Campaign for priestly vocation to start
Cebu Daily News First Posted 07:52:00 01/18/2011 Filed Under: Churches (organisations)
The Archdiocesan Seminaries of Cebu (Blessed John XXIII Seminary, San Carlos Seminary College and Seminario Mayor de San Carlos will once again spearhead the annual Archdiocesan Vocation Promotion Week from Jan. 22 to Jan. 30 with the theme: “Ako Ang Nagpili ug Nagtudlo Kanimo” – (John 15:16).
Around 400 seminarians will be deployed to the different parishes and schools in Cebu to search for students who want to join the priesthood.
Dr. Arden Monisit, Cebu Provincial Schools Division Superintendent, signed a Division memorandum dated Dec. 15, 2010, affirming the letter submitted by seminarian Dante P. Carredo, president of Opus Vocationum vocation promoter, requesting that seminarians from the three Archdiocesan seminaries of Cebu based in Mabolo, Cebu City will be visiting the secondary schools for vocation campaign on Jan. 24-30.
Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, in his letter to the Department of Education, Division of Cebu Province dated last Nov. 15, also mentioned the endorsement of the Opus Vocationum, coordinating body of the said activity to some radio stations to disseminate campaign information through announcements or a short talk on priestly vocation.
A send-off Mass for the seminarians will be held on Jan. 22 in Seminario Mayor de San Carlos.
“ The upcoming Archdiocesan Vocation Promotion Week will always remind us to pray for those being called by the Lord that they will have the courage and generosity to answer God’s call. Let us pray for those who are in the seminary at this time discerning if they have a vocation that the Lord will guide and bless them. Let us pray for priests that the Lord will continue to bless them in their vocations. I encourage you to continue to pray for vocations throughout the year, not just today. Pray that many will say Yes to God like Mary, “Be it done unto me according to your word,”” the press release said.
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Seminarians answer call to preserve environment
Cebu Daily News
Posted date: March 05, 2011
In response to the worldwide call to protect and preserve Mother Nature, the sophomore seminarians from San Carlos Seminary College (SCSC) initiated a one-week environmental campaign.
The week opened with a display of posters, which showed man’s different encounters with nature.
Last Tuesday, a symposium on solid waste management and the benefits of recycling was held with a guest speaker from Barrio Luz, the barangay famous for its effective recycling procedures.
Other activities include an “I Pledge Wall” where seminarians can write pledges about what they can help to protect the environment, an Amazing Race featuring the challenges about the environment, a quiz bee and a film showing.
One striking pledge written on the “I Pledge Wall” goes, “I pledge to plant a tree. One man, one tree would soon make a forest.”
With this activity, the organizer aims to instill in the future priests the importance of taking care of the environment.
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Seminarians challenged to ‘witness the faith’
Cebu Daily News First Posted 07:59:00 03/16/2011 Filed Under: Belief (Faith), Religion & Belief
The church-based movement for a transformed Filipino nation organized a symposium on the role of Christian faith in the modern times.
It was held on Friday, March 4, at 8 p.m., hosted by the San Carlos Seminary College (SCSC) in Mabolo, Cebu City.
Seminarians from high school and college and theology students of the Archdiocesan seminaries attended the activity together with their lay and priest formators.
Dilaab movement overall coordinator steward Fr. Carmelo Diola invited Heidi Mendoza, the former Commission on Audit (COA) auditor, to enlighten the community and deepen the role of true Christians in our times.
According to Fr. Diola in his blog, “She is a very ordinary citizen, who, impelled by her faith, provides accompaniment to public servants in the journey together towards integrity. It is about realizing that we are all in this together as part of the problem and part of the solution. It is about connecting personal conversion, family renewal and social transformation. It is about organizing for the common good. It is about igniting spaces of hope. This demands prayer and sacrifice.”
In her statement, Mendoza said, “She wants to assure the public that not all in the government are corrupt.”
In addition, Msgr. Roger Fuentes, rector of SCSC expressed his profound gratitude to Heidi for “choosing the way of truth. He said Heidi has the moral integrity because she went to the source, to God. And that is why she lives in life of integrity.”
He cited a story about the life of St. Thomas Aquinas, that whenever St. Thomas pondered over a problem in theology, he turned to prayer to seek God’s enlightenment.
The night ended with challenges to the future priests “to witness the faith and go back to the source, to God.”
