IV. Customs and Traditions
1.
Sibolistas
love and live their faith. This is the Sibolista’s way of life.
2. Sibolistas
value the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as the center of their Christian faith.
There are at least 7 special Sibol Masses every school year: The “Yes” Mass when the Sibol company is
formed, the Easter Sunday Mass, the Mass of the Holy Spirit at the start of
the school year, the Christmas Mass,
the New Year’s Day Mass, the Thanksgiving Mass at the Sibol
Graduation and the Alumni Mass
during Sibol Homecoming. Sibol also sings at the 7:10 a.m. Mass at the High
School Chapel every Wednesday during the school year and at the 10:30 a.m. Mass
at the della Strada Parish Church every First Sunday. When requested to do so,
Sibol, likewise, sings at High School Masses.
3. On
the wall fronting the Sibol stage, there is a Sibol-crafted poster of Christ
crucified, with the inscription: “I love You.” The poster is meant, not primarily
for the audience, but for the Sibolistas, who offer their performance as their
personal response to the “I love You” of Christ on the cross.
4. Sibol
activities begin and end with prayer.
5. In
most Sibol meetings, Sibolistas sit on the stage floor to remind themselves to
be humble. They sit in a circle, to remind themselves of their unity in Christ,
who is the Center of Sibol life.
6. Sibolistas
have a devotion to Mary. The rosary in the Sibolista’s pocket is an indication
of this devotion. Sibolistas also have an October devotion when the whole of
Sibol gathers together to pray at least a decade of the rosary each day. The
annual Alay Kay Maria is another
testimony of this devotion.
7. Sibolista
birthday celebrants are greeted by his Sibol friends with the “Sibol Yahweh Prayer Session.”
8. The
“personalis cura alumnorum” or the person-to-person concern in Sibol is greatly
enhanced by the “Sibol Kuya System.” The seniors are
regarded as big brothers in Sibol, even if they are not addressed as such. In
Filipino families, the oldest brother assumes certain responsibilities. They
help their parents care for and protect the younger siblings. The younger
siblings in return look up to the “Kuya”
with respect and, in many cases, emulate them. So it is in Sibol. More than the
juniors and the sophomores, the seniors should embody the Sibol way of life,
which is delineated in the Sibol Constitution.
In many
organizations, the neophytes are “slaves” and the old members are “masters.”
Not so in Sibol. In Sibol, the senior “Kuyas”
care for and serve the younger members, especially the sophomores, who are
regarded as the “bunso” in the Sibol
family. The seniors eat last, they ride last, they leave Sibol last. If there
is not enough food, it is the officers and the seniors who go hungry. If there
is hard work to be done, it is the officers and the seniors who work first and
the hardest. The sophomores and the juniors learn to work and serve the Sibol
way, through the example of the seniors.
9. Sibolistas regard Sibol as a second home and the Managing-Director as a second father. Since the Managing-Director is responsible for Sibolistas while they are in Dulaang Sibol, ordinary home courtesy requires that Sibolistas acquaint him of their arrival and departure from Dulaang Sibol.
10. At least twice a year, if the schedule permits, the Managing-Director has a one-on-one session with each Sibolista, to try to help the Sibolista more fully as a person, to help him get the most out of his Sibol stay and to help him contribute more meaningfully to the group.
11. At least twice a year also, Sibolistas should have group sharing sessions, if time allows, to help each other and the whole community to develop more fully.
12. To facilitate interaction among members, the Secretary-Treasurer provides each Sibolista with a Sibol directory.
13. No janitors are assigned to Dulaang Sibol. All Sibolistas are janitors in Dulaang Sibol. They learn about the dignity of labor by actually laboring. Sibolistas learn much about true greatness by cleaning the comfort room.
14. Because most Sibolistas are most always lyrically high on life, the song and the smile are integral ingredients of Sibol life.
15. Christmas in Sibol is incomplete without Christmas carols. Sibolistas go caroling to raise funds to help the needy.
Sibol also presents its Christmas
production, Come to the Manger, in
Dulaang Sibol.
Sibolistas also conduct an exchange gift
wherein each hand-makes his own gift for a pre-assigned recipient.
16. Sibolistas design their own Sibol T-shirt each year. These T-shirts are used in Sibol productions. One half of the cost is usually defrayed by Dulaang Sibol.
17. An annual Sibol Alumni Homecoming is held sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Day. The set of officers who most recently graduated from Sibol organizes the Homecoming.
18. The Loyola campus is beautiful in the early evening, when Sibol work ends. The “walk-talk” has fostered, repaired and deepened many Sibol friendships.
19. Sibolistas are clean, neat and orderly in their persons and in their work. Every Sibolista in the core group is assigned a locker and a bag rack. He is also expected to have at least an extra shirt.
20. Sibolistas believe in and work at having “mens sana in corpore sano,” the healthy mind in the healthy body. The body too is a gift of God; and if valued, should be taken care of. Sibolistas are adept in at least one sport.
21. Sibolistas love and respect their country and acknowledge it as a gift from God. In every Sibol performance, we begin by singing the “Lupang Hinirang” as the flag is spotlighted.
22. Sibolistas
who usher in performances show their respect for the productions and for the
audience by wearing the prescribed usher’s uniform. They are expected to wear
long-sleeved polo shirts, slacks, socks and leather shoes.
23. Sibolistas are taught to form a deeper relationship with God not only as a group, but as individuals. They are encouraged to attend at least three Masses a week, not because they have to but because they want to.