The homily was delivered by His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia last June 18, 2018 during the Mass of the Holy Spirit at Xavier School San Juan.
Last June 18, 2018, Xavier School San Juan started the school year with the traditional Red Mass invoking the Holy Spirit. It is a beautiful tradition shared by all Catholic schools and is a long-standing celebration in Jesuit schools all over the world, observed since the year 1548. This year’s traditional Red Mass was presided by His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, who was appointed last September 12, 2017.
In this mass, the Xavier School community celebrated and called upon the Spirit behind the gift of Xavier education. He is the Source of wisdom, Giver of courage, and Inspirer of all that is good. In offering this new school year to the Lord, we asked the Holy Spirit to guide us, help us find direction, and strengthen us for the challenges of academic and character formation in Xavier School. And together as one community, we asked the Holy Spirit to send us the spiritual gifts that we need for ourselves and our country at this time – gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.