“Homecoming unites the past and the present.”
Anonymous
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Last October 7, 2017, DIS Taipei had the chance to pay tribute to its alumni by having its first Family Reunion / Homecoming. Registration started at 8 am with the help of some teachers and staff manning the booths. There were six registration tables for the six decades that DIS Taipei had been to. Additional registration table was set for the former teachers and other visitors.
A mass was held at the assembly area after the registration which was spearheaded by the Campus Ministry Department head, Sr. Socorro Teofilo, OP. The mass coincided with the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Rosary. Sr. Ma. Zenaida T. Ancheta, OP, the school principal, decided to have its first Family Reunion / Homecoming on October 7 since it is the month of the Holy Rosary and every 7th of the month, the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated. The feast was instituted to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary for the protection that she gives the Church in answer to the praying of the Rosary by the faithful. Rev. Fr. Daniel Bauer, SVD was the main celebrant.
Refreshments were provided to all participants after the mass. At this instant, the alumni and former teachers had the chance to meet the current administrators, teachers and staff. The alumni were nostalgic. Also, they shared their memories from the old building.
The school prepared a short program for the alumni and visitors to reminiscence their childhood days in DIS. It was also attended by the current teachers and staff of DIS Taipei. The opening prayer was led by the members of DomNet Youth Ministry namely, Joshua Ramos, Anubhab Maikap and Jasper Chang. The alumni were sentimental when the old Pledge of Loyalty was recited after National Anthem, Domnican and D’ Torch Hymns. Sr. Zenaida addressed the audience with the words of welcome that gave inspiration to the alumni. The drama students (11th graders) of Mr. Joe Schoeman, the Curriculum Moderator, showed the 6 decades of DIS Taipei through a video presentation for each. In between the video presentations, an intermission was held. Some alumni and former teachers shared their experiences during their childhood days in DIS, like Mrs. Mila Cueto, who taught at DIS from 1968 to 1973.
“Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to”
John Ed Pearce
The first intermission was performed by selected 5th graders singing Wind One The Hill, they were accompanied by Lucian Lin (9th Grader) playing the flute and Ms. Zoe Lin, the choir master playing the piano. Secondly, 7th grader Rosemarie Ho did a Cello solo to the tune of Swan. A string trio performed by Rosemarie, Lucian and Devin Chang (9th grader) to the tune of Flower followed. The fourth intermission was a string ensemble by Daisy Fung, Natalia Garcia and William Hung (11th graders) with Joshua Hsu (10th grader), Cynthia Wang (8th grader), Davin, Rosemarie and Ms. Zoe Lin to the tune of New York, New York. The same string ensemble did the next intermission with Jamie Lee (11th grader) playing the piano to the tune of Canon. Lastly, Ms. Xochilt Artola and Ms. Regina Arevalo delighted the audience with a Nicaraguan folklore traditional dance intermission “Vaca Chota y Mora Limpia” and “Aquella Indita”. They wore colorful outfits that befit the Nicaraguan charm. The emcees were Benjamin Maston and Michelle Hsu (both 10th graders).
A group photo participated by the sisters, teachers, staff, visitors and alumni having the new building as a background ended the event.
