Why The Rose?
On September 19, 1846, the Blessed Virgin appeared in a vision to two young shepherds, Maximin and Melanie, at La Salette in France. 152 years later, today, we are launching The Rose, a newsletter of La Salette of San Mateo alumni who are currently residing in North America.
We chose The Rose to be the name of our newsletter as the flower is somewhat associated with Our Lady of La Salette. In the vision, Maximin and Melanie noticed the beautiful roses on Our Lady's shining crown, as well as on her feet.
Also as graduates of a La Salette school, we are associated with it in a very intimate way: we are our alma mater's crowning glory, as well as its moving force for its development. We are associated with Mary, not only because we studied at LSM, but because we value the love of a mother. We are associated with La Salette Missionaries, because as we become ambassadors of our alma mater, we become reconcilers. Hence, we have to smell again the roses from Mary's crown and on her feet, which ushers us to reminisce our memories at La Salette of San Mateo.
It is hoped that through this newsletter, all LSM alumni who are scattered in the United States of America and Canada will get to be informed of news and activities of fellow alumni at home and abroad.
LSSM Turns 50 in 1999
The Missionaires of Our Lady of La Salette founded the first La Salette High School in San Mateo, Isabela in 1949. Our alma matter will celebrate its 50th golden foundation day next year and school officials are already making all the preparations to make the event a big letter day.
Fr. Romy Seleccion, M.S., a graduate of LSM, and currently assigned at the St. Christopher Church in Moreno Valley, California will be contacting LSM alumni to give updates on the occasion as well as solicit contributions to make the event a very memorable one.
Salettinian Sightings!
We need the addresses (P.O. Box, residential or e-mail) and telephone numbers of fellow alumni who reside in the US and Canada for our data base: Dr. Harry Padua in New York, Nestor Domingo in Fremont, Juanito "Nitoy" Ramones in Los Angeles, Antonette Franco-Bautista and Ernesto "Ernie" Bautista in Campbell, Concesa "Cesy" Burgos-Guerrero in San Jose, Aurea Cadelina, Teresita "Tessie" Alipio-Bantug in Temple Hills, Alex Felix, Eduardo Galutan, and Felipe "Ipe" Martin in Canada. Also sighted in Sacramento are the Abayas - Ligaya, Ysmael, Gavino Jr. and Elpidio.
Accounted for and surfing the internet are: Elizabeth "Ely" Daydit-Villanueva, Thelma Ladores-Marcelo, Jesus "Susing" Dacuycuy, Fr. Romy Seleccion, M.S., Rafael "Rely" Diego & Zaida Silverio-Diego, Rosemarie Dacuycuy, Yolanda Garlitos, Edgar Faralan, Constante "Tante" Burgos, Ma. Luisa Barroga
Our beloved former Director Fr. Frank Bourgeois, M.S., is not only surfing the net but also the real big waves of Hawaii.
LSSM Alumni Registry in the Internet
If you are wired, you might want to go to the LSSM Alumni Registry web page and regiser for free. To go there, click on your search engine and find "La Salette" or "Philippine Alumni Net - Isabela". This should bring you directly to the registry web page.
Network/Communications Center
Fr. Romy Seleccion has volunteered as our contact person and his office as the nerve center for all communications whether by snail mail, electronic mail, or telephone. He will also be our coordinator for the La Salette of San Mateo's 50th Foundation Day celebraions. He is currently building a La Salette of San Mateo Alumni data base.
Please forward your current address, e-mail address and telephone number to him so he can update the data base of LSSM. His address is: St. Christopher Church, 25075 Cottonwood Avenue, Moreno Valley, CA 92553. He can also be reached by phone at tel. nos. (909) 924-1968 and (909) 924-1969.
If you have internet access, contact him by e-mail at Seleccion@juno.com or at Romy@pe.net.
LSSM's Beginnings (By Fr. Romy Seleccion, M.S.)
Four La Salette Missionaries from the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Province, Attleboro, Massachusetts, USA arrived in the Philippines on December 13, 1948 in response to the request madey by Bishop Jurgens of Tuguegarao, Cagayan. The Diocese was then in dire need of religious communities to attend to the spiritual needs and welfare of the growing population of the region. The La Salette Missionaries left Manila and settled in the small town of San Mateo, Isabela, where they were warmly welcomed by the people.
The missionaries were convinced that putting up a school would hasten the spread of the gospel and the message of Our Lady of La Salette. In 1949, they founded a school only for first year and second year students. The school was named Fatima High School. Fr. Paul Douillard, M.S., was the first the first Director, and Mr. Jose Hammond, the first school principal. A year later, the school was renamed La Salette of San Mateo to identify it with the La Salette Missionaries.
Progress and development came soon in the town of San Mateo as the years went by. To fully cater to the educational needs of the young genernation, the La Salette Missionaries moved the school's location from Old Centro to the new town center, Poblacion. Third year and fourth year classes were added for the school year of 1950-1951. La Salette of San Mateo graduated 20 pioneering students at its first graduation ceremony. Thereafter, the school continued to expand year after year.
Since 1951, there have been 45 graduation ceremonies. About 5,240 graduates of LSSM have become teachers, farmers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, mechanics, bsinessmen, priets and sisters. Some have gone abroad to seek greener pasture.
Today, La Salette of San Mateo continues to produce fine graduates, responsible citizens, and practicing Christians.
La Salette Missionaries in the Philippines Web Site
Check http://www.lasalette.org.ph for the latest news about La Salette schools, parishes and apostolates in the Philippines and other countries.
Special Thanks
My sincerest thanks and appreciation to Fr. Romy Seleccion, M.S., Jess Dacuycuy, Rely Diego and Ely Dayrit-Villanueva whose enthusiastic support and encouragement emboldened me to come out with this first issue of our newsletter. - Del Burgos
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You Know That You're Aging ...
When the gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals ... when your little black book contains only names ending in M.D. ... when your children begin to look middle-aged ... when your favorite part of the newspaper is "20 years ago today" ... when you turn out the lights for economic rather than romantic reasons ... when you sit in a rocker and can't get it going ... when you are 17 around the neck, 44 around the waist and 106 around the golf course ... when you back goes out more than you do ... when the little gray-haired lady you help to cross the street is your wife ... when you sink your teeth into a steak and they stay there ... when you know all the answers, but nobody asks you the questions ... when your pacemaker opens the garage door ... when your knees buckle and your belt won't ... when you regret all those mistakes you made resisting temptation ... when everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt doesn't work ... when you feel like the morning after and you haven't been anywhere ... when your mind makes contracts your body can't fulfill ... when you look forward to a dull evening ...when a fortune-teller offers to read your face. - Pat Long, Red Oak, Iowa
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