This is true not only for seminarians but also for all Filipinos. Our role is to lead as model and show others, through our own personal example, how to live a faithful life of love. With this, we may able to avoid temptation of corruption because of our fear on God, said its writer. /seminarian Marcelino Rapayla Jr.
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Seminarians told to ‘value human life’
Cebu Daily News First Posted 07:46:00 03/28/2011 Filed Under: Religions
The Archdiocesan seminaries of Cebu – Blessed John XXIII Seminary, San Carlos Seminary College (SMSC) and Seminario Mayor de San Carlos – held their eighth gathering from March 16 to 19 with the theme, “Compassion and Communion: Solidarity in the Priestly Formation.”
A symposium, sports and inter-department competition, and a socio-cultural presentation were among the highlights of the event.
The Triduum and Holy Mass held at the St. Charles Borromeo Chapel of Seminario Mayor de San Carlos in honor of St. Joseph, the protector of vocation officially opened the gathering on March 16.
The Mass was presided by Rev. Fr. Euselito Tulipas and co-celebrated by SMSC rector Msgr. Guillermo Gorre and vice rector, Rev. Fr. Joseph Stephen Anore.
During the symposium, Fr. Tulipas focused his discussion on the theme.
“We are expected to grow in experience and become more like Jesus in the course of time. We should be a better servant of the Church because we are journeying with Him,” he said.
Seminarians from the high school, special class, college and theology departments were delighted and enlightened by the presence of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma during the bishop’s forum.
“Value your own life as a seminarian. Make good use of the life that is given by God as your way of thanking Him,” Palma said.
He explained his objection to the Reproductive Health bill, saying “The bill is immoral, anti-cultural, unconstitutional and financially questionable.”
“Everyone should understand and uphold that human life, even the unborn, should be protected from the moment of conception,” he said.
A fourth year seminarian from Blessed John XXIII Seminary asked Palma about his stand on the closure of the high school seminary.
He said “I will borrow the idea of retaining the high school seminary.”
Based on his own study, “not all high school seminarians will proceed to theology or become priests but at least they will become good citizens.”
If we look back at the seminary history in 1595, “although not specifically for the training of priest, the school provided an ideal place for seminarians to develop good character traits and learn the basics of newly planted Christian faith.”
The gathering ended on March 19 with Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on the feast of St. Joseph and the birthday of Archbishop Palma. / Seminarian Marcelino Rapayla Jr.
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Kids perform for Mama Mary
6:23 am | Friday, June 3rd, 2011
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In observance of the Marian month of May, around 800 children and teenagers throughout the Mabolo Parish chapels converged at the Mabolo Sports Complex for the annual “Children Congress 2011.”
This year’s event had the theme “Evangelization of Culture Becoming Witness of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace for the world in our time with Mary.”
Mabolo parish pastoral council president Eric Lepiten said, “The event was well prepared, well participated and the children were well taught and guided by their catechists, parents and seminarians assigned to the parish.”
Fr. Joy Danao, youth coordinator of team of pastors of St. Joseph Mabolo Parish, gave an inspirational message that love is God and God is love, all the time.
The eight zones of Mabolo Parish showcased their talents in the presentation.
Their presentations urged the faithful to pray and make use of this practice. It also showed that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church and therefore should be used as an example, as well as a guide and inspiration.
Teresita Camello, chairperson of the board of judges and archdiocesan catechetical center formator, announced the winners where Zone 4 got first place, Zone 5 got second place and Zone 3, third place.
Knch Lynn Cabillo, of barangay Luz, Cebu City and the season 3 semi-finalist of “Pilipinas Got Talent” inspired the audience with her rendition of Hiniusang Simbahan, the official theme song of the 75th Jubilee Celebration of the Archdiocese of Cebu.
There was also the turnover of school supplies that were raised from the children’s bazaar to the representatives of 55 parish chapels.
The Children Congress 2011 ended with the Mass at the St. Joseph Mabolo Parish celebrated by Msgr. Patricio Alcazaren.
The activity headed by Msgr. Jose Dosado Jr. aimed to instill in the minds of the children the devotion to Our Blessed Virgin Mary. SEMINARIAN MARCELINO RAPAYLA JR.
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San Carlos Seminary to hold benefit concert
The San Carlos Seminary College (SCSC) will hold a “Forty-ssimo” choral concert in celebration of its Ruby Jubilee this year.
