PAPAG: The Official Student Publication of SVST 2021-2022
EDITOR'S VOICE
It has been three years since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, and this is our third issue during the pandemic. We hope that by the time we publish the next PAPAG in 2023, COVID-19 would have been a thing of the past. In the meantime, however, as we gradually come to the end of the pandemic and things are returning to normal, we must remind ourselves of the need to continually document and analyze how we have been able to adjust and organize our response to the COVID-19 problematics. Let us continue to learn from each other and identify the areas that would remain relevant even into the future. To this end, PAPAG continues to feature reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic and the lessons it brings.
According to tradition, PAPAG is dedicated to a particular theme every year. Our theme this year 2021-2022 is: “Faith Renewing Politics,” given the Philippines’ national elections this year 2022. This theme, coming from the unsettled question on the legitimacy of the politics we experience today in the country, has instigated SVST as an institution to reexamine the Church’s role in bringing about transformation and change in society. By exploring how faith and politics are related, and revisiting politics as one genuine way, the Church can continue its mission. Bearing in mind the current politics of hatred, lies, and division that has become rampant in the country, SVST feels strongly that it must come out clearly to provide moral and spiritual guidance to help the populace examine carefully what is happening in the country in its quest for a just society.
PAPAG this year features reflections on faith, mission, and politics, together with pieces on scripture, Christian life, the environment, and articles that examine the role of Mary, St Joseph and St Vincent De Paul in politics and social transformation. Also, as a way of inspiring young men and women willing to study in SVST and those discerning the vocation to the priesthood and the religious life, the magazine highlights two beautiful vocation stories and reflections from SVST students on how theology and philosophy are uniquely done here. This year’s magazine is significant because we reached out to SVST alumni to hear their stories of doing mission and ministry after graduating. We also tapped into the artistic imagination and expressions of SVST students for the first time. You will indeed find beautiful poems and other creative work from our students here that would interest you.
We thank the entire editorial team and our contributors who have made this issue possible. Importantly we also thank you all, the readers of our magazine. We hope our wide-ranging reflections this year, resonate with you as they have with us.
Happy reading!
Sem. Adah Audu, MMMP
(Editor-in-Chief)
PAPAG: The Official Student Publication of SVST 2021-2022