Sugbu Study Center

Relaunch

2012-02-14T02:39:00.000-08:00

ReLaunch @ Sugbu

Feb 18, Saturday, 6:30pm

Sugbu presents the activities and projects of its
academic and outreach clubs.

If you want to have a learning and fulfilling experience this summer
and in the next academic year,
join us for ReLaunch!

ACADEMIC CLUBS
ECE Club
Computational Science Group
International Research Club

OUTREACH CLUBS
Project Kaalam Tutorials and Leadership
Catechism Club

Plus
Summer Work Camp Presentation
A 2-week outreach and leadership program.
Find out how you can qualify

Plus

A Cookout!

(Fee P50)

Christmas Treat for Kids attending Sugbu's Catechism

2011-12-11T22:11:00.001-08:00

On December 17, Saturday, Sugbu will host a Christmas treat for the kids who attend its Catechism classes. After a short catechism program, Sugbu will feed the kids with congee and spaghetti, and perhaps, even host games for them. The Catechism site is at the back of SM City. Come and help out! Please be in Sugbu by 1:30pm . See you!Don't just keep the faith, share it! Make kids happy along the way!

Novena to the Immaculate Conception

2011-11-25T18:39:00.001-08:00

Sugbu is organizing a Novena to the Immaculate Conception from November 30 to December 8.

Below is an explanation of the Feast:

In 1854, Pope Pius IX's solemn declaration, Ineffabilis Deus, clarified with finality the long-held belief of the Church that Mary was conceived free from original sin. In proclaiming the Immaculate Conception of Mary as a dogma of the Church, the pope expressed precisely and clearly that Mary was conceived free from the stain of original sin. This privilege of Mary derives from God's having chosen her as Mother of the Savior; thus she received the benefits of salvation in Christ from the very moment of her conception. (The picture above shows her mother, Anna, with the infant Mary within her womb.) This great gift to Mary, an ordinary human being just like us, was fitting because she was destined to be Mother of God. The purity and holiness of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a model for all Christians.

The schedule of activities are as follows:

NOVENA TO THE
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
November 30 - December 8

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

Mass with Homily on the life of our Lady
Nov 30, Dec 1, 2, 5 & 6, 6:00 pm

An afternoon of recollection
Dec 3, Saturday, 5:00 pm

Holy Mass
Dec 4, Sunday, 5:30 pm

Meditation
Dec 7, Thursday, 6:00 pm

Holy Mass and Get-together with light snacks
(Please come in formal attire)
Dec 8, Thursday, 6:00 pm

Get-together on Astronomy with Mr. Christopher Go

2011-11-21T22:54:00.001-08:00

A get together on

Astronomy and Astrophotography

with

Mr. Christopher Go

November 26, 201, 6:30pm
at
Sugbu Study Center

This get-together is open to all male university students in Cebu.

On Septermber 2010, Mr. Chris Go was invited to give a lecture during the European Planetary Science Congress held at the Angelicum Centre – Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy

He was also invited to be a member of the Jupiter research team of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on March, 2006 . He is a member of the Division for Planetary Science of the American Astronomical Society.

VWS 2011 Schedule of Activities

2011-11-17T22:35:00.000-08:00

Below is the schedule of group talks for VWS. Kindly arrange with your mentor your schedule for mentoring.

My Table Background Colors

Date	Regular Session	2nd Session*
Nov 19	Virtues Talks - Fortitude	Introduction to Virtues Talks
Nov 27		Time Management
Dec 3	Self-assessment Exam
Dec 3	Mentoring on Self-assessment Exam
Dec 10	Virtues Talk - Temperance
Dec 17
Dec 24
Dec 31
Jan 7
Jan 14	Virtues Talk - Justice
Jan 21	Project Management
Jan 28		Virtues Talk - Prudence
Feb 4	Strengths Assessment
Feb 11		Virtues Talk - Fortitude
Feb 18	Leadership Styles
Feb 25		Virtues Talk - Justice
Mar 3	Leadership Styles Exam
Mar 10		Virtues Talk - Temperance
Mar 17
Mar 24
Mar 31	Leaders & Scholars Recognition Day in Sugbu
Apr 5-7	Spiritual Retreat (Holy Thursday - Black Saturday)
* For those who miss the first session with valid reasons
* Free days could be used for Mentoring and Volunteer Work (e.g. Visit to the hospital/sick; Teaching catechism)

Closed Retreat for Sem Break

2011-10-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

Sugbu is organizing a retreat for university students during the semestral break. Check out the details and registration below.

