Prexy offers comfort, support to John Matthew Salilig kin, AdU community
Date Posted: March 10, 2023 at 04:27 PM
University President Marcelo V. Manimtim, CM sent out the community’s utmost sympathy and support to the family of alleged hazing victim, John Matthew Salilig, as Adamson offered a requiem mass for BS Chemistry student, March 2, at the ST Quadrangle.
Fr. Manimtim relayed the prayers of the whole community and the sorrow and dismay of what was done to Matt.
The mass was attended by university administrators, faculty members, co-academic employees and students.
“When John Matthew went to Biñan, Laguna with some companions, he was looking forward to a reception; he was going there seeking belongingness. When things go awry, as they eventually did for John Matthew, we can find some solace in the words Jesus gives us in the gospel: In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places... I am going to prepare a place for you,” the AdU President said as he began his homily.
“When John Matthew set out for the reception, he was promised, implicitly at least, some sense of security and community. In this our celebration, our common and fervent prayer is that what John Matthew was deprived of, he would find in the bosom of the Father.”
Fr. Manimtim then proceeds to condemn the violence that Matt experienced at the hands of his supposed brothers.
“In the gospels Jesus reveals to us the heart of the Father which reaches out to everyone particularly to the weak, the dispossessed and the troubled. He reveals the face of the Father when he renounced the way of violence and made calls to respect the dignity of persons. Violence leads to death, respecting the dignity of persons leads to life,” he said.
“Amid so many calls towards comfort, security and well-being, Jesus calls us to follow his way of respecting persons, turning away from wrong-doing and fostering each other in the way of goodness and care,” he continued.
He then proceeded to mention a verse from the first reading from the Book of Wisdom: “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.”
“Unless proven otherwise, we count John Matthew among the just; he is in the hand of God, no torment shall now touch him, he is in peace,” Fr. Manimtim furthered, tearing up and overcame by emotion.
He then recalled how he first got to know of the situation during the send-off party for the incoming graduation class and how the University had contributed to finding for one of its own who was then declared missing.
Fr. Manimtim also called for persons-of-interest to turn themselves in to give justice to Matt’s untimely passing.
“We are doing this celebration of prayer as a way of sending John Matthew off to his journey to the Father. As of this morning, John Matthew’ s body has been transported to Zamboanga. His mother wanted to see John Matthew even with his disfigurements. In all probability, he will be buried tomorrow, together with his grandfather, the father of his dad, who died last week, possibly about the same time that John Matthew met his death,” Fr. Manimtim added.
“We pray that Klasmeyt John Matthew now enjoy lasting peace and the embrace of a loving Father.”
