Carolinians take center stage in Cathedral Museum opening

Students, teachers, and alumni of the University gave time and talent to ensure the successful opening of the Cathedral Museum of Cebu yesterday. Arch. Melva Rodriguez-Java, founding dean of the College of Architecture and Fine Arts, and Louella Alix, USC alumnus and member of the archdiocesan commission on church heritage, led the team which prepared the old rectory of the Cebu Cathedral for conversion as repository of the documents and objects of the archdiocese.

Rodriguez-Java, conservation architect of the Spanish-era structure, has been supervising the rehabilitation work on the building since 2001. Alix, on the other hand, led fund-raising activities and the preparation of exhibition galleries. The exhibition stoyryline and the arrangement of galleries were designed and prepared by members of the curatorial board, namely: Jose Eleazar R. Bersales, chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology; Archt. Ellis Puerto, director of the Institute of Planning and Design, architecture alumnus Joel Oliveros, graphic artist and proprietor of Phildigita; Trizer Dale Mansueto, history alumnus and instructor of humanities at USC; and Franki Kai Despi, who also studied at USC. Mansueto and Despi also sit as members of the archdiocesan commission on church heritage.

The cleaning and transfer of exhibition materials, all of them gathered and curated by the late Msgr. Virgilio Yap, was carried out a by a team of architecture students from the University, together with students from Cebu Institute of Technology. Mr. Rodolfo Alix, commission member, supervised three weeks of cleaning held at the Archdiocesan Chancery.

During the opening ceremonies held yesterday afternoon, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal expressed his delight that his dream of having the whole rectory turned in to a museum had finally become a reality. In his speech, the Cardinal acknowledged the important contribution of Carolinians, among others, in ensuring the successful preparation of the museum. He was joined by commission chair Fr. Carlito Pono who read the proclamation ordering the establishment of the museum. USC administration officials on hand to witness the museum opening were Fr. Pres. Roderick C. Salazar, Jr., SVD and Fr. Vicente R. Uy, SVD, vice-president for Finance. LINK