Welcome Home Fr. Stan!

There’s no best place than home. To the culture of an Englishmen particularly in England, there is an ever so sweet phrase saying, “My home is my fortress”. After two months of vacation for the seminarians, Fr. Stan, the Rector of the Seminary spent his break in two halves: first, in the seminary preparing everything for the coming academic year and another half in his place,in Ivory Coast. Now, he is joyfully back in the Philippines for another formative year in shepherding young men.

Knowing Each Other, Getting Together

On the 2^nd day of June, we held the continuation of our team building. We rose early at 4:00 in the dawn heading into our area prepared by the 4^th Year as a venue for the morning lauds. “TakBOKASYON- a run for Vocation is the theme of the morning activity. In our sweet Filipino language, takbo means run and bokasyon means vocation- squeezing the words to complete the said title. We solemnly prayed at the start for strength and immunity- mind, body and spirit- as we start our fun run activity. The whistle of Sem. Pablo became an indicator of receiving a signage, a signal or instructions on the entire day as we went from the seminary going along Wawa Dam. This opportunity of going to this historical area is very vital for especially when we have our pastoral ministry in the chapels. We have three residing parochial chapels near the Wawa Dam, the Sto. Niño Chapel, Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Chapel and the St. Vincent Ferrer Chapel in Sitio Sabangan. Stories says that this dam was the source of water supply of the entire Metro Manila before until they discovered the Angat Dam. Still, there is a strong clamor to beautify and improve the tourist destination.

Maraming Salamat Po!

In life, we tend to be a hedonist. We find pleasure in every work we’ve done without waiting for the result. By the Divine Providence who is always in our midst, we have another humble work, the improvement of our buildings in catering our needs in formation. Our pragmatic formators here in Montalban- Fr. Stan, Bro. Aldrin, Bro. Augustus and Bro. Carl- made their vacation extraordinary by preparing the seminary facilities before the classes will start. They work on rooms for the novices. (now they are student professed brothers).

The Joy in our Formation!

“You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Taking the words of Jesus in the Gospel, camaraderie becomes the food of community life when brothers are sharing the same friendship which Jesus’ Himself established 2000 years ago. After the long preparation for consecutive events here in Montalban- the entrance of our new novices, first religious profession and the renewal of vows- the fourth year seminarians conducted a team building activity as we prepare ourselves for the formal opening of the academic year. 

First Profession in Montalban

The Blessed Virgin Mary has visited Montalban. The feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elisabeth was of a special color in Philippines. It was a family event in Montalban this May 31, 2016. Twelve of our novices brothers made their first religious profession in the Philippines.

There were great joy and a lot of emotion in this Eucharistic celebration presided over by Father Anthony Eucinei de Souza, coordinator of the mission in the Philippines and Novice Master of the St. Luigi Orione Novitiate of Montalban. The Chapel of St. Luigi Orione Seminary ended up almost cramped with the crowd of relatives, friends and acquaintance who came to support our brothers Ronie, Ablan, Kim, Jovet, Raymond, Atuli, Clark, Joseph, Bryan, Maria Joseph George and Muralli.

During the same Eucharistic celebration, five of our young professed brothers were renewing their vows.

The previous evening, fifteen (15) other young men made their solemn entrance to the novitiate, two (2) from Kenya, seven (7) from the Philippines and six (6) from India accompanied by Fr. Fausto Franceschi.

To our newly profes brothers, to those who have renewed their vows and those who have just made their entrance into the Novitiate we wish congratulations and good way in religious life, in the footsteps of Saint Luigi Orione and the following of Christ. Ave Maria and always forwards.