The academic year 2024-2025 of Saint Anthony Mary Claret College (SAMCC) was successfully opened on the rainy morning of August 5, 2024, in the SAMCC Auditorium. SAMCC President, SAMCC Dean and Vice Dean, professors, teaching and non-teaching staff, rectors, and formators of each congregation attended the event. This year, SAMCC welcomed 150 enrollees from 15 congregations and 2 dioceses. The 10 Xaverian Missionary students, together with their rector, Rev. Fr. Patrick Santiañez, SX, participated in the Holy Spirit Mass and the orientation.
In the orientation, Rev. Fr. Salvador Agualada Jr., CMF, the SAMCC President, emphasized the importance of striving to learn for the future mission. "Your studies here are not only a preparation for the future mission. They are already YOUR MISSION. Your mission is to study," he said, underscoring the significance of striving to learn in their formation as future leaders of the Church. In his message, Rev. Fr. Angelito Ancla, CMF, the Dean of SAMCC, used the acronym LEARN to describe how to study Philosophy:
- L - LEARN: to learn how to love. Love for the Lord, for the congregation, and for learning. He added, "Without love, there will be no fire to read and to finish the paper."
- E - EXCEL: to excel in many aspects.
- A - APPLY: what we have studied should be applied in our daily life.
- R - RESOURCEFUL: to learn how to be resourceful. To have the attitude of resourcefulness in reading books. He added, "AI is not to replace your mind. It will help us to study but should not replace our study," addressing the surge of misuse and abuse of Artificial Intelligence applications.
- N - NON-STOP: learning is a nonstop journey.
In his conclusion, he encouraged the seminarians by saying, "We need to start the habit of learning now."
The orientation ended with the singing of the SAMCC hymn.