Msgr. Rudy Villanueva, director of the concert, said “Forty-ssimo is more than just a play. It is an attempt to express what would otherwise take 40 anniversaries to do justice to. It is 40 years of human weakness, finding the reason and the energy to go on. Literally, it is 40 of our most vocalists making sure you get the message: Hey we just turned 40, and life has just begun!”
The coming presentation features the seminarians and some clergy alumni.
It will run from March 3 to March 4 at the auditorium of St. Theresa’s College on Gen. Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City.
The SCSC community is inviting everyone to join them in thanking God with every note, even those out-of-time and out-of-tune while they rewind the ruby years by way of songs they did in the past concerts.
The proceeds of this concert will be for apostolates and charitable projects for the poor living near the seminary.
For details, contact the SCSC at 232-8503. /SEMINARIAN MARCELINO RAPAYLA JR.
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Seminary to rerun concert
THE San Carlos Seminary College will rerun the concert “Forty –ssimo” at SM Cinema 1 on April 9. Matinee is at 2 p.m., while the Gala is at 7 p.m.
Everyone who witnessed the benefit concert of the San Carlos Seminary College (SCSC), aptly dubbed “Forty-ssimo” at the St. Theresa’s College auditorium last March 3 and 4 went home overjoyed.
The concert was one of the highlights of the Ruby Jubilee celebration of the seminary.
Matinee tickets are priced at P100 and P200 while the gala tickets are at P200 and P300.
For more details, contact San Carlos Seminary College, tel. nos. (032) 232-8503; (0320 231-4514. /Seminarian Marcelino Rapayla Jr
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Semana Santa in Tabor Hill
Religious relics open to public
Holy Week starts on Viernes de Dolores or the Friday of Sorrows.
The tradition was inherited from the Spaniards. After the Second Vatican Council, it was no longer practiced by the Catholic Church but continued with the Order of the Discalced Augustinians (OAD) Philippine Province.
The Chapel of Holy Relics celebrated Holy Mass in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows as the Holy Week opening salvo at Tabor Hill in barangay San Jose, Cebu City.
More than 750 first-class fragments of saints of the Catholic Church are displayed in the chapel.
Rev. Fr. Dennis Ruiz emphasized the seven sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary in his homily, and encouraged the faithful to imitate Mary’s virtues as the perfect disciple of Jesus Christ.
The “Semana Santa sa Tabor Hill 2013” is open to all.
Ruiz said one does not need to fly to the Holy Land to experience significant places of the Passion of Christ because everyone can see and touch fragments here.
The relics are open for public exposition in the chapel.
The Silent Testimonies of the Passion are fragments of the Cross, Crown of Thorns, Holy Shroud, Sudarium, Passion Robe, Purple Robe, Table of the Last Supper, Column of the Flagellation, the Wood Column where Jesus was tied in the house of Anna, Rock from Gethsemane, Rock from the Mt. of Olives, slab from the Holy Sepulcher, Rock from the Calvary.
The Witnesses of the Passion are fragments from the bones of St. Salome, St. Mary of Cleophas, St. Mary Jacobi, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Nicodemus, St. Joseph of Arimathea, St. John the Beloved, St. Lazarus, St. Martha, St. Photina the Good Samaritan, the veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary, fragments of the cross of the Good Thief and the altar used by St. Peter the Apostle.
For more information on “Semana Santa sa Tabor Hill 2013,” contact Fr. Ruiz at 3440992 or (0922) 8419245. /SEMINARIAN MARCELINO RAPAYLA JR.
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OAD celebrates feast of St. Lucy
THE Philippine Province of the Order of the Discalced Augustinians (OAD) will celebrate the feast of St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, tomorrow, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Chapel of Holy Relics, Tabor Hills, barangay San Jose, Cebu City.
There will be a Holy Mass and imposition of St. Lucy’s Blessed Oil to those who have eye problems.
“The significant of Saint Lucy’s Blessed Oil is that her bone is dipped into the oil and will be used in imposition to all the devotees especially those who have eye problems,” said Rev. Fr. Dennis Ruiz, OAD, the province economo and chaplain of the Chapel of Holy Relics.
St. Lucy is not an Augustinian saint but one of the Augustinian convents fosters the devotion to her.
She became well-known in Italy because of her intercessions and miracles.
Fr. Crisologo Suan, OAD, Provincial Commissary of the Philippine Province, will celebrate the Eucharistic Mass, followed by the veneration of St. Lucy’s relic.
