Attending the Jesuit Basic Education Commission (JBEC) meeting at the Ateneo de Manila Grade School campus is not so unlike attending a reunion of a big clan. Though there are many unfamiliar faces, you feel an affinity for each one because you know that you have the same blood running in your veins/schools – in this case, that unique Jesuit identity.

      JBEC 2005 started promptly and immediately involved all the participants in an engaging discussion regarding the paper presented by Fr. Johnny Go, SJ, about the future directions and structure of the JBEC. The lively exchange of ideas and opinions continued till after lunch of the first day and yielded interesting developments. A lot of questions were also surfaced and these will hopefully be answered in the next meeting toward the end of the school year. What was agreed upon was to maintain the core group, which worked on the talking points used in the session, composed of Fr. Jim O’Donnel, Fr. Joey Fermin , Fr. Johnny Go, Mrs. Mel Oracion and Fr. Eric Velandria, S.J.

      The second day featured the reports of the different schools in two concurrent sessions. This sharing was helpful and enlightening for the school administrators. Sharing similar and not so similar practices among the schools affirmed administrators and at the same time gave them points to consider.

      Moreover, the breaks in between the formal sessions were great opportunities to liaise with the schools we could partner with or learn from.

      We also had the chance to listen to Fr. Eric Velandria (Sacred Heart Cebu) present the results of his dissertation. His findings about how faculty members, who have not undergone Jesuit training before working in a Jesuit school, understood Jesuit principles. His findings proved to be good starting poinst for future development programs. Likewise, Mr. Emmanuel Gomez of Xavier University also shared with the body his group’s Washington experience.

      The two days both ended with a Eucharistic celebration and a sumptuous dinner where we had the chance to get to know each other better. The next JBEC slated in Naga in February promises more stimulating discussions and closer bonds among the Jesuit schools.

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