The Jesuits in the Philippines have responded to the call of Father Adolfo Nicolás, Superior-General of the Society of Jesus, to all Jesuit communities to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Restoration of the Society in 2014 “with humble and sincere gratitude to the Lord, with a desire to learn from our history, and as an occasion for spiritual and apostolic renewal”.
Fr Antonio Moreno, Provincial Superior of the Philippine Jesuits, formed an ad-hoc committee to plan how the Province can celebrate the bicentennial. Led by Fr Aristotle Dy, Director of Xavier School, the committee has lined up special activities for the year which include Province retreats, conferences and talks on the Suppression and Restoration to be given by Jesuit historians Fr Tony de Castro and Fr Rene Javellana, art exhibits, plays and a concert.
To kick off the year of activities, JesCom Philippines has produced a short video on the Bicentennial. In the video, Fr Moreno says that the celebration should not be “triumphalistic”. He recommends three themes for reflection and prayer: (1) Gratitude for God’s many blessings to the Society, including the fruits of Jesuit ministries since the Restoration; (2) Renewal of life based on the lessons that this historical epoch presents to every Jesuit; and, (3) Mission which spurs from personal renewal or conversion and which could lead to new directions or new frontiers for the Philippine Jesuits.