OCTOBER 2010 UPDATES



Bring down the roof!



October, the Holy Rosary month was indeed a month of blessings for the seminary. The Consunji Group of Companies began the full-renovation of the Saint Michael’s dormitory. Some 25 workers are now working round the clock to complete the renovation by December 15. Most of the construction materials for the operation were shipped from Manila.  (Photos above show how the wooden beams of the dormitory roof are now being replaced with the sturdier metal trusses. The wooden window and door jams will also be replaced with concrete and metal frames. D.M. Consunji Group of Companies shoulders the full cost of the construction.) 

The seminary community also welcomed with great joy news that the Jesuits of the Japanese Province approved a P4.3 million grant for the SJVTS library. The amount represents 2/3 of the projected cost to renovate the library and add to its book collection. SJVTS invites more institutional donors to donate to the library so reconstruction of the facilities may already begin soon.

What's with WHITE?  Library fixtures now sport a brighter color ... WHITE!  May the lighter shade inspire seminarians to stay more and read more! 

Fr. Antonio Moreno, SJ - President of the Jesuit Higher Education Commission (JHEC) had recently approved the membership of SJVTS to the commission. JHEC counts as its members , colleges and universities administered by the Jesuits around the country. Through its membership in the commission, the seminary hopes to derive much needed learnings from the best academic practices of Jesuit schools.

       

St. Francis Assisi Courtyard:  SJVTS Building "C" a.k.a. St. Francis Assisi building also has a newly reconstructed courtyard.  Thanks to the generosity of friends and benefactors, the courtyard was completed just in time for the opening of the second semester.  

                                                                                                                     

Three alumni of the seminary were also ordained recently. Jose Anthony Garcia of Talibon, Bohol was ordained deacon last October 9. Deacons Cris Constantino and Arniel Villamero of Malaybalay were ordained priests last October 26 & 27, respectively. Deacon Ricky Bacolcol was likewise ordained priest in Jolo last November 9. Three other diaconal ordinations had also been scheduled this November.

Some 52 college seminarians from all over Mindanao were accommodated for two days in the seminary for their 2nd Phase (interviews) application to the seminary. The list of those to be finally accepted for school year 2011-2012 will be available sometime in February 2011.

San Lorenzo covered patio.  This year's San Lorenzo Ruiz fiesta was itself a source of blessing for the San Lorenzo sub-community.  Funds were raised to improve the building's covered patio (which included fencing and tiling).  Thanks again to our generous friends.

   

Incidentally, Frs. Junjun Borres, SJ (Rector of San Jose Seminary – Manila) and Eric Eusebio, SJ (Dean of the Loyola School of Theology) visited the seminary last October 5-6 for the Jesuit Formation sub-cluster meeting presided over by Father Rector Cel Reyes. During the semestral break, Fr. Manol Montesclaros, SJ gave retreats to the faculty of the different RVM schools and visited friends and family in Manila and Cebu. For his birthday celebration, Fr. Raul Dael hosted separate gatherings for friends and the SJVTS faculty. Fr. Julius Clavero went to Davao for the Theological Society of the Philippines conference on Global Warming. Fr. Demli Valmores who was supposed to accompany Father Julius was struck down with Dengue fever. Fr. Butch Zayas also went to Digos, Davao Oriental for the Mindanao Sulu Pastoral Conference last October 18-22. Bukidnon missionary Fr. Mat Sanchez was also around to give a conference on prayer to seminarians in Galilee Year who are preparing for their 30-day retreat at the Betania Retreat House in Malasag. 

The Silver Jubilee Edition of the “Tulay Ng Vianney,” the official SJVTS publication, was also released before the semestral break. The cover of the latest "Tulay" edition features the smiling face of newly ordained bishop and SJVTS Alumnus Bishop Joe Cabantan. The cost of printing the publication was shouldered by Legacy Printers.  Seminarian Eric Cantones (Malaybalay) is this year's Tulay editor-in-chief.

PLAGIARISM: Statement by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines

CEAP Issues Statement on Plagiarism
Thursday, 11 November 2010

In Defense of Honesty and Integrity

Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 16:19-20


As technology continues to make information highly available and accessible, the problem of plagiarism within the academic community and beyond has become even more menacing. Virtually, all academic institutions view it not only as a serious offense but also as a threat to intellectual creativity and advancement. The use of another person’s work without proper attribution is dealt with severely after due process, by imposing sanctions on erring members of the academe found guilty of intellectual dishonesty.

The long entrenched value of intellectual honesty in the academic sphere has been put to test with the advent of the Supreme Court decision entitled IN THE MATTER OF THE CHARGES OF PLAGIARISM, ETC., AGAINST ASSOCIATE JUSTICE MARIANO C. DEL CASTILLO.


The highest tribunal of the land, by positing that there was an absence of malicious intent, refused to acknowledge the act of lifting passages from various foreign publications without proper referencing as an act of PLAGIARISM. What is worse is that it used the same to support an entirely different theory from what the authors actually espouse.


The highest tribunal has set a higher threshold for plagiarism to be made punishable, and so may in fact abet plagiarism. What is the rationale for this? While it may seem reasonable to require “malicious intent” for an act of plagiarism, there can be no argument that plagiarism is still intellectual dishonesty and as such, one must be held accountable for such deplorable act. If a student quotes verbatim from another person's text “inadvertently,” or "carelessly,” or “without knowing this was another’s text”, is there no plagiarism here since there was no “malicious intent”? If a ghostwriter or a student in one’s study group has plagiarized texts for which another person is to take credit, is that person not co-responsible for his/her plagiarism?


How could our schools effectively teach the values of intellectual integrity and responsibility if in the light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, it could not take punitive action against such forms of plagiarism? In this sense, the Supreme Court’s decision abets a culture of intellectual sloth and dishonesty. For plagiarism is not only a legal issue but more importantly, a moral one. As institutions of learning, it is incumbent upon schools to develop in students the discipline of research and inculcate in them the values of excellence, responsibility, accountability, respect, honesty and integrity.


It is in this light that the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the largest association of Catholic schools, colleges and universities in the country with 1,290 members, lends its voice to this issue plaguing not only the legal community but Philippine academia as well. CEAP calls on all its member-schools to bring to light this threat to academic integrity and Christian formation by holding forums and other discussions on this issue ? highlighting its effect and impact on our mission as Catholic educators.


We call on the rest of Philippine academia and the entire citizenry to unite and speak with one voice and act collectively in defense of honesty and integrity.


We appeal to the Supreme Court to withdraw its threat of sanction against the 37 UP Law Professors who exercised their academic freedom in the service of honesty and integrity.


We support Justice Lourdes Aranal-Sereno’s call for the issuance of a corrected version of the ruling to reverse the “unimaginable problems” it has caused Philippine academia and restore the ability of the court to positively educate and influence the future of intellectual and academic discourse.


We invite every citizen to be vigilant in monitoring the development of this case so that our Supreme Court will truly uphold the rule of law, maintain integrity and trustworthiness so that our people in turn will restore the moral confidence that this democratic institution deserves.


In the midst of these trying times, we pray for enlightenment and moral strength. May the Holy Spirit guide us all to seek and discern the truth and be stewards of honesty and integrity.


(Original copy signed by all Officers and Members of the CEAP National Board of Directors, Chairpersons of the Advocacy Commission, Religious Commission and Superintendents Commission and the CEAP Executive Director. Copies published on Nov. 9, 2010 dailies; p.15 Philippine Daily Inquirer and p.17 Philippine Star)






9 November 2010