On the 7th of May 2018, Class 2018 made history by being the first batch to graduate from senior high school in Woodrose. We share here excerpts of the homily given by Fr. Roque Reyes at the baccalaureate mass, as well as the the student’s address delivered by Sophia Espina during the graduation ceremony.
…Every time I ask parents why they send their daughters to Woodrose, the most frequent answer I get is that they want a strong foundation for their daughters. When they speak of foundation, the image that comes to my mind is the foundation of a building which is usually the first part that is laid down when a building is being constructed. A foundation supports the entire weight of the building plus all those things that are housed in it including the people that will live there.What parents want for their daughters is not only a strong but also a deep foundation of human and Christian values. This is what both home and school have given these Grade 12 graduands. But the laying of the foundation is now over and done, and that is what we are celebrating this afternoon. The time has come to construct the edifice, and it will be you, my students in Moral Theology a year ago, who will have to edify the building of your life in freedom and responsibility. If you are wise and not foolish, you will make use of the solid foundation that with so much love and sacrifice, your parents, teachers, and mentors have laid down for you to build on. That is the real challenge. And it begins as soon as you step out of the confines of this school.
We are all here to give thanks to God for the completion of the foundational phase of the life of these young ladies. The Baccalaureate Mass is essentially that, a Mass of Thanksgiving, in recognition and acknowledgement of the gifts of grace and blessing Our Lord God has poured down so generously on each one of these graduating students. Through Christ, with Christ and in Christ, we offer to God our heartfelt gratitude for everything that He has given to us all during these years of learning and formation.
You have heard it so many times that life is a constant struggle for what is true and good, and you are assured that you can always count on the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary who is our refuge and our strength. She is our mother who will never let us down.
Deep in the foundation of your life, there is that truth about you, indeed your most intimate identity, and it is this: you are a child of God in Christ. God is your father. You are His beloved child. Everything that happens in your life forms part of the providence God has planned for you. You are safe under his love and care even when it does not seem so, because for those who love God, everything works together unto good. This most joyful truth and most consoling reality is a gift that you must always protect and cherish. It will be the source of your peace and joy. Let this truth be not only informative but also performative by acting upon it. If you allow this truth to shape your life, it will be transformative because it will lead you to break out into the light of self-giving love.
Let me end with this quotation from the book written by St. Josemaria. It is the first point from The Forge:
We are children of God, bearers of the only flame that can light up the paths of the earth for souls, of the only brightness which can never be darkened, dimmed or overshadowed.
The Lord uses us as torches, to make that light shine out. Much depends upon us; if we respond, many people will remain in darkness no longer, but will walk instead along the paths that lead to eternal life.
…It’s quite surreal to see how all our years in Woodrose have culminated in tonight’s ceremony. Through love and loss, hope and despair, joy and sadness, we’ve come together to celebrate our family that is so uniquely Woodrose. We have gone through so much for us to finally reach this moment, so batchmates, keep your heads held high and your smiles bright.
Before you go, I ask that you remember three things and keep them wherever you find yourself.
First, remember this gym. Look around you, look at the people beside you, and remember this feeling. So that later on in life, when you’re successful, happy and booming, you have these people to thank. And you know that you always have their love and support to bank on. But I ask that you remember this even more for the times that you feel like a failure, when you feel angry, unprepared, or unloved. Because this graduation will remind you that you are capable of achieving, that you are worthy of success. And you know that you will always have the love and support of these people to bank on.
Second, remember the sleepless nights. How we’d stay up with each other and make reviewers to share. Remember the determination: your thirst for personal excellence and your desire to help our batchmates study smarter. In remembering the sleepless nights, you’re also reminded of how exhausted you’d feel the day after. Remember how those days sucked? So, make it a point to avoid that as much as possible in college.
Lastly, remember love. That’s essentially what life is about, and we got a pretty good glimpse of its true meaning through our friendships here in Woodrose. I’ve always seen love in all of you and it’s incredible to watch how that love can fuel you. I’ve also seen what this batch can do. In both good and bad times. And it’s heartbreaking when our batchmates go through things, but I find solace in knowing that this batch will fight for each other. That we won’t give up on each other, that no one gets left behind. So, I ask that you take this love for our batch, and you share it to everyone you encounter because love, when it’s true, pure and good, is life changing.
My life is one of many that you’ve all changed. Thank you for gracing me with your friendship and your constant presence within these brick walls. But tonight, we have to say goodbye to our safe place. You are my safe place. And although our batch was never good at goodbyes, I am excited for us to close this chapter and be a witness to whatever the icebergs are hiding underneath the water. Ms. San once told us that the world opens up when you let go of your fear. And soon we’ll be able to attest to that.
So, go step out of yourself and into the world. You have so much to give and so much to gain.