REFLECTIONS

Sharing in XS: All for Xavier,

Xavier for All

Fr. Johnny C. Go, SJ

Posted Tuesday, 13-Jun-2006 10:07 AM    

     An alumnus once recounted his most unforgettable experience, which happened whenhe was still a grade school student in Xavier School.  He woke up early one class day only to be told by his parents that he and his brothers were not going to school.  It turned out that their family could no longer afford the tuition.  Before the morning was over, however, who should show up in their house but the late Fr. Louis Papilla, then the Head of the Registrar's Office?  Fr. Papilla asked to see the boys and ordered them to change into their uniforms and to report to school immediately.  All of them were promptly granted full scholarships until they all graduated from our high school.

     This alumnus and his brothers are only a few of the thousands of Xaverians who have benefited from our Grant-in-Aid Program.  From the early years of Xavier School, its founder, the late Fr. Jean Desautels, believed that “no boy who is otherwise qualified shall be deprived of a Xavier Education solely for financial reasons.”  Since then Xavier School has always upheld the unique policy of never turning away a student who is unable to pay for tuition. 

     In 2002, the late Fr. Jean Desautels launched a five-year fundraising campaign called the Golden Choice to build our scholarship fund in time for the closing of the Golden Jubilee in 2007.  When people heard that the target was P100 Million to serve as the seed for the fund, many expressed their concern that given the economic situation in the country, the target would be very difficult to attain.  However, as of this writing, I am happy to report that we are very close to reaching the target, thanks to the generous response of alumni, parents, and benefactors, as well as the hard work of the XSETF Ways and Means Committee headed by Greg Yu (`75).

     As we celebrate the Golden Jubilee this coming school year, we give thanks to the Lord for the countless blessings that we have received through Xavier School—most especially for the gift of a Xavier education.  Now, what better way for us to express our gratitude for this gift than to share it with others? 

     For this reason, we are launching a special campaign called “Sharing in XS:  All for Xavier, Xavier for All.”  The campaign is not a fundraising campaign as much as it is a campaign to build a new culture in Xavier School—a culture of sharing and solidarity, in which every member of our community can be co-responsible—totally or partially, but wholeheartedly—for a scholar.  In other words, we want everyone to support this effort of Xavier, so that Xavier may be “for all.”

     To launch this campaign, we invited our parents to do their part in helping us share the gift of a Xavier education.  This school year Xavier School did not increase its tuition fee for the coming school year while almost all other local private schools have increased theirs.  During enrollment this summer, we asked our parents to consider donating to the scholarship fund any amount that they were able and willing to give.

     As of this writing, one out of every four parents—many more than we expected—accepted the school’s invitation, with one parent making a donation of as much as P300,000.  If this tremendously positive response from our parents is any indication, then we are well on our way to a truly meaningful celebration of our Golden Jubilee and a renewal of the Xavier spirit.

     This culture of sharing will offer benefits not only to the scholars who will receive the much needed financial help, but also to the character formation of our students in general.  If we can help our students realize early on in life that the privileges most of them enjoy are not simply given to everyone, then they will hopefully learn to appreciate these God-given gifts more deeply, use them more responsibly, and share them with others more generously.  Isn’t this what the Xavier Spirit is all about?

     But there is more:  This culture of sharing can also lead to other surprising blessings.  The alumnus in my story eventually discerned a religious vocation and has since then been ordained a priest, increasing the ranks of those whom the Lord has raised from the Xavier community to “toil in the vineyards of the Lord.”  Truly, a seemingly small gesture of generosity even in the distant past shall return a hundredfold!

     As we recommit this Jubilee Year to the vision of Fr. Desautels, Fr. Pineau, Fr. Papilla and the rest of our Jesuit Fathers, may the Lord bless us in our effort so that everyone will support this endeavor and Xavier School can truly be Xavier for All!

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