The highlight of this year’s festivities at the Manresa School (MS) Family Day 2025 is the celebration of the Holy Mass which was hugely attended by the MS educative community -teachers, learners, administrators, parents, alumni and guests. The Eucharistic Celebration on Sunday morning last February 9, 2025 sponsored by the Manresa School PArents Auxiliary in collaboration with Manresa School Pastoral Ministry Team was officiated by Rev. Fr. John Paul Frias. It was anchored on the theme of “invasion of grace” as depicted in the gesture of our Lord Jesus Christ when He climbed into Saint Peter’s boat and simply commandeered the vessel of the fisherman. Saint Peter, realizing the outpouring of grace, left everything he had and followed the Lord. 

The theme of the Family Day centers on the love and joy in the family and the care of our common home as emphasized in the recent writings of our Holy Father, Pope Francis. Both documents encourage care for the families and the environment. Conversion is a common call for both – Amoris Laetitia encouraging a conversion to love in marriage and family life and  Laudato Si encouraging ecological conversion. And both recognized the role of our conscience – that tiny voice of God, in our decision making. 

The message of the Mass readings completes this year’s theme by providing the most essential ingredient in the recipe of conversion to love – our Lord Jesus Christ. He commands the boat of the natural human life, that life is preserved and strengthened. The Lord wants to live in our lives, to move into our minds, hearts and will. This was shown symbolically by our Lord’s command to put the nets into the deep waters. 

After being fed twice in the Eucharistic Celebration – with His Words and with His Body and Blood, the MS community is now ready to face the challenges of the call to conversion by our Holy Father. As one body of Christ, we went on with the celebration of the Family Day filled with hope – that with the grace we have received, we will be enticed to the far deeper waters of our mission to love our families and to care for God’s creation.

Article:  Dr. Lemuel Del Rosario and Mrs. Roehlyn “Reese” Del Rosario 

Photos:  LRC Personnel