Oct 21-23
Venue: Sugbu Study Center
Fee : P750

A businessman periodically checks the earnings of his company, and a captain the bearings of his ship. When was the last time you checked the direction of your life?
A closed retreat is a yearly opportunity to examine your relationship with God in order to check the most important concern you have in your hands: your personal holiness.
A retreat consists of meditations and talks on spiritual and doctrinal topics and the practice of some traditional Christian devotions such as the Holy Mass, Holy Rosary and the Way of the Cross. Ample time is available for personal meditation and conversation with a priest.
One may gain a plenary indulgence by attending a 3-day retreat.

Leadership Forum with Mr. Joe Soberano

2011-09-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

Sugbu Study Center is currently hosting 3 Leadership Forums for the participants of the University Quiz Competition. The forums are intended to be venues for informing and instilling leadership principles and practice among students. Non-University Quiz contestants are also invited to join the forums. Below are the details for this week's forum.

October 1, 2011; Saturday, 1:30-4 pm
Mr. Jose Soberano III

on Leadership Principles and Practice

Jose Soberano III with former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr [2]

Mr.Jose Soberano III is the President of Cebu Landmasters Inc. and the Rotary Club of Cebu. He was also a former director of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the past president of the Cebu Real Estate and Builders' Association.

---------------
[1] Photo from http://www.wilcon.com.ph/static/web_pages/news_commonwealth.asp
[2] Photo from http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=597647&publicationSubCategoryId=81

Leadership Forum with Mr. Charlie Liu of Matimco, Inc.

2011-09-22T00:33:00.001-07:00

Sugbu Study Center will is currently hosting 3 Leadership Forums for the participants of the University Quiz Competition. The forums are intended to be venues for informing and instilling leadership principles and practice among students. Non-University Quiz contestants are also invited to join the forums. Below are the details for this weeks forum.

September 24, 2011; Saturday, 1:30-3:30 pm

Mr. Charlie Liu

on Leadership in Business

Mr. Charlie Liu (4th from right)
with QC Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista, Mr. Edu Manzano and
officers of Wilcon and Kohler [1]

Mr.Charlie Liu is the CEO and President of Matimco Incorporated, the largest and the most expansive timber distribution network in the country. He also serves as director to the following corporations : LH Paragon, Inc., Golden ABC, Inc., Basic Graphics, Inc., Oakridge Realty Development, Corp., Mitimco, Inc. in Cagayan de Oro City. Mr. Liu is also the Vice President for internal affairs of the Philippine Wood Producers Associations, Inc.

Sugbu Activity Survey

2011-09-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

We have come up with a survey to help us organize activities that are more attuned to the needs and interests of the students in Cebu.
If you are a male university student in Cebu, help us know what you need and want by taking time to answer the survey below. You may also ask your friends to do the same.

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Leadership Forums for University Quiz Competition

2011-09-14T02:36:00.000-07:00

Sugbu Study Center will host 3 Leadership Forums for the participants of the University Quiz Competition. The forums are intended to be venues for informing and instilling leadership principles and practice among students. Non-University Quiz contestants are also invited to join the forums. Below are the details.

September 17, 2011; Saturday, 2-4 pm
Mr. Mann Rentoy, M.A.

on Student Leadership

Mr.Mann Rentoy
with officers of PAREF-Southridge school paper "The Ridge"
during the 9th CMMA awarding ceremonies

Mr. Mann Rentoy teaches at the University of Asia and the Pacific in Ortigas Manila. He is the adviser of several successful High School and College student organizations. He has also given seminars to educators in different schools and universities. Check out his website for more information : www.mannrentoy.com

September 24, 2011; Saturday, 2-4 pm

Mr. Charlie Liu

on Leadership in Business

Mr. Charlie Liu (4th from right)
with QC Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista, Mr. Edu Manzano and
officers of Wilcon and Kohler [1]

on Leadership Principles and Practice

Jose Soberano III with former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr [2]

Sugbu and University Quiz Competition

2011-07-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

Sugbu, through the Sri-Visayan Foundation which runs it, is a beneficiary of the University Quiz Competition (UCQ), a competition which aims to bring together the smartest and the most brilliant in the whole of Cebu. The best and the brightest will go head to head in a battle of wit and a challenge of the mind.¨

Global Corporate Solutions organized University Quiz Competition, which makes as its mission ¨Investing in the Youth. Investing in the Future. Bringing great minds together.¨ The Quiz Competition aims not just to provide a thrilling competition among the best minds in Cebu, but to also provide them basic leadership training, hoping to instill among the participants the 4Cs of good leadership : Competence, Character, Compassion and Conscience. Sugbu will serve as host and venue for the leadership component of the UCQ.

