Scarred by U.G. Naguit(P1)

• 
  “Whenever I see this scar on my left elbow, memories of misery and hope flash back into the threshold of my mind.”
  
  When I was still in the minor seminary, I used to be an easygoing kid who enjoyed life to the “fullest”. All I wanted was to be blissful everyday; I always wanted to have fun! Before, I considered accomplishing dull and uninteresting errands a waste of time. The terrible thing here was: I never enjoyed praying; from my view-point, praying is “wasting time”. “Nako prayers nanaman! Nakakasawa!” “Ano ba ‘yan! Sayang oras ko, may test pa kami mamaya! Kung nag-aral nalang sana tayo!” Yes, my perception about praying was really absurd…
  
  I was always reprimanded because of my rowdy attitude; many people told me that my ways are at odds with my identity as a minor seminarian. Instead of sharing more time with my family during home-weekends, I found it more enjoyable having it spent with my friends. I believed that drinking and skateboarding with friends is far-off more enjoyable than staying at home and be annoyed of my brothers and parents. I became an immature drunkard/skateboarder and never recognized God as Lord over me; besides being the main character in my own play, I was also the author of my “fate”, and the director of my “personality”. I knew that God awfully wants to enter into the hearts of every people; however, there was no unoccupied space in my heart for Him to stay. Time went on, but still, He never stopped creating a little opening in my heart for him to penetrate.
  
  During the 26th day of August 2009, we had a practice for our Linggo ng Wika presentation – a boring interpretative dance (well, I terribly hate dancing). To completely annoy me, my disgust for the presentation teamed up with the boredom of waiting for my groupmates. I was silently whispering, “This is what RIDICULOUS is all about!” Instead of dying silently while waiting for my groupmates, I consoled myself and took my skateboard. I played and indeed, I enjoyed! But the fun ended with a 180-ollie trick… I tripped. I flashed a look at my left arm and saw that it was terribly fractured. I trembled but I tried to remain at ease. So, instead of crying, I smiled and didn’t ask for God’s comfort.
  
  Immediately, I was accompanied by my formator to the hospital to have my bones checked through X-ray. After the doctor had examined my bones, he said that my arm can’t be fixed through the common fracture-cementing method alone. He whispered to me hesitantly that I need to undergo an operation on a different hospital.
  
  Then, we went to the next hospital and met my doctor. He clarified that I really need to undergo an operation as “soon” as possible, or else the condition of the arm will become worse. I said, “Okay, okay… But how much will this operation cost?”. “Maybe, around a hundred thousand”, he responded. I was totally shocked. He advised me to call on my parents before signing-up for the operation. I called on my mother right away and told her about the accident, and when I told her, “Ma, ma-ooperahan daw ako”, I heard her cry resentfully on the phone.
  
  Guilt and anxiety dashed to and fro on my mind. My eyes became watery and the breathing in my chest became tighter, but still I endured the pain and didn’t let even a single drop of tear fall from my eyes. Then, my formator accompanied me to the vehicle and told me that we will be fetching my parents.
  
  While we were on the road, I kept silent. I reflected deeply; this edifying moment made me realize that I need God. I prayed on my seat during the whole ride while doing my best to bear the tears in my eyes.
  
  After the 45-minute ride, we finally arrived at my hometown. I felt something weird as I entered our home. It was extremely quiet. Instead of my mother welcoming us, my grandmother was there and she was the one who welcomed us (this was weird because my grandmother rarely visited us before). After I kissed her hand, we went to the room. There, I saw my mother – in her eyes, grief and pain were reflected. Together with her in the room was my father; he was lying on the bed while he coughed terribly. I was dreadfully agitated so I asked my mother, “Ma, may sakit si daddy?” She replied with her husky voice saying, “Di na siya makakasama sa hospital, may pulmonya siya”. Then I told my father, “Pagaling ka dad.” Fate was pressing me to the ground harder; the strain on my heart worsened.
  
  Then, we went back to the hospital. The nurses visited me in my room and connected a needle of dextrose to my veins. Gloomily, I and my mother stayed there for the whole night.
  
  The sun rose up, but still sadness covered my spirit. The nurses woke me up, telling me to prepare for the operation. Before the nurses delivered me to the operating room, my mom and I had a short, yet heart-wounding conversation. She admitted that she lied to me; she did not want me to know about the real condition of my father – maybe to lessen the burden I was carrying by that time. He has no pneumonia; the truth was: he was severely suffering from tuberculosis.
  
