• Home
  • About Us
    • About the Publisher
    • Advertise with Us
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Subscribe

Grimag

  • Editor’s Notes
  • OSM! Video Gallery
  • Biting The Big Apple

Essay: My Online Graduation in the time of the Pandemic

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

By Vanette Colmenares

                New York – If it were not for Marivir Montebon, OSM! Publisher and journalist, I would not have dreamed of going back to school. When she invited me to join the program for Religious Studies, I was very hesitant. I told her that it was not in my bucket list , nor am I preacher material, but as I said, if God calls, who am I to refuse.  He will provide for it, erase all doubts and equip you for future calling.  So,  I joined the Unification Theological Seminary, an inter-faith school located in mid-town Manhattan in the fall of 2017.

                At first, I thought I would find it awkward to be surrounded by ‘religious’ and ‘conservative’ students, but on my first few days, the school was ‘Filipino’ infested with many Visayan students at that.  I was home.  Sure, there were quite several Unificationists, but there were also Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims who were taking religious studies as well.  It made school interesting in its diversity.

                The first semester was a struggle, because the adjustment of going back to school at my age is challenging.  But then  I made many friends and went back to the discipline of homework and studying. When my grades during the midterms were low, I tried harder to get a better one for the finals. Such that when I enrolled for the second semester and saw that my name was on the dean’s list on the first semester, I was elated.  I was proud of my achievement, but then became worried because now that I made it, I had to maintain that status of achievement.

The 2020 graduates: Vanette (second from left), Wee Ramirez, and Marivir Montebon in a selfie photo to Church History Professor Dr. Michael Mickler during one of those days where we shared bread at school.

                One of the struggles I had was in Church History 1.  I am not historical as I am not capable of memorizing dates, events and most especially names of dead people.  The only time I get historical is when I have an argument with my husband and then I get hysterical.

                Humanities and Philosophy was another challenge that had to be dealt with.  But just like Church History, it needed to be dissected using your cerebral capacities and reasoning to be able to eloquently describe its complexities.

                Written reports, attendances, and other assignments demanded much of my time and sometimes missing out on special occasions. But it was worth it.  Several semesters later.

Marivir and I finished the program.  The funny thing is, we both had the same achievements.  Graduated together both with honors on May 23, 2020, and the surprise is we both got the two awards given by the school every year.  Me for service, and Marivir for leadership.  God has a sense of humor.

                Nevertheless, the study of religions is just the tip of what really is the core of its study. The problems and ills of mankind vertically  has negated the moral lessons which  the Divine teaches.  The social being of man has conquered itself from nullifying its very meaning of existence. And I like what Victor Frank said, “Religion is the search for its ultimate meaning.”

Contact Steve Derodar 1.646.270.1087
May 25, 2020Admin
Women’s Talk Show ‘Women’s World’ Launches on May 24 on Zoom, Sharing Innovations in the Time of PandemicWomen’s World 1st Episode: Finding Meaning in the Things that You Do in the Covid19 Crisis
You Might Also Like
 
Venice: Her Beauty Floats
 
Meet Broadway’s Miss Saigon’s New Tam Elie Rapada: ‘I Love to Act’

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Admin
8 months ago Around Town, Art & Culture, Coronavirus Pandemic61
0
GooglePlus
0
Facebook
0
Twitter
0
Delicious
0
Linkedin
0
Pinterest
Forums
  • OSM! has a new look. What do you think?
Categories
  • Main Feature
  • Features
  • Feature Event
  • Diane Fermin Roeder: Bamboo Stilletto
  • Debbie Almocera: Cranial Corner
  • Sylvia Hubilla: Granny Gorgeous
  • Ruth D. Ezra: Kit’s Kitchen
  • Leani M. Auxilio: Le Fou’s Stories
  • Janet Villa: Mothering Heights
  • Arlene Donaire: Lensanity
  • Resto Rendezvous
  • Your ZEN Health
  • OSM! VLog
Email-subscription

Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news and event postings.

Most Viewed Posts
The Baby didn’t Come with a Manual
7 years ago
9,374 views
Vanette’s Secret: Cooking Yummy Dried Fish Without the Smell
5 years ago
8,661 views
FilAm Lt. Christal Theriot: Newest US Army Apache Pilot
3 years ago
6,657 views
Maguayan, brother of sky god Kaptan.
The Visayan Creation Myth
8 years ago
6,309 views
Filipinos Known to Take Care of Their Elderly
6 years ago
5,280 views
Recent Posts
  • Mayor Arvin Amatorio: Leadership has no political color, you lead from the heart and listen January 20, 2021
  • The eventful week that was January 19, 2021
  • Sinulog: A Cebuano dance of faith more than ever in these hard times January 18, 2021
  • 2021: Doing the basics of self care and vaccine January 15, 2021
  • Philippines now back to participate in the US temporary non-agri visa program H2-B January 13, 2021
Archives
2014 © OSM!