𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫, 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬

Assumption Iloilo opened its gates to a surge of color and music as two prominent leaders of the Religious of the Assumption arrived for a canonical visitation on September 12, 2025. Sr. Mary “Migs” Ignatius, R.A., Provincial Superior of the Asia Pacific Province, and Sr. Irene Cecile, R.A., Provincial Councilor and President of Assumption San Lorenzo, came not only to be honored but to witness the life of the school and renew bonds of faith across the Province.

Morning light fell on St. Martin’s Court, where preschoolers sat cross-legged in front while parents and teachers ringed the courtyard. Students in brilliant indigenous dress performed Uyay and Bulaklakan dances, their skirts and headdresses catching the breeze. A recorded instrumental carried the beat, filling the open space with festive rhythm. Applause rose as the sisters entered, a living welcome to the “City of Love.”

Near the end of the welcoming program, a tiny soloist stepped forward, voice trembling until the sisters moved close, smiles soft as linen. “I’d say wow wow wow!” Sr. Irene exclaimed, delighted by the child’s courage. “When we are Jesus to one another, we think good, we speak good, we do good, and we feel good and see good. Mabuhay ang Assumption Iloilo!”

The welcome unfurled beyond the courtyard. Students lined the path from the Assumption Plaza toward Casa Santa, blue-and-white ribbons streaming from their hands as LCB-A officers escorted the sisters past rows of dancers. The ribbons shimmered in the morning sun like tiny flags of blessing.

That afternoon, the two sisters sat in the quiet midst of Casa Santa, sunlight filtering through the windows, for an interview to reflect on the purpose of their visit.

For Sr. Migs, it was her first glimpse of Iloilo in her new role as Provincial Superior, a responsibility she assumed last year, at the beginning of December. She spoke with earnestness about the purpose of canonical visitations: “We want to strengthen the way we live our religious life and encourage the apostolate—our mission. Whenever we visit, the sisters welcome us so students will be aware that we belong to a bigger body.”

“Everywhere has the same Assumption spirit of family,” she continued, scanning the room. “What stood out here is the quality of your welcome—very warm, very Filipino. I felt embraced by the whole Assumption family: students, parents, sisters, teachers, and staff. Iloilo truly is the City of Love.”

Her hopes for the school were grounded in faith and vision. She prayed that Assumption continues to form not just academically excellent students, but people who use their gifts to serve society and bring positive change.

Sr. Irene, who first came to Assumption Iloilo as a regular sister around 1991, teaching mathematics for just a day, looked around the campus with gentle nostalgia. The conversation soon widened beyond the campus gates, touching on challenges that affect the world at large. 

“Urgent needs include care for our common home—ecological concerns—and honesty and accountability in government,” Sr. Migs observed, her tone measured but earnest. “Transparency is crucial so people can hold leaders responsible.”

For the sisters, hope is something lived, not just imagined. “Saint Marie Eugénie said hope is placing your hand in God’s hand—trusting that goodness and truth will triumph despite negativity,” Sr. Migs reflected, eyes shining with conviction. 

“We live in hope daily by being kind, praying, and working with others.” Sr. Irene added with gentle encouragement, “Hope invites us to look at life differently. Evil will always exist, but God is making us more like Him. Even in suffering, life emerges. Our real life is eternal; every day we prepare for it by dying to selfishness and living in love.”

As the interview drew to a close, the sisters left the students with messages meant to linger:

Sr. Migs: “Keep the hope alive. Live hope in your everyday life so that you learn to trust in the capital-H Hope who is Jesus Christ. Get to know Him; He is worth all your trust and confidence. The Lord is in charge. Good will always triumph over evil, and we are never alone.”

Sr. Irene: “Because of what’s happening in the world, I think the good news is that it’s a beautiful formative moment. Sometimes it is so difficult to teach people the greater values, but because of what’s happening, and listening to you, I am more hopeful. It’s an opening in terms of what we chase in life. At one point, young people were blinded. They chased money. They chased superficial values. They chased power. But now my message for you is: chase the dream of God for you, because that is where our focus should be. God bless.”

As the day waned, the school quieted, and the last strands of blue-and-white ribbon fluttered against the late-afternoon light, streaked with gold. The visit of Sr. Migs and Sr. Irene left a lasting impression—hope in action, love that endures, and faith that reaches beyond the school gates.

For every learner who watched the parade of color, the message is clear. Carry the blue of fidelity, the white of purity, and the gold of God’s light into study, service, and daily choices. Let the ribbons of that morning become the quiet resolve of every evening: to think good, speak good, and do good—until hope itself becomes the mark of an Assumption heart.

Photos by Ethel Paragas, Gabrielle Teruel, and Pauline Frias