For more information on Tabor Hills activities, contact Rev. Fr. Dennis Ruiz, OAD, at 344-6161 or (0922) 841-9245. /Seminarian Marcelino Rapayla Jr., OAD
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St. Augustine Week kicks off
INTRAMURALS is the perfect time to establish camaraderie, sportsmanship and talents among seminarians, priests and lay formators.
The St. Monica Institute of Religious Studies and Tabor Hill College of the Order of Discalced Augustinians (OAD) launched the Sportsfest 2012 on Aug. 9 at the OAD Gym on Tabor Hill, barangay San Jose, Cebu City as one of the highlights of St. Augustine’s Week from Aug. 27 to Aug. 31 with this year’s theme, “If Augustine were still alive today…”
Physical fitness is not only conditioning one’s body but also conditioning one’s mind, said Rev. Fr. Roland Biong, OAD as he opened the week-long activities.
If Augustine were still alive today, he will play among seminarians, priests and lay formators. He will showcase his agility and alertness in the set of activities like tree planting, film viewing, lectures, educational tour, and oratorical contest. /SEMINARIAN MARCELINO RAPAYLA JR., OAD
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OAD opens devotion to St. Nicholas
THE Philippine Province of the Order of the Discalced Augustinians (OAD) kicked off their novena Masses in honor of its patron, St. Nicholas of Tolentino on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Chapel of Holy Relics, Tabor Hills, barangay San Jose, Cebu City.
The saint marks the significance of the Philippine Province as a separate province of OAD Italy. The OAD province of the Philippines is led by newly elected provincial commissary, Rev. Fr. Crisologo Suan, OAD.
The intercession and example of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino inspired the Philippine Province as he is the first Augustinian friar to be canonized after the grand union of the Order of St. Augustine (OSA) in 1256.
According to Rev. Fr. Dennis Ruiz, the Province Economo, “the celebration seeks to foster devotion of the saint. As a newly OAD province of the Philippines, we need to stand and work together for the realization of God’s kingdom as we bring people closer to God and God closer to people.”
OAD Philippines will continue the Augustinian custom of blessing and distributing “Saint Nicholas Bread” in his memory.
This year’s fiesta celebration has several activities for the public to attend, including a Pontifical Mass to be presided by Most Rev. Julito Cortes, D.D. to culminate the event on Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, the OAD holds a Mass every Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Chapel of Holy Relics.
For more information on Tabor Hills activities, contact Rev. Fr. Dennis Ruiz, OAD, at 3440992 or (0922) 8419245. /Seminarian Marcelino Rapayla Jr.
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Palma to ordain 11
The Archdioceses of Cebu will welcome 11 new priests. Deacons Ruel Marigomen, Joel Oriesga, Richard Rama, Jerome Escarro, Daniel Mata, Daniel Daculan, Lydio Felizarte, Eugene dela Corte, Bonnin Olivar, Nilo Sabellon, and Kevin Trazo will be ordained to priesthood by Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on June 21 at 9 a.m.
The deacons were the last batch ordained by Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal on Dec. 7, 2010, and will be the first batch ordained to priesthood by Palma.
Ten of the deacons graduated from Seminario Mayor de San Carlos (SMSC) in Juan Luna Avenue, Mabolo, Cebu City. One seminarian, Daniel Mata, was from San Jose Major Seminary-Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City.
These deacons were deployed to parishes in Cebu in May. They met weekly with the archbishop for processing and share their experiences.
They attended the “Walk with Jesus Seminar” of the Oasis of Love in Ecotech Center, Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City, for their spiritual growth and recently came back from their six-day retreat.
The archdiocesan college community of San Carlos Seminary College (SCSC) will be the choir onf the ordination./CONTIRBUTOR Marcelino Rapayla Jr.
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Altruistic donor still exists
I’m just a steward of this earthly body and it’s about time I gave it back to the owner (God).”
Thus said seminarian Marcelino Rapayla Jr., a kidney donor.
Altruism is helping behavior that is motivated by a selfless concern for the welfare of another person. Giving alms to the poor is often considered an altruistic action in many cultures and religions. Not all helping behavior is altruism. Only selfless helping is considered altruism.
Dr. Alvin Roxas, transplant and vascular surgery of Cebu Transplant Network, said altruism is still alive.
He said seminarian Rapayla was the living proof that man by nature is good.
Rapayla, of barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City, is a second year philosophy student at the San Carlos Seminary College in Mabolo, Cebu City. He voluntarily donated one of his kidneys to a priest patient from the Diocese of Tagbilaran, Bohol.
