Photos by Mr. Meljohn Tatel and Mr. Aian Cabal

Anticipating the forthcoming Holy Week before the academic year ends, the Campus Ministry and the Religion Department of the Ateneo High School held a series of activities in the Overnight Lenten Service for the students on March 11-12, 2011.

Joined by more than a hundred volunteer students and mentors, the Lenten Service, first since the High School transferred to the new campus in 2003, featured a mini-recollection, film viewing, Way of the Cross, Exposition of the Eucharist and Midnight Mass.

“We are happy, that despite the little time to prepare and less hyped promotion of the activity, students and teachers responded well to the invitation”, said Mr. Mario Embestro, a member of the Religion Department.

The Overnight Lenten Service started with dinner and orientation at 6:30 in the evening of March 11. Right after the dinner, students gathered at the Seminar Hall to listen to the exhortation on the significance of the Lenten Season in the Christian Faith by Fr. Clarence Panganiban, SDB.

Later, Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” brought emotional quips and sighs which unknowingly preconditioned everyone to the procession to the Stations of the Cross or the “Via Crucis”. With the seniors bearing the image of the Black Nazarene, the other students stopped at every makeshift station scattered around the campus thoroughfares as they listened to the Biblical passages and reflections on the event in the passion of the Lord.

The Way of the Cross ended at the Chapel in the Benediction and Exposition of Eucharist. While the most kept vigil on the Eucharist, invited priests heard confessions in preparation for the midnight Mass.

The Midnight Mass was celebrated by Fr. Roy Remo, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Caceres. He was joined by Fr. Louie Occiano, Head of the Diocesan Commission on Communication.