /Photo exhibits about the issue  can be used as part of the workshop.  There will be documentors to take note of the highlights of the discussion and assigned reporters for  the workshop resolutions and actions from among the participants.

The Centennial Summit of Bridgetines is one of the activities lined up for the celebration of 100 years of Good Shepherd Sisters presence in the Philippines. It was on October 4, 1912 that two Irish Good Shepherd Sisters arrived in the Philippines upon the invitation of Bishop Petrelli of the Diocese of Lipa, to explore the possibilities of a foundation in Batangas. The school, St. Bridget Academy, now St. Bridget College opened its doors to its first students in January 2013. The other schools were established in the years, 1963- St. Bridget School- Buhi; 1966- St. Bridget School- Quezon City and 2006- St Bridget College- Alitagtag.

Irish missionaries who came to the Philippines, named the first school St. Bridget Academy after St. Bridget, one of the patron saints of Ireland. In 1912, Mary Euphrasia was not yet a saint. It was on May 2, 1940 that Pope Pius XII declared Mary Euphrasia a saint during canonization rites at St. Peter's Basilica.

Source: Concept Paper for the Centennial Summit of Bridgetines

Read related story with program