Check out the University Quiz Competition website at http://uquizcompetition.com/ or the University Quiz Competition Facebook Page : http://www.facebook.com/uquizcompetition

Study Weekend

2011-03-09T02:05:00.000-08:00

Time to wrap up the academic year.

Time for some serious studying.

Study
Weekend

Prepare for your exams in Sugbu.

Avail of a silent, air-conditioned study room for free.

March 18-21, Friday-Sunday

Sugbu Study Center

Tel.No. 232-1983 http://sugbustudycenter.blogspot.com

Open to all male university students.

Lent and Holy Week Retreats

2011-03-04T02:03:00.000-08:00

Sugbu is organizing 2 retreats this summer break. Check them out!

A businessman periodically checks the earnings of his company, and a captain the bearings of his ship. When was the last time you checked the direction of your life?
   A closed retreat is a yearly opportunity to examine your relationship with God in order to check the most important concern you have in your hands: your personal sanctification.
   A retreat consists of meditations and talks on spiritual and doctrinal topics and the practice of some traditional Christian devotions such as the Holy Mass, Holy Rosary and the Way of the Cross. Ample time is available for personal meditation and conversation with a priest.
   One may gain a plenary indulgence by attending a 3-day retreat.

Lenten Retreat

March 28-30 (Mon-Wed)

Venue: Sugbu Study Center

Fee: P750

Holy Week Retreat

April 21-23 (Holy Thursday- Black Saturday)

Venue: Sugbu Study Center

Fee: P750

Nature Inspired Computing

2011-02-12T00:12:00.000-08:00

This February 19, Saturday at 6:30pm, Sugbu will have a get-together on

Nature Inspired Computing

Artificial Intelligence techniques derived from nature

The guest will be Mr. Antonio Briza, a M.S. Computer Science graduate from UP Diliman.

Mr. Briza was part of the Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence Group of the UP Diliman Computer Science department. His paper was accepted for presentation to the 2008 Genetic and Evolutionary Computing Conference in Atlanta, U.S.A. He used to work for Technistock Corporation as Software Development Manager for investment analysis tools.

This get-together is open to all male university students in Cebu. Attendance is free. Contact us for details.

Get-together on Information Literacy

2010-12-06T21:58:00.000-08:00

A get-together on

Information Literacy

How to navigate through the internet information superhighway

with

Engr. Roy Zapata

Business Manager, Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise

December 11, Saturday, 6:30pm

Open to all male university students. Attendance is free. Contact us for details.

Novena to the Immaculate Conception

2010-11-26T06:38:00.000-08:00

Come and join us as we honor our Lady

NOVENA TO THE

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

November 30 - December 8

Schedule of Activities

Read Meditations on the Life of our Lady

Nov 30 - Dec 3 & Dec 5 - 7, 6:00 pm

An Afternoon of Recollection

Saturday, Dec 4, 5:30 pm

Holy Mass & Get-together

Wednesday, Dec 8, 6:00 pm

Workshop on Public Speaking

2010-11-22T23:09:00.000-08:00

Get-together on Entrepreneurship with accomplished Businessman Jose Soberano III

2010-11-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

Accomplished businessman Jose Soberano III will give an informal get-together on entrepreneurship and business practices to male university students in Sugbu Study Center on November 27, Saturday at 630pm.

Mr. Jose Soberano III during the launching and ground breaking ceremony of the San Jose Maria Village in Toledo City

From Cebu Daily News (CDN):

Soberano attended elementary and high school in Sacred Heart School-Jesuit and graduated in 1976 with AB Economics degree from Ateneo de Manila. A year after graduating, Soberano joined Ayala Investment and Development Corp. In 1988, he was assigned to Cebu to join Ayala Land. From project manager for Cebu, he rose to senior division manager then vice president of Cebu Holdings Inc., the holding company of Ayala in Cebu.

Soberano belongs to several civic and private organizations. He is the current president of the Rotary Club of Cebu, a director of the Cebu Business Club and Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise as well as an active member of a church organization. He was former director of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and past president of the Cebu Real Estate and Builders' Association.

You can read more on Mr.Soberano in this CDN special article: Politics’ loss is business’ gain

This get-together is offered for free to all male university students in Cebu.

Sugbu Launches Computational Science Group

2010-10-29T03:43:00.000-07:00

Last October 2, Sugbu Study Center hosted an S-Forum which featured Stephen Wolfram, founder of Mathematica, delivering a TED Talk entitled ¨Computation as the Defining Idea of the Future.¨ The Forum was attended by students coming from mathematics, computer science and chemical engineering.

