Question # 8: Do you have any regrets or fears about
the new way of formation?
Fr. John: No regrets but some anxieties. For me, key to the new
paradigm are the new formators who will come to the seminary. Our bishops
will hopefully give us at least eight priests next year. That is a lot
of priests but the new paradigm rests on them. We pray for that. Another
anxiety is the logistics. It seems the new way of formation is more expensive
than the old way. But if we value formation, we pay the price.
Question # 9: What is the effect of the paradigm shift to the
church of Northern Luzon as a church of the poor?
Fr. John: Most of the priests in the Northern Luzon now are products
of ICST and they are doing great and well. ICST has gone a long way in
the formation of priests in the region. And yet the times have unfolded
new realities that challenge our priests for deeper simplicity and poverty,
more holiness and spiritual leadership, deeper social awareness and involvement;
a missionary spirit that will linger till death. Hopefully, the new paradigm
will help.
Question # 10: We want to be clarified about the paradigm shift. Is
it more a change in the structures of seminary formation or more transformation
in the lifestyle of seminarians?
Fr. John: Both are important. But more importantly are the values of
the paradigm shift, those of trust, openness, experience, community life,
work and responsibility, simplicity, social awareness and involvement,
experience of God, etc. We need structures to facilitate the formation
of these values. Thus, you will stay is smaller communities with more priests
to be with you.
Question # 11: What is the challenge of the new paradigm for the
Northern Luzon Bishops?
Fr. John: The biggest challenges are actually for our dear bishops
to take. They have to let-go of a number of their priests and also to deal
with the higher cost of the new formation. Hopefully, it will not be a
big difference from the cost now. They have been committed to the paradigm
shift and we are hopeful they will be there always.
Question # 12: For the seminary formators?
Fr. John: The formators who will take care of the communities
will have to work hard, be more fully present with the seminarians, accompanying
them individually. They themselves will have to believe and live
the ideals of the new paradigm. There are many in Northern Luzon who can
take on the job well.
Question # 13: For the seminarians?
Fr. John: The challenge for the seminarians is to also shift their mindset
in formation. We see already the shifts happening now; from fear to trust
and love; from defenses to vulnerability; from receiving to giving; from
convenience to engaging in the messiness of life; from the classroom to
immersion; etc. We are happy the seminarians are open. We do not see much
resistance to the changes thus far, in this transitional year, yet there
is much to be done.
Question # 14: As of now, do you think we are prepared to take
on these challenges?
Fr. John: Are we ready for next year, to fully implement the new
paradigm? This is a very crucial question. There are several facets of
preparation for the paradigm shift like the preparation of seminarians,
the selection and formation of the new formators, the making of the design
of formation for the small communities and the structural changes. By next
year, some will be ready and some will not be ready. The emerging proposal
from your formators is to maintain this transitional set-up we already
have for next year but already bring in the new formators. Together with
them, we will journey and evolve the formation program and eventually go
our separate ways in different formation houses in succeeding years. In
this way, there is ample time to reflect and process. We already start
but the full implementation will come maybe in another year or two.
Question #15: In what way can we face the challenge?
Fr. John: In the new paradigm, we recognize ICST as still one
big community with smaller communities. One small community is the community
of formators. I am so happy to let you know that our community of formators
is doing so well as a community, with lots of sharing, talking, spending
time together, liking each other, and deciding together. Inspired by this
reality, I believe the challenges that come our way can always be met by
talking and sharing about them and making decisions together. This reality
is part of the new paradigm we are envisioning.
Question # 15: In your reflection, how is the Lord calling manifested
in the paradigm shift?
Fr. John: Spontaneity is one mark of the Holy Spirit. Since two
years back when the paradigm shift was first talked about, spontaneously,
there was acceptance and joy over the plan, from bishops, seminarians,
priests in the region and other people who hear about it. The succession
also of events relative to the furtherance of the planned shift manifests
the work of the Spirit.
Question #16: How do you like seminarians make the paradigm shift
a reality?
Fr. John: By studying the paradigm shift, owning it and making personal
and collective steps. Even simple things like memorizing the vision-mission
statement of ICST, to know it by heart. As the seminarians had been open
and receptive to the idea since the start of the school year, I urge and
hope all to continue responding and also praying that we all will be led
in the right direction. We the formators would like to encourage you all
to continue doing good and invest more of yourselves in formation. Take
your roles and responsibilities seriously.
Question # 17: What is your best wish for the paradigm shift?
Fr. John: I pray that the Holy Spirit continue to guide us in
this journey. May she also blow her healing mercy upon all stakeholders
in this paradigm shift – the bishops, the formators, the seminarians, the
priest in the region and benefactors. Mary, Our Mother, pray for us.
Annual Retreat
Bishop Emeritus Francisco Claver, SJ of the Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe
facilitated this year’s opening retreat. Through his spiritual insights,
wisdom and life experiences in as a Christian and minister of the Church,
he led the seminarians in looking into their life of prayer, their sense
of mission and apostolate, social concerns and involvements. The bottom
line was looking into the priesthood’s essential CALL and FAITH.
The retreat was a fitting activity during which the seminarians assessed
their own lives and reasons for being as they moved into another formation
year. The retreat became a way of clearing the seminarians’vision-mission
in life as well as that of the institution; claiming them once more and
putting them into heart.
A third look
The ICST community went through a 4-day retreat on November 4-7, 2006,
with Fr. Carlos Abesamis, SJ, as facilitator. Fr. Abesamis led the community
in taking a “third look” at Jesus through the eyes of the “poor.” This
brought about a number of eye-openers that became a challenge to revisit
the gospel and scriptures. The insights on the Kingdom of God stirred the
minds and hearts of seminarians on the mission of Jesus. It furthered the
realization of the Kingdom of God as not simply a concept but a reality,
which is “at hand and is to come.” These insights from the third look at
Jesus and the Kingdom of God were laid side by side on the last day as
the focus shifted to the transition to the Paradigm Shift, a new model
of looking and experiencing priestly formation. This deepened the community’s
understanding of the paradigm and the role of the priest in the Church
of Northern Luzon.
