The first Casagra Lecture Series of St. Paul U explores the theme, “The Meaningful Man in the Meaningless World.”  Sponsored by the Social Science Department of the College of Arts and Sciences led by Dean Jieza Napone,  the  Lecture Series was held on October 29, 2014 at the Marian Theater.  The Common First Year students attended the event and interacted with the faculty-presenters from Silliman University, University of San Agustin, Foundation University, and St. Paul U.

The  holding of the first Casagra Lecture Series is very significant as it also marks the 110th anniversary of the coming to the Philippines of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, the women educators who brought quality Catholic education to the country.  They first established a school in Dumaguete City just next door to Silliman University, where the paper presenters and the keynote speaker teach and study.

In her welcome remarks, University President Sr. Carolina Agravante, SPC, underscored the strides made by St. Paul U in bringing and sharing knowledge to the members of the community.  In her speech, she emphasized, “that a university is worth its name only when we succeed to bring the 3 H’s together, the head, the heart, and the hands.”  She continued to say, “we can bring meaning into this world when we engage in student formation, build character of men and women modelled in Christ, bring out competence, and their calling to serve those who are in  need.”  These are the 3 C’s of a Catholic University education.

The Lecture Series was keynoted by Dr. Jeffry Ocay, the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of Silliman University.  He laid out the history, themes, and the key concepts of Existentialism that framed the paper presentations at the event.  Lively discussions ensued as students are treated with the scholarly presentations of the following:

“The Meaning of One’s being: Levinas on subjectivity and responsibility,” by Jay Michael Cordero, Faculty, University of San Agustin;

“Consuming Sign: Consumption as Identity Construction,” by Peter Macabinguil, Faculty, Foundation University;

“Original Sin in the Context of Creation and Grace,” by Rommel Velasco, Faculty, St. Paul U;

“Kierkegaard’s Modes of Existence in Search of Authentic Self in the Face of Technology,” by Armando Forbes, Faculty, St. Paul U;

“Analysis of Philippine Penal System in the Context of Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish,” by Julius Poli, Faculty, St. Paul U; and

“Understanding Human-Technology Relations in Ihde’s Phenomenology of Techniques,” by Ariel Bendo, Faculty, St. Paul U.
Certificates of Appreciation were distributed after each presentation.  The event was emceed by Levy Anne Amosin, ABMC IV.

The Casagra Lecture Series is derived from the name of  University President,  Sr. Carolina S. Agravante, SPC who developed the theory on transformative leadership, named as CASAGRA theory,  that is anchored on the key concepts of  servant leadership, self-mastery, and special expertise (specialization).

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