  This was the point in time when fate pressed me hardest to the ground; the strain on my heart was in its worst! Then, I realized that my dad made a laudable sacrifice for me – he did not stay in any hospital just so I can recover well… My father endured intense suffering just because of my recklessness. By that time, I felt a deep sinking feeling in my chest; I wanted to find someone whom I can put the blame on – I found nobody but myself. Then, the nurses took me to the operating room. After lying on the operating bed, the doctors injected general anesthesia to my veins. Chilling on that room, I unconsciously fell into a deep slumber…
  
  Whenever I see this scar on my left elbow, memories of misery and hope flash back into the threshold of my mind. My fate was horribly doomed. Everything seemed to be broken, yet I never regretted clashing against those problems. After encountering crossroads, a straighter and easier path was introduced to me.
  
  Excellently, God made use of those embarrassing moments for something better. In the Old Testament, God tested Job’s faith through pain, shame, and humiliation. He lost everything he had – his wealth, his usual semblance, his animals, and his family–, yet he never whined about it to God. Amidst anguish, he remained faithful to God… Because of his great fidelity, God has blessed him even more.
  
  After the trials I met, God has blessed me ceaselessly. Today, everything appears to be ideal for me and gradually, I was able to figure out the importance of “prayer and family” in my life.
  
  Without experiencing pitiless heartaches, life will be a stagnant river that will lead us to nowhere – no growth, no maturity, no change. “If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it’s not so bad.” (C.S. Lewis)

Welcome Rites for the New Seminarians

By Sem. Uziel Guthrie D. Naguit

 “Oh! This is creepy! Riding a vehicle with a blindfold? Where will you take us?”, “This is not safe! Are you sure we’ll do this!?” These were some of the questions that entered our minds as the initiation started early in the morning on the 3^rd day of June.

After a long ride, we were asked to get off the vehicle; we didn’t know where we were. We were guided by our older brothers as we completed the silly tasks we were compelled to do.

After all the bothering tasks we were obliged to finish, our blindfolds were taken off. And guess where we were? Surprisingly, we were not in an alien vicinity; we were in our home, the seminary. And upon turning around, guess who was there? There was the MSP Seminary family, each person with a warm smile on his face, welcoming us as they sang the song “Welcome to the Family” in unison.

We, the new seminarians of the Mission Society of the Philippines, – Noel H., Ardiano, James, Vincent, Clint, U.G., Ramer, Jordan, and Jefferson – never anticipated for such great salutation on our first week of voyaging with the Lord in the seminary. By declaring that we are officially welcomed in the seminary, we the new ones, formally give our trust, love, and loyalty to this society without any uncertainty and hesitation.

                                                                                                                      

Four MSP Deacons were Ordained Priest last June 2011 by Fr. Pat Casiño, MSP

Fr. Roldan's Ordination at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria Bulacan 

Rev Roldan Zerna was ordained as priest last June 4, 2011 by the Bishop of Malolos, the Most Rev Jose F. Oliveros DD. The ordination rites took place within the celebration of the Holy Eucharist which started at 9:00am at the Nuestra Senora del Carmen Church in Pulong Buhangin, Sta. Maria, Bulacan.

The celebration was attended by the MSP priests, led by the Father Moderator, Fr Alfie Africa MSP. Likewise, the MSP seminarians were also present. Guests from the Parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned also came led by their parish priest, Fr Lads Oliver MSP.

Fr Elmer Ignacio, the parish priest of the Nuestra Sra del Carmen Church, labored hard for the success of the celebration. His parishioners also attended the celebration.

Fr Zerna celebrated his first Thanksgiving Mass at 3:00pm at the same church. Fr Zerna is the first of the four deacons being ordained as priest. Fr Zerna is assigned as a missionary to the Diocese of Vanimo in Papua New Guinea.

Fr. Richard and Fr. Macky's Ordination at the Cathedral of San Nicolas de Tolentino in Tandag, Surigao del Sur

The two MSP deacons, Rev Macky Calo MSP and Rev Richard Cortes MSP, were finally ordained as priests in their home diocese of Tandag last June 11, 2011, 9:00am at the Cathedral of San Nicolas de Tolentino in Tandag, Surigao del Sur. The ordaining bishop was the bishop of Tandag, Most Rev Nereo Odchimar DD. Some MSP priests from Luzon, headed by the MSP Father Moderator, Fr Alfie Africa, attended the ordination ceremonies which happened within the holy Eucharistic celebration. Several members of the Fil-Mission Auxiliary Association from Davao and Gingoog cities also came together with Fr Percy Singco MSP and Fr Jun Tacaisan MSP.

