The John Paul II National Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family (JPII Institute) will mark its 25th anniversary on November 14 with a homecoming gathering of alumni, educators, and family life ministers from across the Philippines and abroad in Bacolod City.
Delegates are expected from the dioceses of Bacolod, Kabankalan, Baguio, Lucena, Legazpi, Calapan, Urdaneta, Zamboanga, Davao, and Tagum, alongside international students from China.
Established in 2001, the Institute realized the vision of the late Msgr. Victorino Rivas to found a center in the Diocese of Bacolod dedicated to theological, academic, and pastoral formation aimed at strengthening marriage and family life.
Rivas’s vision was inspired, encouraged, and affirmed by Pope St. John Paul II.
Among the Institute’s key milestones is its recognition as a Centro Associato of the Pontificio Istituto Teologico Giovanni Paolo II per le Scienze del Matrimonio e della Famiglia in Rome. Through an academic consortium with the University of St. La Salle (USLS), it offers a Master of Education major in Marriage and Family.
The Institute has expanded its reach beyond Bacolod by establishing affiliated centers in the dioceses of Baguio, Tagum, Davao, and Kabankalan.
The daylong celebration at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Bacolod City will open with a Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Bacolod Bishop Louie P. Galbines.
It will feature “Fireside Conversations” with alumni sharing their experiences in family ministry and a keynote address by Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Jose S. Palma, a member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education.
The event will culminate in a Barrio Fiesta fellowship dinner at the St. John Marie Vianney Hall inside the San Sebastian Cathedral Rectory.
A highlight of the anniversary will be the conferment of the Discipulus Familiae et Vitae Award on the Institute’s three pillars:
- The late Msgr. Victorino Rivas, visionary and prime mover;
- The late Antonio and Gloria Esteban, whose philanthropy provided the initial facilities for the Institute; and
- The University of St. La Salle, whose academic partnership established its institutional foundation.
Msgr. Ronaldo S. Quijano, JPII Institute director and Vicar General of the Diocese of Bacolod, described the 25-year milestone as a grace-filled journey for the Church in Bacolod, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia.
“The Institute has served as a beacon of hope for young people, married couples, and families, upholding and promoting the teachings of the Church, particularly the Theology of the Body of St. John Paul II,” Quijano said.
“We look back with profound gratitude for the vision, dedication, and legacy of Msgr. Victorino Rivas, and for the many benefactors, friends, and mentors whose generosity and commitment helped bring his vision to life,” he added.
Quijano noted that the Institute’s international affiliation and local academic partnerships are both sources of gratitude and reminders of its ongoing duty.
“We are called not simply to preserve this legacy, but to renew our commitment to teaching, advancing scientific research in the service of the Church’s doctrine, and strengthening our pastoral programs in response to the urgent need to evangelize and accompany families today and in the years to come,” he said.*
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