Fr. Andal giving his inauguration speech in front the crowd of Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. PHOTO BY DIANA BELLA ERASGA
To formally welcome the new president of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU), an investiture ceremony was conducted for Fr. Guillrey Anthony “Ernald” M. Andal, S.J. at the University Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 17, 2023.
Fr. Andal expressed his visions for the AdZU community in the coming years of his leadership. “True power lies not in accumulating riches, but in enriching lives. This is the kind of transformational Jesuit integration we provide here in AdZU, and this is what I, with your great help, will continue and strengthen constitutionally in the coming years,” he said in his inauguration speech.
“In the coming years, we will exhilarate our move towards blended learning, redesigned courses, emphasized service learning, and ecological education, expand community and industry partnerships, and maximize the use of our resources as we strengthen our advancement efforts,” he further expressed.
Fr. Andal emphasized his goal, with the collective effort of the Ateneo community, towards establishing and promoting quality and inclusive education through the following inspirations: education as a common good, education for social transformation, and education for solidarity and kinship.
Fr. Andal also extended his gratitude to the people who supported him to witness and celebrate his investiture. Dr. Reynaldo Andal and Dr. Erlinda Andal, his parents, assisted Very Rev. Viray with the presentation of the presidential medallion. The immediate past president of AdZU, Fr. Karel San Juan S.J., assisted Pedro Rufo Soliven, the chair of the AdZU board of trustees, with the handover of the university mace.
“At the heart of our AdZU life are our relationships. We seek to heal and strengthen our relationships as we participate in the reconciling work of our God, who reconciles us with Him, with one another, and with our common goal,” Fr. Andal expressed.
The investiture was preceded by a eucharistic celebration with Most Rev. Moises M. Cuevas D.D., the auxiliary bishop of Zamboanga City, as the main presider and Very Rev. Primitivo E. Viray, S.J. as the main homilist.
The presidents and heads of the Philippine Jesuit Schools attended the event. Former AdZU presidents, Fr. Tony Moreno and Fr. Bill Kreutz were also present.
