Formation
Community Coordinators
Nuestra Señora
de Caridad Formation Community: Sem. Marcelo Ballestra
Our Lady of
Manaoag Formation Community: Sem. Jonathan Dulay
Our Lady of
Piat Formation Community: Sem. Francis Miguel
Immaculate
Heart of Mary Formation Community: Sem. Vicente Ancheta
In his inaugural
speech, Sem. Bernard Paguio, the new General beadle, stressed on the importance
of one’s willingness to accept tasks and responsibilities for the good
of the community. He dared everyone to “think, know, and feel” that they
could fulfill the demands of their respective offices, so that they could
in turn truly serve the community with generosity and joy.
Empowed
by the Word
Last June 10
- 12, the First Year and Second Year seminarians underwent the Basic Bible
Seminar (BBS) facilitated by Miss Fely Gines of the John Paul I Biblical
Center (JPIBC). The goal of the seminar was to introduce the Sacred Scriptures
to the seminarians not only as a literature of the past to be studied,
but a book that makes known a personal God who manifested himself in the
course of salvation history. The three-day seminar included different
activities such as talks on basic information about the Bible and the different
ways of reading it, as well as methods of Bible enthronement and Bible
sharing. The meaningful body prayers and interesting group workshops contributed
to the BBS’ appeal to the seminarians, as they enriched their perspectives
on life and the significance of the Word of God in their future ministry.
All these were helpful insights and skills that the seminarians can already
use as they go to their different apostolate programs.
The culmination
of the seminar was integrated with the Sunday People’s Mass, presided over
by Rev. Fr. Christian Jesse Taliping, director of JPIBC.
Theolympics
2011: Ugnayang ICST Tungo Kay Kristo
On June 12,
the semestral intramurals known in ICST as the Theolympics, was formally
opened. The different teams are named after some of the familiar magisterial
documents; namely, Fides, Veritas, Gaudium and Spes. The Theolympics is
primarily a part of human formation as it enables seminarians to mature
in their human development through good sportsmanship, brotherhood, teamwork,
and cooperation.
Indeed, life
is like a game; winning and losing are part of reality. But what is more
important is how seminarians conduct themselves during the games and how
the lessons of the games enrich their life experiences.
Rizal Remembered
in Kapihan I
The national
hero Dr. Jose Rizal was remembered by the sponsoring community in this
year’s first Kapihan with the theme “Rizal @ 150: Panaddaman”. In line
with the 150th birth anniversary of the patriot, the Our Lady of Piat Formation
Community (CAVISA) used the word “Pannaddaman”, an Ybannag term that means
“to remember”. This is to acknowledge and remember the heroism and patriotism
of the national hero that each member of the community can adapt as a good
Filipino citizen. With this in mind, the different formation communities’
respective presentations had nationalism as their common theme.
In the celebration
held on June 26, 16 freshmen were also formally welcomed. Testimonies coming
from the new members of the formation team, the returnees (those who have
just undergone their pastoral regency), as well as Rev. Fr. Lain M. Mayo’s
message as the new Rector of ICST, were also among the highlights of the
event.
ICST Hosts
Bible Directors’ Meeting
The 51st John
Paul I Biblical-Pastoral Center Board of Directors’ meeting was held in
ICST from July 12-13, 2011. Bishop Renato P. Mayugba, Auxiliary Bishop
of Lingayen-Dagupan, and Chairman of the Northern Luzon Center for Biblical
Apostolate (NLCBA) spearheaded the gathering. The said occasion was participated
in by some members of the clergy, nuns, lay collaborators and seminarians.
The meeting
is an annual consultation of the Biblical Coordinators in Northern Luzon,
which include the Archdioceses of Nueva Segovia, Tuguegarao and Lingayen-Dagupan,
the Dioceses of Laoag, San Fernando de La Union, Bangued, Baguio, Ilagan,
Bayombong, Alaminos and Urdaneta, as well as the Vicariates of Bontoc-Lagawe
and Tabuk.
