Fr. Orly celebrates Thanksgiving Mass in ICST
Fr. Orlando Mallillin of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao came home to
ICST to thank our beloved Institution for the priestly formation given
him. He celebrated a thanksgiving mass on November 15,
2007 at the ICST chapel during which was also the induction of the new
SC officers. He was ordained priest by the Most Rev. Diosdado Talamayan
in the Basilica Minore of Piat together with 3 other deacons on October
14, 2007. He is now assigned as Parochial Vicar in San Jose Parish, Bagao,
Cagayan. Fr. Orly belongs to the Bin-I Class of 2007
NL Bishops visit ICST
Last November 2006, our Northern Luzon Bishops had their regular
meeting here in ICST. That meeting marked a momentous event in the history
of ICST for the Bishops finally approved the implementation of the
New Paradigm of Formation otherwise known as the Paradigm Shift.
The Bishops also have agreed that they are to hold their meetings
here in ICST every first Tuesdays of November.
And so on November 12, 2007, the Northern Luzon Bishops flocked
to ICST for their regular meeting. This meeting was to check on the progress
of the implementation of the paradigm shift. Father Rector presented the
growth of the paradigm shift, to which bishops have expressed their continued
support for the new formation program. Also, Sem. June
Ceasar Ragunjan and Sem. Leo Nedic shared before the bishop their personal
experiences about how the new paradigm is helping them in their formation.
The bishops, after their meeting, joined the seminarians in their respective
regional formation communities for the celebration of the Eucharist
followed by a simple dinner program held in their honor.
Fr. Mayo returns to ICST
Fr. Lain Mayo of the Diocese of Alaminos is back in ICST. He was sent
by the NL Bishops to the University of Navarre, Spain on June 2005 to further
his studies in Dogmatic Theology. After completing his studies and
earning for himself a Doctorate Degree, Fr. Lain will take on the
responsibilities of the office of the Dean of Studies beginning
this second semester. He will also teach Moral Theology to the second year
seminarians. Welcome back, Apo Lain.
ICST celebrates Feast Day
In the middle of preparations for the PARAISO concert, the ICST
community discontinued work for a while as they celebrated the Solemnity
of the Immaculate Conception on December 08, 2007. A Eucharistic celebration
at the grotto was held in the morning where friends from Pantay Daya came
to be one in the celebrations. During lunch time, Fr. Nick Vaquilar
served the community with Lechon while the seminarians and the personnel
sung and danced to celebrate the occasion.
ICST speaks for Mother Earth through
PARAISO: A concert for creation
At the start of the school year, the ICST community had expressed
loud and clear that they would contribute their share in caring for
the environment. As a concrete response, the community launched the
Let’s
GLOW Program (Guard and Love Our World) where several conservation
and awareness programs and activities were initiated.
On December 11-13, 2007, the ICST successfully staged PARAISO:
a Concert for Creation participated in by the different talents
of ICST, the St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur High School Glee Club and the
St. Benedict Institute Women’s Chorale. This aimed to raise awareness of
the dangers of global warming to the greater population of Ilocos
Sur.
Kapihan III: “Tokun” and the ICST Benefactors Night celebrated
The Montanosa Formation Community sponsored the 3rd Kapihan with the
theme Tokun on December 14, 2007 at the ICST Patios.
Tukon
is a Kalinga word which literally means Please Come. It is
often used during harvest season where each one in the community is enjoined
to come and help in the harvesting of palay. The Montanosa
Formation Community gladly hosted the event welcoming the benefactors
and friends of the seminary in recognition for their many contributions
to the seminary.
The activities were opened through a Eucharistic Celebration presided
over by Rev. Fr. Ronnie Degay, Director of the Montanosa Formation Community.
Dinner followed after the Mass where pinicpican and tapuey
were added to the main course. During the program, the benefactors and
friends of the seminary were given tribute through songs and tokens
of gratitude. Honored also during the celebration was the return
of Fr. Lain Mayo to ICST, and the remembrance of the birthday celebrators
for the month of November and December.
Team Red dominates THEOLYMPICS II
The ICST community ushered in the activities of the year with Theolympics
II on January 04-05, 2008 at the ICST Basketball Courts. The chosen
theme was Starting great at 2008 which speaks about the need
to sweat and burn out the fats accumulated during the Christmas holidays
and to start the year right through a healthy lifestyle by engaging oneself
in sports and recreation.
Four teams participated in both indoor and outdoor games, they are:
Team Blue (first years), Team White (second years), Team Black (fourth
years), and Team Red (priest formators plus the third years). Emerging
champions in this year’s Theolympics II are the Team Red. Congratulations
to our Formators and to our third year brothers.
ICST celebrates RECTOR’S DAY
The unity and order that the ICST community is enjoying today, as Father
Ramelo Somera, Director of the Ilocandia Formation community stressed,
could be attributed to the active leadership of the Office of the Rector.
It is the unifying factor that smoothens and interlinks the different aspects
of community life and formation. Appreciative of the services rendered
by Father Rector John Habawel, the whole community of seminarians, priest-formators
and personnel paid tribute to him as they celebrated the Rector’s Day at
Stella Maris Beach Resort in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur on January 06-07, 2008.
The Rector’s Day commenced through a thanksgiving mass held at the ICST
chapel on January 05, 2008 which coincides with the 15th priestly anniversary
of Fr. John. During the homily, he challenged everyone to a life of prayer
and contemplation, for each one to be modern day mystics is to contribute
in the life and future of the Northern Luzon Church. A dinner program
by the beach was held in honor of Father Rector on January 06, 2008. The
different formation communities serenaded Fr. John with their songs and
dances while the priest-formators expressed their well wishes and messages
to Father John. Congratulations, Father John, on the occasion of your 14
years of priestly ministry—14 years of service, still green
and full of sap.
