Building a Community: The YE way

By: Sem. Lester P. De Guzman

 

Let us know more about the YE, the Youth Encounter (YE) is a basic Christian formation program especially design for young people, it was started Virac, Catanduanes, in 1971. And it was founded by     + Msgr. Jose “Ping” Medina, and Bishop Jose Sorra.

                The YE program was approved in 1986 by our bishops and endorsed for the catholic youth of the Philippines. Today, it is being conducted in various parishes, schools, centers, and dioceses all over the country.

The Seminarians of Fr. Angelo Pasa minor seminary Cagayan de Oro, experienced their first youth encounter along with some youth ministers of diocese of Malaybalay Bukidnon, and was facilitated by Sr. Lerma (Canossian sister) and Youth Encounter facilitators. It was held at Mary’s spring retreat house at Bukidnon on October 23-25 2013. Before the youth encounter starts our Superior (Fr. Fermin “Jao” Leoveras, Fdcc) was asked to give a message for the youth at that moment and leave us with a saying “In every situation, take it as an opportunity to learn”. The facilitators gave us three days to experience this one of a kind journey -- a journey of prayer, realization, meditation, and to have a strong bond with our Lord. In three days span we were able to finish 12 sessions and each session has its own uniqueness to jog our minds and remind us that this is the right attitude that we need to posses.

There are a lot of lessons that we had learned from that experience, but let me emphasize one phrase that strike me most and it was: “Remove the crowd and build a community.” taken from Matthew 20:29-34. Well we can correlate it with the community itself like when we are in a crowd we tend to go with the flow, remain to the status quo even though we know that they are wrong. Some of the crowd’s characteristics are to judge one person without even knowing him/her, having a negative perception to others, being too laud and be likely to forget the things that are important. We can also associate this to ourselves, the crowd of our being. Each of us has a crowd to remove our traits who always Judge a person, having a negative point of view to others, and even being too loud and tend to forget the things that Jesus wants to say to us. Based on our facilitators it is the crowd within us that needs to remove, in order for us to construct a new community, it should start within ourselves.

After the three days of being with the Lord and trying to get rid of the crowd within us we can feel the difference within ourselves as if that we are a changed person, truly the youth encounter experience was one of a kind, our sufferings in going to that place has paid off, we had learned new things, made us strong in different aspects of our lives emotional, spiritual, and even changed us. Truly the youth encounter is not to be told, but it is to be experience.

Fruits of the Trees

by Sem Jules R. Bonje 

Last October 21, 2013, We, The Fr. Angelo Pasa Community had our tree planting in Bakhita-Canossa Farm  at Palacapao, Quezon Bukidnon and it was a day to be remembered.

It was a good day for us and the weather was one with us in our activity. We started the day with a mass presided by Fr. Fermin Leoveras with the intention of the success of our tree planting activity.  After our breakfast, Fr. Fermin made an introduction and overview about the farm with its history and the people managing there and Bro. Julius Tumayao presented the activity program. We grouped ourselves into three with five members and were assigned in different areas. We planted Rubber Tree, Pomelo, Marang, Mangosteen and Rambutan. It was tiring day but was really a fruit of labor for us.

As I reflect from this activity I felt that giving importance and care for our environment and nature, as well as being charitable to the marginalized people. Though it was a simple act of planting trees, but it will contribute a lot in the prevention of soil erosion in the mountain part of our vicinity and in helping to absorb the water which helps in preventing floods. Through this activity we hope that we may able to inspire other people to do simple things but would be a great contribution in preserving our nature. I can imagine if all the people would have the desire of giving care to our environment like planting a tree planting, this help might lessen the cause of calamities. I felt upon doing this activity there were values that I was able to put into practice like humility and love for nature, that by planting trees we will be able to be part of restoring our environment. 

"It was indeed a humbling experience to plant trees, that it made me feel that I am being one with the nature and in the future as it grows these seeds will give more through the abundance of its fruits."

