This response was delivered Mr. Bernie Liu during the Re-dedication and Blessing of the Loyola Retreat House-Spirituality and Art Center on the 23rd of October 2023, Monday, at 4:00 PM at Carnation St., Nieves Hills, Angono, Rizal.
Mayor Jeri Mae Calderon and Angono LGU authorities,
Fr. Primitivo Viray, Jr., Provincial Superior of the Philippine Jesuits and Jesuit Community,
His Excellency Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Antipolo,
Friends of the Jesuit community,
It is indeed a wonderful afternoon for all of us. After almost two years of meticulous planning and hard work, our vision for the Loyola Retreat House, Spirituality and Art Center Angono has finally come to fruition.
I speak on behalf of the LH Foundation, which in itself is a legacy that our parents Dame Norma Liu and our late father Knight Leo Lim Liu set up, to ensure that the Liu family will continue the work that they began many years ago. It is no secret that while the LH Foundation serves many advocacies for human and community development, closest to our parents’ hearts is the goal of bringing as many people as they can to the Church.
You see, both were practicing Buddhists, up until they went on vacation in Rome in 1966. While climbing the Scala Santa on her knees, mom had a vision of the blood of Jesus flowing on the steps. That intense moment when she encountered Christ paved the way not only for her conversion but the conversion of the entire family into the Catholic faith. In fact, many of the 2nd and 3rd generation descendants of our parents are alumni of Catholic schools, mostly Jesuit-run institutions.
This led to significant changes in how our companies behaved and how priorities were defined. Our parents were overjoyed to have received faith, an invaluable gift of God’s grace, that it became their mission to help others find their own sacred stairs that would lead them to the Lord. Support for the church and taking care of her shepherds are important to this mission because these help the flock find a community to bond with. Retreat centers take this spiritual journey a step further where the faithful can deepen their personal sense of stewardship and gratitude to the Lord.
We are proud that we could help in the renovation and restoration of Mirador Jesuit Villa in Baguio, the Cebu Center for Ignatian Spirituality, and now Loyola Retreat House Angono. We are very honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the spiritual growth of many. Each retreat center has a special feature that gives a unique experience for its retreatants. With Angono being the Art Capital of the Philippines, it was only natural to weave this aspect into this Center’s narrative. When the construction of the Penshoppe Art Gallery was proposed to us, we became enamored by the idea that we could do something to strengthen the development of arts & culture in the country. But more importantly, the gallery can be a powerful venue for healing and renewal for all those who visit this place.
Thank you for allowing our family to make our humble contribution to the Church’s work of evangelization. However, even after 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines, there is still so much that needs to be done. My parents always believed that all of us are merely stewards of God’s creation, and everything is a gift that we must nurture, grow, and prepare for future stewards to protect. They have handed over this responsibility to us, their children, and through the LH Foundation, their legacy grows. We will continue to embrace stewardship and pass it on to the generations that will come after us.
To the Jesuit and the Angono Communities, congratulations on your new milestone. Now that the structure is ready, the real, difficult work of evangelization begins.
Thank you and a great afternoon to everyone.
This article was published on The Windhover, The Philippine Jesuit Magazine, Vol 1 March 2024
