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By Heather Pascua

The Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) community convened as one to celebrate Duffy-Delaney Day (D3) last Friday, October 6, at the Formation Learning Center (FLC).

Before the official D3 program, the day began with a Votive Mass for Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

The mass, presided by Fr. Marlon Favros SJ, was intended to commemorate the month of the Most Holy Rosary, Duffy-Delaney Day, World Teachers’ Day, and the National Indigenous People’s Month.

Bukidnon Jesuits Missionary, an organization that supports indigenous groups and other disadvantaged communities, was the beneficiary of the mass in light of the celebration. 

Three grade 12 classes sponsored the mass—with  12-Kibe being the mass readers, 12-Arnaiz being  assigned to create the publication materials used, and 12-Evans taking charge of the stage backdrop.

A Rite of Blessing was held for the Assembly of the Class Officers (ACO), team captains, the Commission on Elections, and Formators for their guidance in leading and molding the ASHS community. A Rite of Commissioning was also done for the Ateneo Liturgical Ministry.

Following the mass was a short break wherein students gifted handcrafted sashes to their respective moderators and teachers as their tokens  of appreciation. 

Afterwards, the D3 program started with the opening production number of Ms. Angel Mangginimba, the top Lumad scholar of the Bukidnon Jesuits Missionary.

After the performance came the opening remarks by members of the ASHS Sanggunian: John Benedict Maxino, Travis San Agustin, and Chiara Rumbaoa, who were also emcees of the event.

Students then cheered for their formators as they walked to the beat of the Music Industry Organization performance for the grand teacher entrance, wearing the aforementioned sashes given to them prior.

The event was continuously enlivened through various performances. The ASHS community sang along and grooved in awe during the song number of the Grade 11 parents, a zumba choreography prepared by the Indayog ng Atenistang Kabataan, an audio-visual presentation prepared by the Sanggunian, and a performance by the Symphonic Ensemble. 

Kaagapay packages, generated from the funds collected during the “Ligaya” fundraising events, were then distributed to the formators. The event was brought to an end as the emcees gave their the closing remarks.

Undying Spirit of Service

Every year, the ASHS community gathers to commemorate two people who made a difference in the community with their labors of love: Fr. Charles G. Duffy, SJ and Fr. John P. Delaney, SJ. 

D3 is meant to not only to honor the legacy of Fr. Duffy and Fr. Delaney, but also to celebrate the ASHS formators who embody the same spirit of service as them.

“I think it is a really needed and very well-deserved event for the formators who not only take care of us in school, but they also educate us for hopefully a better future,” JM Alde, a grade 11 student, expressed. 

According to him, during the days approaching D3,  there were several simple yet meaningful opportunities for students to express their gratitude to the faculty and staff of the ASHS, namely participating in the “Ligaya” fundraiser event, making the sash the teachers previously paraded, and writing letters of appreciation to the teachers. 

“It’s very important that this type of celebration is being culminated because it’s the time of the year wherein the students get to appreciate their teachers as well as the other formators,” Mr. Joseph Batas, one of the class moderators, stated.