In his homily
during the Mass on the second day of the meet, Bishop Mayugba reminded
the seminarians and the regional directors about the challenge of going
back to the Scriptures. He also stressed the importance of the liturgy,
through which the faithful encounter the living Word of God in an especially
meaningful way.
The same meet
also tackled important concerns related to the Biblical Apostolate. These
included the promotion of the May They Be One (MTBO) Bible, Family Bible
Encounter, Handwritten Unity Bible (HUB), Bible Week Collecta (BWC), Bishops’
Annual Contribution (BAC), Word Alive Biblical Institute (WABI) updates,
the Scriptural Formation program in ICST, and the Catholic Daily Bible
Reading Guide (CDBRG). The meeting adjourned at noon.
New Deacons
for the Northern Luzon Church
As of August
8, ten alumni seminarians of ICST have been ordained as deacons for their
respective local Churches. All of them are members of the Himig Class that
graduated from the ICST in March 2011. They are as follows:
Rev. Jose
Francisco Peralta - Diocese of Laoag - May 28
Rev. Coshie
Cris Dupa-as - Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk - June 10
Rev. Mark
Ventura - Archdiocese of Tuguegarao - June 15
Rev. Feliciano
Bugtong, Jr. - Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia - June 21
Rev. Rosmel
Cairel - Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia - June 21
Rev. Angelito
Degracia - Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia - June 21
Rev. Jomar
Castañeda - Diocese of Ilagan - June 29
Rev. Ian Kenneth
Mamauag - Diocese of Ilagan - June 29
Rev. Louigene
Arnold Valdez - Diocese of Bangued - July 29
Rev. Rene
Caligue - Diocese of Bayombong - August 8
Two seminarians
from the same class, Sem. Roland Anthony Gavina and Sem. Matt Jason John
Molina, are scheduled to be ordained as deacons on August 31 in Dagupan
City. Both are from the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.
St. Joseph
Formation Community starts their programs
The St. Joseph
Community, otherwise known as the Spiritual Formation Year (SFY) Community,
has a total population of twenty-nine: two (2) priest-formators, one (1)
deacon and twenty-six (26) seminarians coming from the different archdioceses,
dioceses and vicariates of Northern Luzon. This year, the SFY Community
is deeply honored to welcome a deacon, in the person of Rev. Ricky D. Samento,
to be with them as a formandus. Rev. Samento is a native of Quezon Province
and is incardinated to the Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe.
This Formation
Year 2011-2012, the two priests in charge of the SFY switched roles. Rev.
Fr. Lester Plana, who was last year’s Spiritual Director, is now the appointed
Program Director. On the other hand, Rev. Fr. Renato de Guzman, the Program
Director last year, is now the appointed Spiritual Director.
Since their
arrival in ICST on May 22, 2011, the SFYers (seminarians on Spiritual Formation
Year), have gone through a series of workshops and similar activities,
as part of the whole year’s program. These include the following:
• May 24-25:
General Orientation (Fr. Renato De Guzman)
• May 26-28:
Opening Retreat (Fr. Ed Abaño)
• May 31-June
1: Popular Devotions and Filipino Spirituality (Fr. Mario Sanchez)
• June 3:
Asian Spirituality (Sr. Marie Geraldine Flores, OSB)
• June 6-7:
Team Building Seminar (LUBID: Learning and Understanding Behavioral Insights
for Development, Inc.)
• June 8:
Genogram Presentation
• June 17-18:
Setting up of Hobbies
• June 20-28:
Vocation Story Presentation
• July 4:
Sexuality and Spirituality Part 1 (Fr. Renato De Guzman)
• July 5-7:
Enneagram Seminar (Ms. Cathy Somera)
• July 8:
Sexuality and Spirituality Part 2 (Fr. Renato De Guzman)
• July-August:
Clinical Pastoral Education CPE (Sister Marie-Therese Yusay, SPC)
The SFYers
are currently undergoing the six-week CPE program and are scheduled to
complete it by the end of August.
