The
formation communities experience Northern Luzon
Nuestra
Señora de Caridad Formation Community
The community
had their educational tour at the Holy Child of Prague Parish, Cervantes,
Ilocos Sur, with the theme “Rootedness in Culture, Rootedness in Christ.”
The Nuestra Señora de Caridad seminarians were assigned by the parish
priest, Rev. Fr. Ernesto Juarez, to the different barangays to talk with
the people and experience their way of life. Moreover, the seminarians
as well as their formators were oriented about the different programs being
implemented in the parish primarily the formation of Basic Ecclesial Communities
(BEC) to cater to the different concerns and needs of the parishioners.
The seminarians with their formators brought home their meaningful memories
of encounter with the people as well as their learnings and insights regarding
their future ministry as shepherds of the people of God.
Our
Lady of Manaoag Formation Community
The Our Lady
of Manaoag seminarians had their tour on August 8-9, 2011 at the Bureau
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Dagupan, San Roque Dam in San Manuel,
Pangasinan, Virgin Island in Sual, Pangasinan, and River Cruise in Dagupan.
The educational tour was centered on ecological concern especially on aquatic
resources and their preservation and growing awareness of their importance.
The exploration on San Roque Dam focused on identifying the hitches that
caused major flooding in Pangasinan on the height of typhoons Ondoy and
Pepeng in September 2009.
Immaculate
Heart of Mary Formation Community
The Immaculate
Heart of Mary seminarians had their tour in Benguet and Baguio City on
August 6-7, 2011 to explore on the ecological crises happening in those
areas. The alarming ecological crises challenge the community to be more
aware and knowledgeable about the present dilemma. The care for the environment
occupies a primordial consideration not only in the teachings and praxis
of the Church but also in the ministry and apostolate of future pastors.
Through exposure and immersion, the seminarians had a glimpse on the present
condition of the environment in Benguet and Baguio City. Added to the awareness
was the insight on the ways and means for its preservation and promotion.
During their trip, the community was joyfully welcomed by Rev. Fr. Benedict
Villapa of the Diocese of Baguio. The highlight of the tour was a greater
awareness on the Bishops’ Tree of Life venture by Most Rev. Carlito Cenzon,
CICM, D.D.
Our
Lady of Piat Formation Community
The Our Lady
of Piat seminarians had this year’s educational tour on August 6-7, 2011
in Aparri, Cagayan primarily at St. Peter Thelmo Parish. The tour focused
on the Block Rosary Phenomenon at the said parish. Beside St.
Peter Thelmo, the Co-Patroness is the Most Holy Rosary under the auspices
of Rev. Fr. Adalbert Barut. The highlight of the tour includes friendship
game with the faculty of Lyceum of Aparri as well as visit to some parishes
and the Ecclesiastical Museum. The tour’s penultimate is a Holy Mass
at Arzobispado Nat Tuguegarao presided by Rev. Fr. Orlando Malillin, their
Formation Director and Rev. Fr. Christian Jesse Taliping, their Spiritual
Director.
ICST hosts
academic-pastoral function
Last September
9, 2011, the ICST community held its annual Academic-Pastoral Function
for the first semester school year 2011-2012 with the theme: “The Reality
of Filipino Migrants and its Pastoral Challenge (vis-à-vis Seminary
Formation). It was held at the Aula Magna of Immaculate Conception School
of Theology attended by the seminary formators, religious sisters, seminarians
and the lay faithful who came from the different parishes and schools of
the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. The event was graced by Rev. Fr. Cirilo
O. Ortega, SVD, serving as the Resource Speaker.
The speaker
exposed the participants into the reality of migration. Fr. Ortega attested
that migration is a fixture in the society. In his talks, he delved on
the reason why migration is rampant and is prevalent? He answered this
query by positing reasons through the use of two terms: “Push and Pull”.
Push pertains to the reality that there are no enough jobs, there are few
opportunities for earning a living, the presence of drought and famine,
and the like. Pull, is an exactly opposite of the former. According to
him, in 2010 based from the International Organization for Migration, there
are about 214 million migrant workers and 11 million of it are Filipinos.
In our situation
today, he asked whether migrant workers are heroes or slaves. Indeed, learning
from Fr. Ortega, that there is racial discrimination. But despite of this,
there are migrants who are in action, like the story of Madelyn Rafin,
who gave her strength to feed her family in the Philippines. Because of
her perseverance she supported her family financially.
For the seminarians
as well as the lay faithful, the present situation of Filipino Migrants
becomes for them an eye-opener to be challenged that they are part of creating
a better society with greater possibilities of a better living.
Bishop
Rene gives recollection to the community
Msgr. Renato
Mayugba, D.D, Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan,
facilitated the monthly recollection last September 2-3, 2011 at the ICST
TV room concerning the topic “Becoming New Evangelizers: Priestly Ministry
Today” in the perspective of the present Holy Father.
The recollection
amply tackled the new way of evangelization which the Church sees as a
response to the aggravating danger of relativism. The Church’s new way
of evangelization is more on journeying with the people patterned after
the example of Christ, specifically illustrated by the experience of the
disciples on the road to Emmaus. However, Bishop Mayugba explained to the
seminarians that introducing this new way of evangelization does not mean
that there is a problem on the old way of evangelization used by the Church,
but it simply caters to the demands of the signs of the time.
The recollection
was concluded by the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. In his homily,
Bishop Mayugba challenged the seminarians to start imbibing the kind of
thinking the Holy Father is introducing to the universal Church. He also
dared them to learn walking with the people by understanding their situation
and by involving themselves to the life-situations of the people in their
community.
ICST celebrates
life
On August
31, the ICST community had joint celebration of birthdays of its
eight members namely; Fr. Clarence Carta, Seminary Procurator who
celebrated his birthday on the 16th day of the month, Vincent Siccuan
( T3), on 3rd day, Jonathan Dulay ( T3) on the 3rd day, Rainier
Flor Marquez( Spiritual formation year), on the 6th day, JumarCubangbang
( Seminary personnel) on the 8th day, Bryan Soriano ( Spiritual Formtion
Year) on the 15th day, Jaime AndressJr ( T2), on the 22nd day and
Laurence Gatchalian ( T2) on the 24th.
The celebration
was done in a simple but meaningful way. There were special food at the
table, simple program and presents to the celebrators. What made the celebration
special was that after the program, each member of the community did the
honour of greeting the celebrators by approaching them and giving them
a hug or a handshake.
Although it
was new, the community decided to make it as a tradition in order to make
seminarians or formators’ birthday special day for them. In this way, they
could feel the family atmosphere here in ICST.
