The Rector, representing St. John Bosco, is our Father here in Don Bosco Technical Institute – Makati. According to the SDB Constitutions, he “represents Christ” among his brother Salesians (C 55), the center around which the Salesian community unites (C 55), the animator and guide of the pastoral mission of the Educative-Pastoral Community (EPC) (C44), the father and spiritual guide, who encourages and leads the EPC in seeking God’s will and in fidelity to the common vocation of each one (C 55, 66).
Fr. Favie V. Faldas, SDB, the Rector of DBTI Makati celebrated his 62nd Birthday (Rector’s Day) last September 28, 2022, which is also the Feast Day of the Educative-Pastoral Community (EPC).
The Pastoral Ministry spearheaded the animation of the Spiritual preparations and celebrationsfor this important event based on its Pastoral Thrust for the school year – #SalesianSynodality: It takes an Educative-Pastoral Community to form a Bosconian.
The EPC members had Novena days from September 15-27, 2022. The intentions for the Novena days were part of the daily Mass celebrated at the Our Lady’s Chapel at 6:25 AM. The EPC members also offered the Spiritual Boquet to Fr. Favie in the form of Masses, confessions, prayers/aspirations, visits to the Adoration chapel, sacrifices, and good deeds.
The JHS Department in collaboration with the Institutional Pastoral Ministry animated the EPC Mass and Confession during the Rector’s Day and EPC Day. The Eucharistic celebration was celebrated by Fr. Favie Faldas, SDB, and is also concelebrated with Fr. Juvelan Paul Samia, SDB, Fr. Ulysses Rimbawa, SDB, Fr. Cyril Vincent Noel, SDB, and Fr. Ariel Macatangay, SDB. The Salesian priests who administered the sacrament of Confession were Fr. Rey Raynold Ranjo, SDB, Fr. Chito Padilla, SDB, and Fr. Carlo Maria Savio Villegas, SDB.
During the Mass homily, Fr. Favie challenged the educative pastoral community members to be courageous in doing God’s will and to emulate St. Lorenzo Ruiz. Most importantly, he highlighted responding to the call of living a martyrdom that entails “dying of ourselves” each day for the good of the bosconians. The EPC members generously offered cash and in-kind donations for 150 Migrant Ministry bosconians during the offertory. Indeed, the DBTI Makati EPC members testified to their Synodality commitment to forming a bosconian!