A Cross That Continues to Lead

The 75th Fiesta Celebration of the Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC) is more than a commemoration of seven and a half decades. It is a celebration of a legacy rooted in faith, education, and service. Under the banner “Ex Fide Ad Veritatem: 75 Years of Grace and Onwards: A Blazing Mission,” the institution is called not only to remember where it came from, but to discern where its mission must lead it next.

As an Archdiocesan school, HCDC carries a distinct responsibility beyond academic excellence. It is part of the Church’s mission to form individuals who seek truth, uphold human dignity, and serve the community. Its identity is inseparable from its Catholic character: education becomes not merely preparation for a profession, but formation for a life of purpose, conscience, and service. For 75 years, the school has stood as an instrument of the Archdiocese in bringing faith into the classroom and the classroom into the wider mission of the Church.

The celebration also finds deeper meaning in the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the very feast that gives HCDC its name and spiritual identity. The Cross reminds the community that genuine mission is never without sacrifice. To exalt the Cross is not to glorify suffering, but to recognize in it Christ’s ultimate expression of love, hope, and self-giving. For an institution entrusted with forming future generations, the Cross becomes both a foundation and a challenge: to remain faithful to truth, compassionate toward others, and courageous in service.

Seventy-five years, therefore, should not be the conclusion of HCDC’s story but a renewed beginning. As the school looks “onwards,” may its blazing mission continue to illuminate the Archdiocese, the city, and the communities it serves. May every Cross carried, every truth pursued, and every life formed become a living testament that from faith comes truth, and from the Cross comes a mission that endures.