Bacolod City, Philippines – August 27, 2025 — The La Consolacion College Bacolod community came together this morning at the Quadrangle for a solemn mass in honor of the Feast of St. Monica and in anticipation of the Feast of St. Augustine tomorrow, which has been declared a school holiday. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Rev. Fr. Narciso Gregory Gayares VI and attended by students from the Integrated Basic Education Department to the College levels, the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation (ASOLC), faculty members, and non-teaching personnel.
In his homily, Fr. Gayares reflected on the power of prayer through the example of St. Monica, whose unwavering intercession for her son, St. Augustine, became the turning point in his transformation from a restless seeker to one of the greatest doctors of the Church. He reminded the students that, like St. Monica, prayer is not about instant results but about persistence and trust in God’s timing. “This kind of prayer requires patience, especially when answers are seemingly far from reach,” he said, adding that for young people, the discipline of prayer strengthens faith amid life’s uncertainties and challenges.
The liturgy was uplifted by the LCC Chorale and Chorus, under the direction of Professor Alexander Romero, whose music inspired deeper participation and solemnity during the celebration.
In her message, LCCB President Sr. Flolyn S. Catungal, OSA, encouraged students to emulate the examples of Saints Monica and Augustine in their own lives. “The feast days remind us that prayer and conversion go hand in hand. Like Monica, let us not give up in our prayers for ourselves and for others, and like Augustine, may we have the humility to listen when God calls us back to Him,” she said.
Ms. Maria Girlie Abad, Head of the Center for Integral Formation, delivered the words of gratitude, emphasizing that thanksgiving is the natural response of a heart touched by God’s grace. “Gratitude is acknowledging God as the source of all life’s blessings,” she affirmed, as she thanked the clergy, the sisters, the students, faculty, and staff for their participation in the celebration.
The annual feast remains one of the most significant religious traditions of LCC Bacolod, strengthening the community’s Augustinian and Marian identity as it journeys in faith and education.