Candle Lighting Ceremony

BY Ran-neil Tabanan (IV-Obsidian Class President)

A year ago, we, as juniors lighted the candles that would signify our beliefs for a brighter year ahead.
Now, as we turn over the message of love and hope, we believe that the next batch of seniors will
continue the cycle of bonding we have in ourselves.

The coming year wouldn’t be easy and smooth - we got to know that during our stay. You may not
always look forward to fun filled days. Fourth year might be stressful and difficult but in the end that’s
not what matters. What matters is that you have in yourselves everything that it takes to make you
surpass the rifts and troubles ahead.

A candle signifies hope. Despite anything, there is always hope for everything. You can never lose as
along as you have the hope that you'll win. We seek to pass that hope to all the juniors who will take our
place. Just always believe in yourselves.

We hope that the candles we light today leave a lasting remembrance. May the light from these candles
guide you to straight paths in fulfilling your responsibilities, ambitions and dreams. May they always
remind you of the legacy we hope to leave behind. That is the message everything can be achieved if
you stand and believe as one. We have showed a bond we hope to share with you, as we know that it’ll
help you go through what we have in the past traveled. We hope you learn from us - our triumphs and
mistakes and with this wisdom, may you have a brighter and fulfilling year ahead.

With these candles, we hope that you will keep alive the things we have taught you. So that next year,
you may pass the same legacy we are passing on to you tonight. We have reason to believe you will not
fail us.

TRIGGER THE LIGHT: TRANSFER OF

TORCH OF LEARNING
Transfer of Torch of Learning
Rogerson V. Villangca & Arianne Mae Valimento
Junior-Senior Promenade 2010

“You’ve gotta soar to survive,” thus a quote from James Patterson’s Maximum Ride says.
We began our quest meek and low, but we kept on battling until we attained the armor of
courage. We risked our dreams, our efforts, and our goals. We persisted in trying, where we
learned to flap our wings and hover with determination to expose ourselves and reap the fruits
of our journey. Yet, the battle that we had was not always in the winning note, but we endured
with the love of the Lord, Almighty and became all the more unwavering to succeed. It is us who
made a difference in our lives. But let us always remember that our flight, like our success, gets
a deeper meaning only when shared with others.

As Paulinians, we have the moral responsibility not only to ourselves, but to other people as
well. As children of God, we are not only accountable to him as how we turn out, likewise, how
the people around us live their lives as God would have wanted them to live. We are the ones to
shape our own lives and we can only do this by serving good examples and by seeking God’s
guidance and help in everything we do.

Young as we are, we must learn to strive hard and work for our goals. We are the creators of
our own destinies. We still must have the passion to withstand all the bumps that we might
encounter along our road towards the success of our education.

This torch, which was handed down for many generations, often symbolizes wisdom and
knowledge, a new hope and beginning, just as dawn signals that light will come. This torch is
filled with legacy, armed with responsibility, and packed with history. This torch is the insignia
of every Paulinian who defied odds and built the pillars of a sacred relic.

In the tradition of the Junior Senior Promenade, and on behalf of our fellow warm-hearted
seniors, we humbly hand, with honor and glory, this TORCH OF LEARNING and the challenges it
entails.

Juniors, receive this torch that unites you with the blazing and unending endeavor towards the
quest of knowledge and one’s upbringing. The challenge is now yours, right here, right now.
This torch shall symbolize the vast responsibility that you now carry on your shoulders – to lead
and guide the whole Paulinian community in the acquisition of knowledge and values. Allow this
fire never to stop burning, not only in mind, but also in heart as you now craft your own path
that will direct you the meaningful destiny of life to mark in the books your own legacy. This
torch shall signify the strong foundation of our friendship dear juniors. As we leave, may you
pursue and finish the tasks, especially the mission of initiating the change, that we are about to
leave and put your best efforts on it.

Fellow seniors, as we take another step in the ever challenging ladder of life and join the
exodus to the sea of providence outside our dear old school, let us soar, let us fly, let us reach
our dreams and fulfill our journey. May we never forget all the good things that we learned here
in St. Paul and set aside all the bad that happened. Now, we are headed to face a bigger, bolder,
and more challenging road as we set foot outside this campus. It is about time to say goodbye.
We may be distant physically for each other for a time, but not for long. The memories of SPCSR
are in us, our minds and hearts will always be one.

As we now entrust this torch of learning to our juniors, may we never forget its light which
triggered us to overcome darkness and commit our whole being to the Father. May our eyes
continue to see the radiating light that this torch contains to remind us of Christ, whose charity
urges us forever. Let this torch guide our hearts to the right path of our lives, until the end as
we attain the sweet and resounding sound of success and victory.

Enjoy the night everyone!!