Fr Macky celebrated his thanksgiving mass at 3:00pm on the same day, and the same Cathedral. His homilist was Fr Randy Odchigue, his cousin who belongs to the Diocese of Butuan. Meanwhile, Fr Richard had his thanksgiving mass celebrated on the following day, June 12, 2011, at his home parish of St Joseph the Worker in Forest Drive Subdivision, Bislig City. His homilist was Fr Edgar Clar, a home-grown priest of the said city.

Rev Macky is assigned as a missionary to the Diocese of Roermond in the Netherlands, while Fr Richard is assigned as the Director of MSP Promotion and Vocation Offices for Mindanao.

Fr. Fredy's Ordination at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Monastery Chapel in Lipa City, Batangas

The last deacon in the batch of four, Rev Fredy Permentilla, was ordained a priest on June 18, 2011, 9:00am, at the Church of Mt Carmel Monastery in Lipa City. The ordaining bishop was the Archbishop of Lipa, Most Rev Ramon Arguelles DD. In his homily, the archbishop talked more on the Mission Society of the Philippines because of the fact that he was once a rector of the MSP Seminary during the early stages of the existence of the MSP.  The MSP priests from Manila and Tagaytay attended the ceremonies, as well as Fr Fil Mahusay (Thailand) and Fr Suthit (Thailand) and a few diocesan and religious priests. The mayor of Lipa was present during the celebration. Some parishioners in POLA, Mandaluyong also came.

Fr Fredy celebrated his thanksgiving mass at 5:00 on the same day, at the Cathedral of Lipa. His homilist was Fr Regie Lavilla MSP, the Vice-Rector of the MSP Seminary in Tagaytay City. Fr Fredy is assigned as the Parochial Vicar of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Cebu City.

THEY HAVE EARS, BUT THEY DO NOT HEAR

Frt. Robert Sablon, msp

MSP Seminary – Tagaytay City

Thursday Sharing - July 21, 2011

When I was seven years old, grade one at that time, in one Saturday afternoon, my father got home from the farm.  He called me out from my playmates and told me to dress up for we will go to the church for my first confession. Two weeks before this event, my mother, who was a volunteered parish catechist for more than 5 years at that time, gave me a catechesis about the basic truth of our catholic faith from time to time. Along with this catechesis, she asked me to memorize the Apostles’ Creed. Friday night after regular rosary, she asked me to recite the Apostles’ Creed. I did not know that she was already preparing me for my first confession and my first communion. This happened on March 13, 1987. The next day, I had my first confession together with my father and the following day which is Sunday was my first communion.  I grew up without understanding why it should be. When ever I saw the pictures of my classmates during their first communion, with the white dress like an angel in line in the church’s aisles, I fell envious. I was not with them. I received my first communion when I was finishing my grade I, but for them (my classmates, they were already in grade II, where the catechists organized it. Only when I read the biography of St. Therese of the Child Jesus during my college days and our religion education teacher required us to read. There I found out the truth. The truth that parents should guide their children to grow in faith which they promised during the baptism of the child.  This was very clear in the life of St. Therese, how she was been spiritually accompanied by her father, and so my parents practiced it too.  Those days, the prophecy of Isaiah was likewise fulfilled:  “I looked but did not see; I listened but did not hear or understand.” But now, it is different. I understood it well!

In the Gospel today, the disciples can not comprehend why Jesus spoke parables. So they asked him and Jesus explained, “they look but do not see, they listen but do not hear or understand.” Just like how I make myself preoccupied of thinking for the reasons why people today can not understand the importance and dignity of human life. Why people waste their money in cigarettes, or get hang-over after drinking liquors? Why mother aborted her own child, or a father battered his wife? Why PCSO accused the bishops of Pajero where in fact there is none and the media published it without making investigations? Why lovers keep on hurting each others? Why seminarians still want to have a girlfriend or a boyfriend (sa TMP pa) (Jokingly aside) Why people of today rejects God?

Why they can not see even they have eyes, why they can not hear or understand even they have listened.

When I was in Cebu for my MSFY, that was the time when an MSP priest just ordained priest left his priesthood and lived with his girlfriend. In one of our sessions with Fr. Alfie, he asked us how are we affected about it. Reactions and comments flooded. Generally, the reactions revolved around the issue “who’s to be blamed?” Surprisingly that Fr. Alfie concluded the discussion with his statement, “Maybe we have not seen the goodness that Fr. X has seen in the girl and in his decision. We are not in the authority to judge but we need to have eyes that see the heart.

