Dear St. Mary's Alumni and Friends,

Greetings!

Allow me to share with you a sense of extreme joy in this faraway land in response to this happy event that recently unfolded at our dear Alma Mater. I am sure you all are in a state of awe as well.  With your permission, President Lambert, may this serve as my report ahead of the June 18 meeting.

On March 5, 2005, the eve of Mothering Sunday in England and 22 days before Easter Sunday,  SMSSAFF gathered in the St. Luke and All Saint's Church in Union, New Jersey and challenged St. Mary's Alumni, associates and friends and in this "Dap-ay" to give sacrificially in support for the Five Year Development Program necessary to revive our Alma Mater, St. Mary's School.

Our SMSSAFF officers led by President Lambert Sagalla and Adhoc Committees worked so hard and laid down activities wherein alumni and friends will have the greatest opportunity for involvement.  A LOT of us did so magnificently, and with God's gifts to us of TIME, TALENTS, AND TREASURES, we have begun those works needed to renew certain areas of our school. 

As a result, we saw earlier pictures of the Science and Computer rooms built and they looked very impressive. Today, pictures from these very room flashed into the world screen and we see a dream come true.  A room filled with amazing computers.  God is Good! 

We join our SMSSI President Rufino Bumasang in grateful thanks to St. Mary's School Principal, Mr. Dennis Faustino in advancing the payment of 18 computers for its immediate use this school year.  We also thank Mr. Kent Sinkey for his invaluable assistance in installing the computers.  The old is being made new and our school slowly  rises and shines with all our genuine efforts. 

President Bumasang embarked on a sports fund raising venture and we thank him for initiating the SMS Golf Tournament which will stage at a later date to fund the computers.  We rallied behind this initiative and we must make every effort to support it until its completion.  Our invitations for hole sponsors are still open and we would like to see commitment from SMS class groups. 

We are grateful for friends, alumni and associates who donated money for this noble cause and we find them listed in St. Mary's Website or in the treasurer's report.  We have a commitment of enormous responsibility to build St. Mary's using our hands, our heads, and our hearts to the fullest.  This is God's Spirit working in our midst and it is time we cannot just watch the spirit slip by.

What nerve we all have to dare to begin our 5 year development project in such a way.  No, we cannot complete all of our dreams at once, but with our strong beginning we know that it will eventually happen.  What a hard lesson it is to learn patience. But patience, passion and faith in ourselves will bring our plan to fruition.

In the process, though, an even more wonderful work has begun; the coming together of alumni and friends (alumanis) in this "Dap-ay", sharing ideas and experiences with different views and different expectations, renewing and building friendships, comforting one another and caring for love ones, relating history, anecdotes and even the worst joke, exchanging salutations and bringing good news to each one and to those who are not able to be with us. 

As our Alma Mater Hymn puts it, "What guiding beauty in our hearts we find her."  Hence, a simple gesture of gratitude and in reaching out to those who need our help most, would cherish her for the rest of our lives.  This vital part of the Body of Christ in our faith, in our sense of mission to the hinter lands of the world, and in our strong love for one another is of immeasurable joy and we praise the Lord for that.

This is the promise of Jesus in all things, that our willingness will be multiplied beyond our imagining in His Kingdom, and our giving will open our own hearts to receive and grow.  St. Mary's School stands strong in her heritage, and in the courage and faith of all her children, and that's us.  Hence, we sing - Ave Maria!

Peace, "Aditako bobokodan di gawis" and a great Father's Day
to all,

Raymond Alipit
Class 60
Computer Project