Stephen Wolfran gives his TED talk on computation

The S-Forum on Computation also served as the first ever session of the Sugbu Computational Science Group. The Sugbu Computational Science Group was formed to provide enrichment and challenges to students who show a strong interest and ability in mathematics and other computing sciences. The club is interdisciplinary and accepts members from physics, biology, chemistry, etc.- from any discipline at all that uses or could use computational science.

Founding Core Members of the Computational Science Group with the advisers of the club.

The club plans to meet every Saturday in Sugbu. During club meetings members could work on problems and projects involving computational science. There will also be film showings, presentations and lectures on topics deemed to be of great interest to members.

Future plans of the club include participation in mathematical and scientific meetings, workshops, conferences and symposiums around and outside the country.

The advisers of the club are Tony Briza, a computer scientist with a specialization in artificial intelligence, and Paul Llido, a computational linguist.

Sugbu WYD 2011 Pre-Qualification Program (for High Schoolers)

2010-10-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

OCTOBER

Oct.23-31 Initial Mentoring with WYD Group Leader

All candidate delegates must meet Sugbu’s WYD Group Leader (Tony Briza) for an

initial mentoring session. Deadline is Oct. 31. If a candidate is attending the

WYD Pre-Qualification seminar in October, this mentoring session could be done during

that seminar.

Oct. 23-25 WYD Pre-Qualification Seminar

Venue & Fee: To Be Announced

Departure : Oct 23, Saturday, 9:30am, Sugbu Study Center

Arrival : Oct 25, Monday, 4:00pm

Things to bring: Clothes for 3 days (include clothes for Mass and sports), sleeping bag, toiletries, small notebook, pen, rosary.

Things NOT to bring: gaming & video consoles

• We will need help for the transportation. If parents could lend us a van or a driver for 3 days, it would be highly appreciated. Please inform Tony Briza (contact details below).

All activities below are held on a Saturday in Sugbu Study Center. Optional but highly-encouraged Kaabay (Youth Club) activities follow each session. Mentoring and spiritual direction sessions could also be held each Saturday.

NOVEMBER

Nov.6 Meditation on WYD 2011 Theme

9:00am

Nov.13 Virtues Talk

9:00 am

Nov.20 Study / Kaabay / Mentoring / Make up Talks

9:00 am

Nov.27 Recollection & Cookout

2:00-530pm

Nov.27-29 WYD Pre-Qualification Seminar (Make up session)

Venue & Fee : To Be Announced

Departure : Nov 27, Saturday, 9:30am, Sugbu Study Center

Arrival : Nov 29, Monday (Holiday), 4:00pm

Things to bring: Clothes for 3 days (include clothes for Mass and sports), sleeping bag, toiletries, small notebook, pen, rosary.

Things NOT to bring: gaming & video consoles

• We will need help for the transportation. If parents could lend us a van or a driver for 3 days, it would be highly appreciated. Please inform Tony Briza (contact details below).

DECEMBER

Dec.4 Meditation on WYD 2011 Theme

9:00am

Dec.11 Virtues Talk

9:00 am

Dec.18 Outreach-Christmas Party

9:00 am – 12nn

Recollection

2– 4pm

JANUARY

Jan.8 Meditation on WYD 2011 Theme

9:00am

Jan.15 Virtues Talk

9:00 am

Jan.22 Study / Kaabay / Mentoring / Make up Talks

9:00 am

Jan.29 Recollection & Cookout

2:00-530pm

Sem Break Retreat

2010-10-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

End the semester well by focusing on your most important concern.

attend a

CLOSED RETREAT

Oct 16-18 (Sat-Mon)

Sugbu Study Center

Fee : P750

Message of the Pope for the World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid

2010-09-27T00:53:00.000-07:00

For all those interested in attending the World Youth Day, please take time to read the message of the Pope for WYD 2011. Below is the full text of the message (taken from the Vatican website) as well as a news video on the release of the Pope's message. Hope to see you in Madrid!

