CATHOLIC DORMITORY MINISTRY

History of the Sector

1. Old Catholic boarding schools’ “internos or internas” were provided with their spiritual needs by the school itself.
2. As students left the on-campus dormitories and lived in private residences outside the Catholic schools, their spiritual and pastoral needs had become unanswered.
3. Several religious congregations responded to the need by providing safe and decent shelters and by nourishing the Christian faith of transient students.
4. Other congregations engaged in pastoral work in non-sectarian dormitories around the University belt, activities included Bible study, sharing liturgical celebrations and devotional practices.  This apostolate began in late 1970’s when Campus Ministry was being institutionalized.
5. In 1996, the Provincial Council of Manila recognized that the rapid tend of globalization had placed the supremacy of economic progress over the total human development, greatly influenced the minds of people to relegate religion and to search for answers outside the Church.
6. The Archdiocese then envisioned to evangelize parishes in the grassroots and all other places where the young are visible and make them active part of the Christian renewal process.
7. As a result, a new structure within the youth sector was introduced to include all young people in the parishes, in the universities and campuses, in dormitories and boarding houses and in groups and organizations.
8. The MYA Minister Bishop Soc Villegas met with 50 reps from 32 Catholic dormitories with the purpose of organizing and discovering more effective ways of coordination and collaboration in evangelizing the youth in the dormitories and lodging houses.
9. An ad hoc committee was formed to formulate the VMG and plan of action for this new sector.  Then member-dormitories elected their officers and formed work committees.
10. Initial activities of the CDM were: conducting recollections, networking among dormitories, participating in rallies, holding liturgical celebrations and joining activities sponsored by the MYA.
11. In October 1997, Msgr. Vic Bauson, Director of San Lorenzo Ruiz Student Catholic Center, was appointed director for CDM that was tasked with ensuring that the pastoral needs of the dormitory communities are served according to the Pastoral Plan of the Archdiocese.
12. In October 2000, Tim Gabuna, Director of Residencec Halls of Ateneo de Manila University succeeded Msgr. Vic when the latter was appointed Director of the Campus Ministry.
13. As of the present, the CDM continues to put together the necessary groundwork and guidelines for better coordination and collaboration among partner-dormitories and with other sectors of the MYA for a more effective apostolate among the transient youth.

Profile of CDM Youth

1. Majority of the young people in the CDM sectors are transients, mostly coming from provinces.
2. They take up residence from three (3) to five (5) years.
3. Main reason for residency is to study: higher education.  Most of them are college or post-college students, some are reviewees of professional examinations.
4. Most them belong to the middle economic class as they can afford to pay the regular board ad lodging fees in addition to their school tuition fees.  Some of them however, are dormitory scholars or have sponsors in their schooling.
5. They have opportunities for Christian formation activities and programs as their dormitories are managed mostly by Catholic Congregations.
6. Some of them are active leaders or members of school organizations affiliated wit AYOM, a few may even be members or leaders of the Campus Ministry groups.
7. Some are regular members of the parish nearest their residence and possibly they are members of parish youth organizations.
8. They consider dorm life as their second family life with their co-residents as their siblings (Ate/Kuya) and their dorm matrons, prefects or mentorsas their second parents.
9. for former residents, they consider dormitory living as one of the most unforgettable moments of their college life.
10. Some dormitories have formal alumni associations of their former residents or boarders.

Strength of the CDM Sector

1. Professional, adult, religious or Catholic-trained dorm managers.
2. Learned (in school) student residents.
3. Built –in values education and formation programs for “captured cliente.”
4. Continuing education and sharing on home management practices.
5. Annual inter-dormitory sportsfest for residents.
6. Annual Marian pilgrimage for dorm managers.
7. Regular formation seminar for co-workers.
8. Regular source of income.
9. Multi-sectoral support coming from: parents, school, congregation, alumni, funders.
10. Strong collaborative efforts among partner-dormitories.
11. Administrative structure in place.

CDM Executive Committee, 2003

Coordinator:                 Timothy G. Gabuna
                                     Ateneo Residence Halls

Secretary:                      Emmar Margarita Embestro
                                     San Lorenzo Ruiz Student Catholic Center

Treasurer:                      Sr. Ma. Mercedes Barbasa, RVM
                                     Immaculate Concecption Ladies Hall

Members:                      Carmen Sayo
                                     ITEC Student Center
                                     Sr. Christine Maguyon, FMA
                                     Pius XII Catholic Center