While in the seminary, Rapayla learned that the uncle (a priest) of a fellow seminarian needed a kidney transplant. It has also been his dream to donate his organs after his death but did not know where to go to make the arrangements so when he heard of the need of a fellow seminarian’s uncle, he quickly volunteered. “Why should I wait to die for me to help?” he said.
“We have two kidneys, one is to care and the other one is to share. I can live healthy with one kidney. I’m just a steward of this earthly body and it’s about time I gave it back to the owner (God),” Rapayla said.
Dr. Vidal Redulla Jr., chairman of the Bioethics Sub-Committee on Organ Donation and Transplantation of Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital, said the sub-committee granted clearance to proceed with the kidney donation of renal transplantation after having found that all the requirements were complied with.
The kidney donation of renal transplantation was successfully done on May 10, 2011, at the CDU hospital.
Rapayla said, “It’s truly a living witness of God’s love between His people. His boldness and courage to do it for the sake of the Gospel as yours does really love your neighbor. This selfless and life time sacrifice is a call and inspiration that everyone could be God’s instrument to let someone experience life. Be an altruistic donor or a gift of life to one of the 7,000 patients on the renal transplant waiting lists. A number of patients in this list from National Kidney and Transplant Institute continue to grow each year.” /SEMINARIAN MARCELINO RAPAYLA JR.
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Cebu Archdiocese campaigns for priesthood
THE Cebu Archdiocese is holding an Archdiocesan vocation campaign from Jan. 21 to Jan. 29 to recruit students for the priesthood.
Around 350 seminarians from San Carlos Seminary College were fielded to the different parishes in Cebu to conduct vocation awareness, enhancement and promotion in schools and other institutions.
This year’s theme is “Pagsaksi sa Pulong, Pagpalambo sa Bokasyon.”
Seminarian Harvey Argoncillo and officers of Opus Vocationum said they hoped that this activity would encourage high school students, especially the graduating ones, to make a difference in their lives by discovering and believing in what they are called for.
Prior to the seminarians’ deployment to their respective assignments, a symposium was held at the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos with Rev. Fr. Jesper John Petralba as the resource speaker.
A send-off Mass was held the following day at the San Carlos Seminary College Chapel.
Right after the symposium last Jan. 20, the Opus Vocationum launched their facebook account opusvocationum@yahoo.com in response to the challenges of the digital world era.
During the 44th World Communications Day, Pope Benedict XVI challenged the Church communities to always use the modern media for fostering communication, interacting with society and encouraging dialogue at a wider level.
Rev. Fr. Socrates M. Saldua, director of Archdiocesan Vocation Promotion Office, in his message to the seminarians during the send-off Mass, said, “Go, proclaim and be the witness of God’s love.”
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Seminarians love Mother Earth
IT’s that time of the year when love is in the air again.
Sophomore seminarians from San Carlos Seminary College initiated a unique way of celebrating Valentine’s Day with Mother Earth.
Engr. Ivy Tariman, seminary professor, said the activity is unique because its subject of affection is Mother Earth, which like any human mother, continues to serve and love despite being neglected.
During the celebration, the earth science students will hang their prayers, wishes and love notes to Mother Earth in a Valentine tree.
Like St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology, seminarians saw nature as a teaching tool that helped them learn about God.
Reymark Gura, one of the sophomore seminarians, mentioned in his poem “Mother Earth” the beautiful things and the negative things about the earth.
Here are some parts of the poem.
“…Where are the birds and the songs they sing?
Why are rivers dead or dirty and no longer clean?
Why do flooding and landslides now become common?
What have we done to this world of our?”
With this activity, organizers aim to bring to everyone’s attention the way people neglected the planet and to enjoin everyone to be more circumspect in their actions. /Seminarian Marcelino Rapayla Jr.
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OAD opens devotion to St. Rita of Cascia
THE Order of the Discalced Augustinians (OAD) opened the devotion to St. Rita of Cascia to the general public as the fiesta celebration in her honor nears.
Activities leading to the feast are ongoing at the OAD in Tabor Hill, barangay San Jose (Talamban), Cebu City.
The nine-day novena started last May 13 at 6 p.m. at the Santa Rita Hall and will run until May 22.
A solemn procession and vigil commemorating the death of St. Rita, known as the Saint of the Impossible, will be done after the vesper Mass today, May 21.
NOTION & SHOOT 