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE BENEDICT XVI
FOR THE TWENTY-SIXTH WORLD YOUTH DAY (2011)

“Planted and built up in Jesus Christ,
firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7)

Dear Friends,

I often think back on the World Youth Day held in Sydney in 2008. There we had an experience of a great festival of faith in which the Spirit of God was actively at work, building deep communion among the participants who had come from all over the world. That gathering, like those on previous occasions, bore rich fruit in the lives of many young people and in the life of the whole Church. Now we are looking forward to the next World Youth Day, to be held in Madrid in August 2011. Back in 1989, several months before the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, this pilgrimage of young people halted in Spain, in Santiago de Compostela. Now, at a time when Europe greatly needs to rediscover its Christian roots, our meeting will take place in Madrid with the theme: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). I encourage you to take part in this event, which is so important for the Church in Europe and for the universal Church. I would like all young people – those who share our faith in Jesus Christ, but also those who are wavering or uncertain, or who do not believe in him – to share this experience, which can prove decisive for their lives. It is an experience of the Lord Jesus, risen and alive, and of his love for each of us.

1. At the source of your deepest aspirations

In every period of history, including our own, many young people experience a deep desire for personal relationships marked by truth and solidarity. Many of them yearn to build authentic friendships, to know true love, to start a family that will remain united, to achieve personal fulfilment and real security, all of which are the guarantee of a serene and happy future. In thinking of my own youth, I realize that stability and security are not the questions that most occupy the minds of young people. True enough, it is important to have a job and thus to have firm ground beneath our feet, yet the years of our youth are also a time when we are seeking to get the most out of life. When I think back on that time, I remember above all that we were not willing to settle for a conventional middle-class life. We wanted something great, something new. We wanted to discover life itself, in all its grandeur and beauty. Naturally, part of that was due to the times we lived in. During the Nazi dictatorship and the war, we were, so to speak, “hemmed in” by the dominant power structure. So we wanted to break out into the open, to experience the whole range of human possibilities. I think that, to some extent, this urge to break out of the ordinary is present in every generation. Part of being young is desiring something beyond everyday life and a secure job, a yearning for something really truly greater. Is this simply an empty dream that fades away as we become older? No! Men and women were created for something great, for infinity. Nothing else will ever be enough. Saint Augustine was right when he said “our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you”. The desire for a more meaningful life is a sign that God created us and that we bear his “imprint”. God is life, and that is why every creature reaches out towards life. Because human beings are made in the image of God, we do this in a unique and special way. We reach out for love, joy and peace. So we can see how absurd it is to think that we can truly live by removing God from the picture! God is the source of life. To set God aside is to separate ourselves from that source and, inevitably, to deprive ourselves of fulfilment and joy: “without the Creator, the creature fades into nothingness” (Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, 36). In some parts of the world, particularly in the West, today’s culture tends to exclude God, and to consider faith a purely private issue with no relevance for the life of society. Even though the set of values underpinning society comes from the Gospel – values like the sense of the dignity of the person, of solidarity, of work and of the family –, we see a certain “eclipse of God” taking place, a kind of amnesia which, albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity, is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity.

For this reason, dear friends, I encourage you to strengthen your faith in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the future of society and of the Church! As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it is vital to have roots, a solid foundation! This is particularly true today. Many people have no stable points of reference on which to build their lives, and so they end up deeply insecure. There is a growing mentality of relativism, which holds that everything is equally valid, that truth and absolute points of reference do not exist. But this way of thinking does not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability, confusion and blind conformity to the fads of the moment. As young people, you are entitled to receive from previous generations solid points of reference to help you to make choices and on which to build your lives: like a young plant which needs solid support until it can sink deep roots and become a sturdy tree capable of bearing fruit.

2. Planted and built up in Jesus Christ

In order to highlight the importance of faith in the lives of believers, I would like to reflect with you on each of the three terms used by Saint Paul in the expression: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). We can distinguish three images: “planted” calls to mind a tree and the roots that feed it; “built up” refers to the construction of a house; “firm” indicates growth in physical or moral strength. These images are very eloquent. Before commenting on them, I would like to point out that grammatically all three terms in the original text are in the passive voice. This means that it is Christ himself who takes the initiative to plant, build up and confirm the faithful.

The first image is that of a tree which is firmly planted thanks to its roots, which keep it upright and give it nourishment. Without those roots, it would be blown away by the wind and would die. What are our roots? Naturally our parents, our families and the culture of our country are very important elements of our personal identity. But the Bible reveals a further element. The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer 17:7-8). For the prophet, to send out roots means to put one’s trust in God. From him we draw our life. Without him, we cannot truly live. “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 Jn 5:11). Jesus himself tells us that he is our life (cf. Jn 14:6). Consequently, Christian faith is not only a matter of believing that certain things are true, but above all a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an encounter with the Son of God that gives new energy to the whole of our existence. When we enter into a personal relationship with him, Christ reveals our true identity and, in friendship with him, our life grows towards complete fulfilment. There is a moment, when we are young, when each of us wonders: what meaning does my life have? What purpose and direction should I give to it? This is a very important moment, and it can worry us, perhaps for some time. We start wondering about the kind of work we should take up, the kind of relationships we should establish, the friendships we should cultivate... Here, once more, I think of my own youth. I was somehow aware quite early on that the Lord wanted me to be a priest. Then later, after the war, when I was in the seminary and at university on the way towards that goal, I had to recapture that certainty. I had to ask myself: is this really the path I was meant to take? Is this really God’s will for me? Will I be able to remain faithful to him and completely at his service? A decision like this demands a certain struggle. It cannot be otherwise. But then came the certainty: this is the right thing! Yes, the Lord wants me, and he will give me strength. If I listen to him and walk with him, I become truly myself. What counts is not the fulfilment of my desires, but of his will. In this way life becomes authentic.

