St. Ignatius and the Ateneo

Photo c/o jesuitinstitute.org

Today is St. Ignatius Loyola's feast day. He is the founder of the Society of Jesus, more popularly known as the Jesuits.  In turn the Jesuits are great educators and in the Philippines they founded the Ateneo de Manila.  That is why today is also a school holiday in all the campuses of the Ateneo. St. Ignatius was the youngest of 13 children who became a soldier when he turned 18.  He was a fearless fighter until he was mortally wounded when he was 30 years old.  One of his legs had to be amputated and it was during his period of recovery that he started to read books and began to show interest to become a priest.  He eventually became a priest and in 1540 at the age of 49, Pope Paul III approved the Jesuits as an official religious order.

Photo c/o acfj.ateneo.edu

The Ateneo de Manila was founded in 1859 by the Jesuits and it is the 3rd oldest university in the Philippines.  It is a prestigious private institution that has produced leaders and trailblazers of the country.  It's tuition fee is also one of the highest in the region.  There are several campuses all over the archipelago, specially situated in strategic and important cities.  The quality and calibre of its alumni is very high.

The closest I got to being an Atenean was when I passed the entrance exams to the high school department of the Ateneo de Zamboanga.  The list of students who passed was even published in the Zamboanga Times.  Unfortunately, I never made it to the school but at least I passed the entrance exams.  Through the years I've had classmates, colleagues, workmates, friends, relatives, and acquaintances who either studied or taught at any of the campuses of the Ateneo.

I've known some of the now well-known and even controversial Jesuit priests, when they were still seminarians.  They would often visit our house because of my maternal aunt who was their good friend.  One even said mass in my aunt's house during my maternal grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary because Lolo was too sick to go to church.  I had one of them, who was now the head of the pastoral institute, to bless my car (the 1st time I got a brand-new one). And for my wedding, I had one of them, who was already a college dean with a doctorate from Cornell University as the officiating priest. Another one who was Jesuit-trained, who is now a cardinal even gifted me with a special greeting card.  And before I do forget, one of them loves to have snakes as pets. I think he was the one who officiated in my grandparent's wedding anniversary.

I've always wondered why the word "the" had to precede Ateneo, and not just simply Ateneo. Perhaps to add some mystery and an air of importance to the institution?  But it doesn't have to because it is already a well-known, highly respected, and internationally recognized university.  Personally, I do feel uncomfortable when someone mentions "the Ateneo" in the course of a discussion, a sentence, an essay. Perhaps it's about time that I should seriously ask an Atenean what's the reason for such use of the word "the".

Now you see my connection with the Ateneo.  And oh, by the way, I should remind you that my middle name is Ignacio.