Again, it echoes what Jesus said, “you have eyes but cannot see, you have listened but can not hear or understand.”

With so many questions I need to answer and so difficult to see things clearly or understand our situation plainly. I could say that our world is so complex and so complicated to find the truth – qued est veritas? It seems that everything is relative. And because of this, I could conclude that the world is in chaos, our nation is in chaos, and our church is likewise in chaos. Every truth we hold on is now put to test and question. The time runs fast that one could not notice he is already out of the fashion.

Just like what we use to call modesty is now called a sex hang-ups. That we use to called chastity is now called old fashion or “di ka-in”.  That we used to called humility is now cowardice. The one we use to called discipline is now called unhealthy repression or “pakipot lang yan” or “maarte”. The one we called disgusting movies or taboo shows are now called adult movies and mature shows.  The one we called moral responsibility is now called being free and liberated. The one we called living in sin is now called living in a meaningful relationship like pre-marital sex now they called “normal lang yan kasi yan na ang practice”. The one we used to call killing and aborting a child is now called choice.  What happen now to our values, to our culture, to our dignity?

They look but do not see; they listen but do not hear or understand.

Today, I am quite afraid. Afraid of what will be our response - my response to all this chaos. We are frantically busy everyday with our studies and community responsibilities that make us blind, deaf, and numb. We have an old Filipino dictum, “Mahirap gisingin ang taong gising na, mahirap tawagin ang taong ayaw mamansin at mahirap ipaliwanag sa taong ayaw making.” Our philosophy and theology are sometimes hindrances to see and understand the truth, the mysteries of life and the grandeur plan of God for us. The problem is in us! We pretend that we don’t know. We ignore the reality.

We have eyes but can not see and we have ears but can not hear and we listen but can not understand.

 We can not understand because we did not listen to God’s voice. The word ‘lapse of judgement’ and ‘sorry’ are been top expression that the media is feasting nowadays. People do things without much thinking and reflecting, without praying and contemplating including myself. We say things we do not mean. We make promise that we could hardly keep. We have eyes but can not see. We hear but can not understand.

Nevertheless, God will not give up on us. God gives us everyday a new opportunity to redeem our selves, to correct our mistakes, to turn away from sin and accept the will of God for us. All these need a praying heart. To silent our selves and talk to Jesus. Tom discern with the power of the Holy spirit so that our work will not be in vain. Our ways is not God’s or His thoughts are not the same with ours. 

I would like to end this sharing with a story:

A man ploughing his field in one morning saw a cloud forming a 3 letters. He closed his eyes and prayed if what God wants him to do in his life. Opening his eyes, he saw the cloud forming letters G, P and C. He interpreted it as a message of God for his new mission. He was thinking that God wants him to “Go Preach Christ”. The following morning, he went to his parish priest and tell the story convincing his parish priest if he could preach in the pulpit on that Sunday.  The parish priest agreed. The Sunday came. The man sat in front and as soon as the Gospel was read he went to the pulpit.  By the time he started his faith sharing, everybody laugh at him, and many of the church goers went home without finishing the holy mass. The man felt bad. After the mass, he met the parish priest in the sacristy. With passion, the parish priest comforted him and asked him what happen. The man realized that he got a wrong message, he told the priest. He explained, Father, God really showed me these 3 letters, GPC but I interpreted it wrong, the message for me is not “Go Preach Christ” but “Go Plant Corn”. I will go back to my farm and continue ploughing it so that I could harvest corn and share this to my neighbours.  

My dear brothers in the community, we really need a fervent prayer before doing our plans in life. We need to find the truth always and not to be trap by relativism like the ex-husband in the first story or not seeing in our simple work as our contribution to God’s grandeur plan like a farmer in the second story.  We need a complete trust to God in prayer so that He will reveal to us His plan and our mission.

 Like St. Lawrence Brindisi, whose memorial we are celebrating today, will be united in Christ.  Everywhere he completed a mission, there were miracles and conversions. His words and example were always inspiring, simple yet profound. He was a person of enormous influence and his writings probably exceeded all the doctors. This happen because he saw God in all his works and he prayed fervently and unceasingly to understand the plan of God for him.