Just as the roots of a tree keep it firmly planted in the soil, so the foundations of a house give it long-lasting stability. Through faith, we have been built up in Jesus Christ (cfr Col 2:7), even as a house is built on its foundations. Sacred history provides many examples of saints who built their lives on the word of God. The first is Abraham, our father in faith, who obeyed God when he was asked to leave his ancestral home and to set out for an unknown land. “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God” (Jas 2:23). Being built up in Jesus Christ means responding positively to God’s call, trusting in him and putting his word into practice. Jesus himself reprimanded his disciples: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not do what I tell you?” (Lk 6:46). He went on to use the image of building a house: “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built” (Lk 6:47-48).

Dear friends, build your own house on rock, just like the person who “dug deeply”. Try each day to follow Christ’s word. Listen to him as a true friend with whom you can share your path in life. With him at your side, you will find courage and hope to face difficulties and problems, and even to overcome disappointments and set-backs. You are constantly being offered easier choices, but you yourselves know that these are ultimately deceptive and cannot bring you serenity and joy. Only the word of God can show us the authentic way, and only the faith we have received is the light which shines on our path. Gratefully accept this spiritual gift which you have received from your families; strive to respond responsibly to God’s call, and to grow in your faith. Do not believe those who tell you that you don’t need others to build up your life! Find support in the faith of those who are dear to you, in the faith of the Church, and thank the Lord that you have received it and have made it your own!

3. Firm in the faith

You are “planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). The Letter from which these words are taken was written by Saint Paul in order to respond to a specific need of the Christians in the city of Colossae. That community was threatened by the influence of certain cultural trends that were turning the faithful away from the Gospel. Our own cultural context, dear young people, is not unlike that of the ancient Colossians. Indeed, there is a strong current of secularist thought that aims to make God marginal in the lives of people and society by proposing and attempting to create a “paradise” without him. Yet experience tells us that a world without God becomes a “hell”: filled with selfishness, broken families, hatred between individuals and nations, and a great deficit of love, joy and hope. On the other hand, wherever individuals and nations accept God’s presence, worship him in truth and listen to his voice, then the civilization of love is being built, a civilization in which the dignity of all is respected, and communion increases, with all its benefits. Yet some Christians allow themselves to be seduced by secularism or attracted by religious currents that draw them away from faith in Jesus Christ. There are others who, while not yielding to these enticements, have simply allowed their faith to grow cold, with inevitable negative effects on their moral lives.

To those Christians influenced by ideas alien to the Gospel the Apostle Paul spoke of the power of Christ’s death and resurrection. This mystery is the foundation of our lives and the centre of Christian faith. All philosophies that disregard it and consider it “foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23) reveal their limitations with respect to the great questions deep in the hearts of human beings. As the Successor of the Apostle Peter, I too want to confirm you in the faith (cf. Lk 22:32). We firmly believe that Jesus Christ offered himself on the Cross in order to give us his love. In his passion, he bore our sufferings, took upon himself our sins, obtained forgiveness for us and reconciled us with God the Father, opening for us the way to eternal life. Thus we were freed from the thing that most encumbers our lives: the slavery of sin. We can love everyone, even our enemies, and we can share this love with the poorest of our brothers and sisters and all those in difficulty.

Dear friends, the Cross often frightens us because it seems to be a denial of life. In fact, the opposite is true! It is God’s “yes” to mankind, the supreme expression of his love and the source from which eternal life flows. Indeed, it is from Jesus’ heart, pierced on the Cross, that this divine life streamed forth, ever accessible to those who raise their eyes towards the Crucified One. I can only urge you, then, to embrace the Cross of Jesus, the sign of God’s love, as the source of new life. Apart from Jesus Christ risen from the dead, there can be no salvation! He alone can free the world from evil and bring about the growth of the Kingdom of justice, peace and love to which we all aspire.

