by Clyde Ericson H. Nolasco, Dale Antholy To
The Days with the Lord (DWTL) Communities are groups composed of students and young professionals, whose mission is to bring a youthful encounter with Christ to other people from different walks of life by conducting spiritual workshops and promoting love and devotion to Jesus Christ, who is ever-present in the Eucharist.
“Dazers” as they call their members shares in the Church’s mission of proclaiming Christ and becoming his ardent followers in the spirit of love and humble service. This brings them to a more intimate and deeper communion with Christ - their ‘brother’ and companion.
CURSILLO CON IGNATIAN EXERCISES
DWTL started in 1966 at the Ateneo de Manila High School in Quezon City. Patterned after cursillo (a three-day period of spiritual renewal for Catholics), Fr. Francisco Glover, SJ along with other young Jesuits designed a workshop-session to address the spiritual needs of their senior students. It is an integration of Ignatian Spiritual Exercises in a cursillo set up.
In the 3-day workshop, the participants will have the chance to “live a religious experience.” With openness, the participants may be able to realize more the intimate and personal love of Christ for them and eventually be able to respond freely to the invitation of that love.
However, unlike the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, silence and solitude are not strictly observed for there will be sharing and activities that would foster joy and camaraderie as Christian love in action. There are no retreat masters but a dozen of young people who would joyfully share their personal experiences to the participants for the love of Christ.
Last November 14, 2020, the Days With The Lord celebrated its 54 years of bringing the Filipino youth closer to Christ Jesus and vice versa.
DWTL’s 52nd Anniversary Mass | Photo courtesy of James Villano
COMMUNITIES
DWTL communities are present in different major schools in Metro manila such as:
Ateneo de Manila University
St. Pedro Poveda College
University of the Philippines
De La Salle University Manila
St. Scholastica’s College Manila
Miriam College
Assumption College
Immaculate Conception Academy - San Juan
Xavier School - San Juan
Don Bosco Technical College
The group also have non school-based communities:
Yuppies DWTL
Christ the King DWTL
True Light DWTL
Divine Mercy DWTL
Walk with Jesus DWTL
Agape DWTL
These days, the Communities of DTWL are preoccupied preparing for the Grand Eucharistic Adoration on June 5, 2021.
DWTL’s 53rd Anniversary Mass | Photo courtesy of Joanna Alejandro
Comments