In this Eucharist, let us pray that God will bring us wisdom. Make us wise. Make us gentle. Give us the right decision to chose life not death and sin. That we will not just play life blind, deaf and numb in the point of refusing to make a change in the chaos world we are in. May the spirit of sacrifice and generosity will live in us always. This is a clarion call to all of us especially that the greatest error of today is the denial of sin. Everything is relative. We put on make-up and we say it looks so natural and we become at home with our sins. The journey that we begun here in the seminary and the learning we have in philosophy and theology will be our spear to fight this error of our time. Like Moses in the first reading, led his people out of the camp to meet God. Moses recognized the voice of God in thunder because he is a Man of prayer.

May we be like Moses to be God’s instrument for others to come in truth for this generation have eyes but can not see, ears but can not hear and listen but can not understand.

 

Fil-Mission Sunday on July 31, 2011

The annual celebration of Fil-Mission Sunday will be on July 31, 2011. This year's theme is MSP Missionaries: Bearers of Hope. Let us now honor all the Filipino Missionaries and offer prayers and sacrifices for them.

CLAY IN THE POTTER'S HAND

Frt. Jose Antonio R. Crema, MSP
July 4, 2011
LOCAL TRAINING PROGRAM
Prelature of St. Mary, Islamic City of Marawi


Our three days retreat at the Teresian Carmelite Retreat House in Camaman-an, Cagayan de Oro City is very helpful to me. The program of our retreat is self-directed that is why I felt more comfortable to be with myself, to reflect on “Where am I in my journey to become an MSP priest?” This question puts me into solitude with God throughout our retreat.

First and foremost, I’m happy serving the Church here in the Prelature of Marawi. It will always be a great honor for me to serve God and his people; even for some situations that I was hurt, when my heart is in trouble and sorrow because I chose to prioritize my duties for the Church rather than my personal wants and needs. I never feel regret of serving God first even when there is failure of my plans for the activities in the parish. In spite of my weaknesses and shortcomings, in all my doubts and perplexities in my life and in every downfall; I’m still very thankful because I believe that by serving God through serving His Church, I always receive the grace of wonder, a deep sense of my own fragileness and dependency on God’s love. I’m completely entrusting myself in the hands of God just like a clay in the potter’s hand, and mold me in His own way that He wanted me to be. This gave me the capacity to move-on and continue the journey in my vocation.

"As the clay is in the potter's hand, so you are in My hand."

JEREMIAH 18:6

In our retreat, I had also reflected about the importance of living in the community. In spite of our differences, learning to appreciate the uniqueness of each of us brings harmony in our relationship as brothers in the community. And for this we become more aware and sensitive to the needs of each other because we are always open and willing to listen to each other’s success and downfalls. Part of my dependency on God’s love is my willingness to humbly submit myself in the process of seminary formation where community life is very important because I believe that the grace of God works in us through each member in the community.

New Seminarians' Profile by Sem.Jordan B. Cagang(P1)

          This new Formation Year 2011 - 2012, MSP Seminary is blessed to have eight first year Philosophy students and one college graduate who will take Associate in Philosophy. They are as follows: Sem. Ardiano "Jano" L. Abayle Jr., 18 years old, high school graduate from the Diocese of Malaybalay; Sem. Jordan B. Cagang, 18 years old, a former diocesan seminarian of St. Francis Xavier College Seminary in the Diocese of Digos; Sem. Clint Fernando Cena, 16 years old from Bantayan Island, Archdiocese of Cebu; Sem. Vincent Nicolai Cocjin, 17 years old, from the Archdiocese of Manila; Sem. Jefferson Loyloy, 17 years old, a high school graduate from the Archdiocese of Cebu; Sem. Uziel Guthrie Naguit, 16 years old, high school graduate from Mother of Good Counsel Minor Seminary in the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga;  Sem. Ramer P. Nisnisan, 18 years old, a former diocesan seminarian of St. Francis Xavier College Seminary in the Diocese of Digos; Sem. James Patrick C. Timpug, 15 years old and a high school graduate from the Archdiocese of Manila; and lastly, Sem. Noel D. Hawian, 26 years old,a college graduate of Bukidnon State University from the Diocese of Malaybalay.

(First row-seated: L-R) Fr. Nilo Pacuribot, Fr. Manuel Jadraque, Fr. Alfie Africa, Fr. Regie Lavilla and Fr. Ernie Ablaza. (Second row-standing: L-R) Sem. Vincent Nicolai Cocjin, Sem James Patrick Timpug, Sem. Ramer Nisnisan, Sem. Jefferson Loyloy, Sem. Clint Fernando Cena, Sem. Uziel Guthrie Naguit, Sem. Jordan Cagang & Sem. Ardiano Abayle Jr.