4. Believing in Jesus Christ without having seen him

In the Gospel we find a description of the Apostle Thomas’s experience of faith when he accepted the mystery of the Cross and resurrection of Christ. Thomas was one of the twelve Apostles. He followed Jesus and was an eyewitness of his healings and miracles. He listened to his words, and he experienced dismay at Jesus’ death. That Easter evening when the Lord appeared to the disciples, Thomas was not present. When he was told that Jesus was alive and had shown himself, Thomas stated: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe” (Jn 20:25).

We too want to be able to see Jesus, to speak with him and to feel his presence even more powerfully. For many people today, it has become difficult to approach Jesus. There are so many images of Jesus in circulation which, while claiming to be scientific, detract from his greatness and the uniqueness of his person. That is why, after many years of study and reflection, I thought of sharing something of my own personal encounter with Jesus by writing a book. It was a way to help others see, hear and touch the Lord in whom God came to us in order to make himself known. Jesus himself, when he appeared again to his disciples a week later, said to Thomas: “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe” (Jn 20:27). We too can have tangible contact with Jesus and put our hand, so to speak, upon the signs of his Passion, the signs of his love. It is in the sacraments that he draws particularly near to us and gives himself to us. Dear young people, learn to “see” and to “meet” Jesus in the Eucharist, where he is present and close to us, and even becomes food for our journey. In the sacrament of Penance the Lord reveals his mercy and always grants us his forgiveness. Recognize and serve Jesus in the poor, the sick, and in our brothers and sisters who are in difficulty and in need of help.

Enter into a personal dialogue with Jesus Christ and cultivate it in faith. Get to know him better by reading the Gospels and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Converse with him in prayer, and place your trust in him. He will never betray that trust! “Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 150). Thus you will acquire a mature and solid faith, one which will not be based simply on religious sentiment or on a vague memory of the catechism you studied as a child. You will come to know God and to live authentically in union with him, like the Apostle Thomas who showed his firm faith in Jesus in the words: “My Lord and my God!”.

5. Sustained by the faith of the Church, in order to be witnesses

Jesus said to Thomas: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (Jn 20:29). He was thinking of the path the Church was to follow, based on the faith of eyewitnesses: the Apostles. Thus we come to see that our personal faith in Christ, which comes into being through dialogue with him, is bound to the faith of the Church. We do not believe as isolated individuals, but rather, through Baptism, we are members of this great family; it is the faith professed by the Church which reinforces our personal faith. The Creed that we proclaim at Sunday Mass protects us from the danger of believing in a God other than the one revealed by Christ: “Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 166). Let us always thank the Lord for the gift of the Church, for the Church helps us to advance securely in the faith that gives us true life (cf. Jn 20:31).

In the history of the Church, the saints and the martyrs have always drawn from the glorious Cross of Christ the strength to be faithful to God even to the point of offering their own lives. In faith they found the strength to overcome their weaknesses and to prevail over every adversity. Indeed, as the Apostle John says, “Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn 5:5). The victory born of faith is that of love. There have been, and still are, many Christians who are living witnesses of the power of faith that is expressed in charity. They have been peacemakers, promoters of justice and workers for a more humane world, a world in accordance with God’s plan. With competence and professionalism, they have been committed in different sectors of the life of society, contributing effectively to the welfare of all. The charity that comes from faith led them to offer concrete witness by their actions and words. Christ is not a treasure meant for us alone; he is the most precious treasure we have, one that is meant to be shared with others. In our age of globalization, be witnesses of Christian hope all over the world. How many people long to receive this hope! Standing before the tomb of his friend Lazarus, who had died four days earlier, as he was about to call the dead man back to life, Jesus said to Lazarus’ sister Martha: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God” (cf. Jn 11:40). In the same way, if you believe, and if you are able to live out your faith and bear witness to it every day, you will become a means of helping other young people like yourselves to find the meaning and joy of life, which is born of an encounter with Christ!

6. On the way to World Youth Day in Madrid

Dear friends, once again I invite you to attend World Youth Day in Madrid. I await each of you with great joy. Jesus Christ wishes to make you firm in faith through the Church. The decision to believe in Jesus Christ and to follow him is not an easy one. It is hindered by our personal failures and by the many voices that point us towards easier paths. Do not be discouraged. Rather, look for the support of the Christian community, the support of the Church! Throughout this year, carefully prepare for the meeting in Madrid with the bishops, priests and youth leaders in your dioceses, parish communities, associations and movements. The quality of our meeting will depend above all on our spiritual preparation, our prayer, our common hearing of the word of God and our mutual support.

