ST. AGNES' ACADEMY

4500 Rizal Street, Legazpi City, Philippines  (052) 480-1682

Light in Service, Service as Light

The Centennial Search for 100 Outstanding Agnesian Alumni

by: Muriel Gojo, SAA Alumni Association President

God who said, Let the light shine out of darkness has also made the light shine in our hearts to radiate and make known the glory of God, as it shines in the face of Christ.

   However, we carry this treasure in vessels of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may not be seen as ours but as God's.

2 Cor. 4:6-7

Objective: To seek out and recognize 100 Agnesian alumni (alumnus/alumna) who have distinguished themselves in the service of humanity and can thus serve as beacons of hope to the younger and upcoming generations of Agnesians.

2012 will mark the 100th year of the birth of St. Agnes' Academy as a school in Legazpi City, Philippines. This beloved institution of learning, founded in 1912, has expanded and has become known for its educational excellence. Thousands of graduates have passed its portals to forge ahead with their lives. Some have gone into higher and specialized studies. Others have ventured into the field of education, emulating the sisters and teachers who had shaped them in their youth. Many have engaged in commerce and industry. A great majority got married and brought up families of their own - some of their offspring themselves becoming part of the Agnesian family. A few entered politics or worked in the mass media. The list is endless. The seed sown in school over the years have grown and borne fruit.

From among all our alumni, we now search for 100 Agnesians whom we can set up as shining examples of love in the service of God, country and the world.

Light enables us to see and gives us warmth. Thus, as an images of our search, we use a lighted lamp of clay -- clay, rather than metal or glass to remind us: "dust thou art and to dust you will return". The light from a clay lamp is a light that does not dazzle, like some electric lights do, so the effect is calming, something that our agitated world needs. The light from the clay lamp is not subject to electric power outage. It is not as costly. It is fragile, needing to be continuously cared for.

Just like the branch which must remain with the Vine for it to live and not wither, a lamp that must give light needs to be continually replenished with oil. The wick has to be changed regularly, just as we need continuous renewal, if we are not to stagnate. For we cannot stand still, else we retrogress.

With firm trust in the Lord, and the loving protection of Our Lady, through the intercession of St. Benedict and St. Agnes, we will now proceed with our task.