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Beta Sigma Inspirational Talk By Pio S. Acampado, Jr. Frat Adviser Christmas Party & Induction of Officers Grouse Inn, North Vancouver, B.C. December 20, 2008
Ms. Irene Yatco, Grand Princep Brod Vic Battad and other esteemed brother officers of this new chapter of an honored fraternity, the Beta Sigma Fraternity of British Columbia, distinguished guests, my dear Brods, Sisters and friends, good evening!
"I have a dream . . .” “I have a dream” cried out Martin Luther King Jr. in his famous speech in 1963, when the civil rights movement In the U.S. went into high gear as he led that historic march to Washington which subsequently brought about effective civil rights for the black African-American community in America. These could have been, as well, the same words echoed by Brods Vic Battad, or Tom Abijero, or by our Admiral-in-residence, Brod Ramir Cloma, and many of the Brods gathered here tonight like Brods Abet de Gracia or Ricky Gomos and Donbet Otic, to mention a few, when they too “dreamed” of finally forming our own chapter here in British Columbia. And tonight, that “dream” has finally been realized in such a dramatic vista that we are witnessing right now.
I have been tasked to give an inspirational talk this evening as if my life is sufficiently inspiring enough – and perhaps, it is, just like everyone else gathered here tonight: for we do draw inspiration from one another, especially on this auspicious occasion as we celebrate our first Christmas Party and Induction of Officers. When Brod Vic first asked me to give this talk, I wasn’t sure if he indeed felt such need for me to do; or, it may have been that my role is simply for the sole purpose of serving as a warning to others: that when you’re in that stage when there’s nothing much else for me to do for the fraternity, I am now consigned to being an adviser and giving inspirational talks like these as a form of being properly sedated and still feel good. That doesn’t mean, of course, that I am not grateful to Brod Vic for this opportunity; for, on the contrary, I am . . . and very much so, because tonight is a night of significant firsts for all us for which we should also all be grateful for.
As we all know, we are now in this season of Advent, an occasion we are celebrating like a time of pregnancy, when new life begins to make itself known with the dazzling light of Christmas in our hearts, our families, and friends in our midst. It is also a time of our own Epiphany just like Christ’s coming into this world and, in that light, this is our first coming into being as a newly formed chapter, with our first chapter officers, of an honoured institution which has survived this past 63 years, from U.P. Padre Faura, when it was just emerging from the ravages of the last war, to the former “backwater or ‘talahib’ town” of Diliman -- to its present composition where we no longer distinguish ourselves from each other on the basis of school or college affiliations but as one body, where there are no longer “Gentiles” or “Jews”, but an organization united in one spirit, one purpose, one fraternity and one country.
Again, this promising moment will also be our first opportunity to reflect and rededicate ourselves to doing our share to the unfinished story of our heritage towards a clearer understanding of where we come from, of who we are, of where we want to be and, in the context of Advent, of who and where God is calling us to be. Particularly in the light of our present times where there is so much uncertainty, hopelessness, fear, and disfunctionality, we need to cut across all these darkness of prejudice, divisiveness, false expectations, and hypocrisy. We need to have the audacity of ensuring the growth of this body or fraternity from where we have just began right now by entering, each one of us, into community-consciousness where we belong and make it our own. Like Christmas where we celebrate the divine light breaking into human consciousness, we, too, should celebrate tonight our coming into being as an explosion of grace and insight changing our concepts or ideas into an awareness and readiness of helping and loving one another as brothers and sisters, and ultimately reaching out to others beyond our own boundaries to our society in general and to the Filipino community in particular.
Taking full responsibility for who we are and where we are going within the fraternity’s own journey towards self-realization and to the Filipino community we wish to serve, can be exhilarating. But even more, it’s also the only way we can be certain of arriving at our most meaningful course towards the realization of our goals: to the Beta Sigma Fraternity, to our families, the community here in Vancouver, and to our home country at large -- and free from any influence when it’s not complementary to our own efforts moving in unison towards the ideals of our fraternity. Sensing this meaning of our own existence as an organization, enlightens us and about others’ values as well. And this knowledge can only foster love, respect, and acceptance of one another’s personhood – rich or poor, young or old, accomplished and otherwise, religious or not -- achieving unity in the process despite an environment of divisiveness, selfishness and despair.
Undoubtedly, the road stretching before us looks long and will be often rocky. With persistence and always keeping in mind our ideals, we’ll get there even if we’ll inch along at times. For our ultimate reward in the end, is in the knowledge that we are all necessary to its completion, always remembering our value, our unique necessity to the whole. With the single-mindedness of Brod Vic, our Grand Princep, the shared enthusiasm of the other officers: Brod Henry Josue, Vice-Grand Princep; Brod Abet de Gracia, Master of the Rolls; Brod Donbet Otic, Guardian of the Coffers; Brod Tommy Abijero, Herald; Brod Zaldy Linsangan, Chamberlain; Brod Ricky Gomos, Wielder of the Sword and Brod Ben Pires, co-advisor – and the energetic support of the general membership of brothers and sisters, I have high hopes and faith in the capabilties of each and everyone that the rocks I have mentioned earlier, will easily be sidestepped and our pace will quicken to the realization of a united Beta Sigma Fraternity and to the greatness of our community.
Our opportunities for growth, indeed, are hidden within the challenges that attract our attention. We need these if we are to contribute to the logic of our existence as a group, our fraternal ties, to the society we belong to and to our success as a whole. Each time we harbour doubt, or half-hearted initiatives or actions, we block our own growth, preventing us to respond to the thrill and possibilities of the task ahead of us. Let us, then, always remember that each one of us is a channel to the full participation of this ideal, each of us is gifted with the wisdom to understand the present clearly and the commitment, if we so choose, to move within ourselves and with others towards the fulfillment of the future, our future as a living community under God, Country and Fraternity!
Merry Christmas to you all!
*Click here to see Induction pictures
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