Dear young people, the Church depends on you! She needs your lively faith, your creative charity and the energy of your hope. Your presence renews, rejuvenates and gives new energy to the Church. That is why World Youth Days are a grace, not only for you, but for the entire People of God. The Church in Spain is actively preparing to welcome you and to share this joyful experience of faith with you. I thank the dioceses, parishes, shrines, religious communities, ecclesial associations and movements, and all who are hard at work in preparing for this event. The Lord will not fail to grant them his blessings. May the Virgin Mary accompany you along this path of preparation. At the message of the angel, she received God’s word with faith. It was in faith that she consented to what God was accomplishing in her. By proclaiming her “fiat”, her “yes”, she received the gift of immense charity which led her to give herself entirely to God. May she intercede for each one of you so that, in the coming World Youth Day you may grow in faith and love. I assure you of a paternal remembrance in my prayers and I give you my heartfelt blessing.

From the Vatican, 6 August 2010, Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

S-Forum on Computation as the Defining Idea of the Future

2010-09-26T23:13:00.000-07:00

Computation as the Defining Idea of the Future

A TED Talk delivered by Stephen Wolfram

Creator of Mathematica

October 2, Saturday, 4:00pm

Sugbu Study Center

This Saturday on S-Forums, we will show a TED Talk delivered by Mathematica creator Stephen Wolfram.

In this talk delivered in the TED Conference last February 2010, Wolfram discusses how computation could be the defining idea of the future. He also introduces a computational knowledge engine called Wolfram|Alpha.

A commentary and discussion will follow.

Reactor : Mr.Paul Llido, Computational linguist

TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) is a set of conferences formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading".

S-Forums is a venue for knowledge exchange among students and young professionals.

How does it feel to be in a World Youth Day?

2010-09-22T23:34:00.000-07:00

A Sugbu Study Center staff shares his experience during the World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney in his blog. He was then in a group of 30 pilgrims, members and staff of Lantaka Youth Club in Quezon City.

Read his blog: Act1v8d: My World Youth Day 2008 Experience

A Sugbu staff together with other delegates to the WYD 2008 in Sydney

Conquer Mt.Manungal

2010-09-17T02:47:00.000-07:00

Before the semester ends, conquer Mt.Manunggal with us!

A backgrounder from PinoyMountaineer.com:

Mount Manunggal is located in Barangay Magsaysay in Balamban, Cebu and rises to a height of 1,003 meters above sea level. It is the crash site of the presidential plane Pinatubo which carried and killed President Ramon Magsaysay and seventeen of his presidential staff and some news correspondents during that unforgettable event on March 17, 1957 where an annual trek is held to commemorate his death. It is accessible through many trails but the trail from Tagba-o and at Cantipla in Tabunan, Cebu City is the main route from which the yearly Pres. Ramon Magsaysay Death Anniversary Climb is held.

Date : September 26, 2010, Sunday

Assembly: 7:30 am at Sugbu

World Youth Day Presentations

2010-09-16T00:51:00.000-07:00

Sugbu will be conducting a series of presentations on its plans for World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid. Check out the poster below. Presentations are scheduled in the center at 10:30am of the following dates:

October 2 (Sat)
October 3(Sun)
October 9(Sat)
October 10 (Sun)

Interested students and candidates are invited to attend.

World Youth Day Videos

2010-09-05T23:44:00.000-07:00

We gather below some of interesting videos that explain and promote World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid. Click here to see details on how to join Sugbu's delegation to WYD 2011 in Madrid.

Here is an awesome video from Australia, host of the 2008 WYD

A sample promotional video from Spain

The Soul of Madrid

The History of World Youth Day

Get-together with Christopher Go on Astronomy and Astrophotography

2010-09-05T05:31:00.001-07:00

Be with us this September 11, 2010 at 6:30pm in Sugbu Study Center as Mr. Christopher Go shares his expertise and experience in astronomy and astrophotography.

From WikiPilipinas:

Christopher Y. Go, a young astronomer from Banilad, Cebu who is a Physics graduate from University of San Carlos in 1991, is now making waves in the field of astronomy. His biggest discovery in February 24, 2006 was when he saw Jupiter’s white spot Oval Ba turn into Red. Now it is called the Red Spot Jr.

He was invited on March 21, 2006 to be a member of the Jupiter research team of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). He is a member of the Division for Planetary Science of the American Astronomical Society.

Mr. Go is scheduled to give a lecture in Italy in a conference this September 2010.

See Christopher Go’s web site

This get-together is open to all male university students in Cebu.