5 Things I learned in the Campus Ministry

by Sem. Jeff Loma

Campus Ministry is one of the most enjoyable things that I experienced in my vocation journey. That is the birth of my “charism encounter” that I embraced the Canossian life as I would consider it. If you will just instill in your mind that being with children is boring and too tiring, perhaps, you would never enjoy and realize the value of fortitude within yourself. But as a seminarian who is willing to experience and endure the demands of this undertaking, inch by inch, you will understand and appreciate the beauty of helping others and submitting everything to God. As I come into contact with the campus ministry, I could share to you these 5 things I learned with:

1.Children really have pure hearts when they pray.

As when we teach children how to pray during our class sessions, you could see on their faces that they are really praying whole heartedly. They have this innocent core within them that you could witness their tender communication with the Lord. Children do not pray with their minds, if truth be told, they undeniably implore their intentions with their hearts and souls. And what is great about this is that we are the instruments of God on how we remind them that God is there for them.

2.You will be at one with children when you talk to them personally.

Children are very fragile in terms of their emotions. You cannot superficially get what they are experiencing in their lives especially with their families unless you talk to them with the heart. Sometimes, what they really show externally within them is not the true representation of their being but just a mere “defense mechanism” to hide their own selves. Thus, in order for me to understand them, I talk to them in person.

3.We are counselors-in-the-making.

Our roles as members and facilitators of the Campus Ministry are not just to teach or to proclaim the word of God. We are also good listeners or consolers of those children and youth experiencing problems and difficulties in terms of dealing with life. Though we are still just starting out with this ministry, I could say that we are indeed counselors-in-the-making. Through our little advises and suggestions to them or simply listening to their concerns, we are substantially contributing in terms of comfort in their hearts.

4.We are not just teachers, we are also games facilitators.

As we have noticed when we teach children in the campus, they are so jolly when we offer them some games.  However, it is not enough that you give them games which would not contribute to their development. That is why, when we have some games before the session ends, we see to it that it will still bring in the essence of learning. Most of our games are mind twisters that would help them think like Pinoy Henyo, Sharade, World Twist and others.

5.Teaching is not a boring undertaking but a very rewarding and satisfying mission.

Previously, I was not used to teach with the children since I graduated in the degree of Financial Management and that is not my forte. But as when I journey with this kind of life and start to embrace my vocation, I realized the importance of teaching and sharing not only the knowledge and thoughts that I have but also the values that the children must need to posses, is a very gratifying facet of my calling. It is very rewarding on my part when I see on the face of every child that they enjoy what we impart to them, the gratitude that we receive when we give advice to them, and the fulfillment we feel when we see them actualize the values that we pass on to them.

Campus ministry is a good training ground for the growth of a seminarian. It is a place where you cannot just have the personal encounter with the children. It is also a place where you will have the personal encounter with God.

10 Ways to Enjoy Community Life as Seminarian

by Sem. Jeff Loma

Embracing the dynamism of seminary life is fairly intricate as you would perceive it. However, in the actuality, seminary days are certainly pleasant and ecstatic if you will just compose yourself as a person chosen by God as His servant and relish yourself in this form of life. Here are some means to make your seminary life rewarding:

1.Respect your differences as Seminarians.

Always remember that all of you came from different backgrounds. You were molded in different cultures, beliefs, and values within your family. That is why at times, it is just normal that you would have misapprehensions with each other. Yet, since you revere your variations, in the end, you will cultivate the value of acceptance towards your brother within yourselves.

2.Engage yourself in the community activity such as in sports.

God did not choose or call anyone because of his physical capacity or ability. Just like in sports within the seminary, it does not matter if you are an expert or inexperienced about the playoffs as long as you are participating and trying your best to hold the essence of being in the community sharing the moments of having fun. Then, you will just be surprised that the clumsiness you made while playing would be the source of joy and humor within your activity.

3.Enjoy all the meals and dine with some talks.

It is not true that we should keep ourselves composed and still within the banquet, just like in fine dining. For us in the seminary, it is without a doubt effective to build community while we eat and spiced it up with talks and stories. Our simple meals are made to be delicious because we savor our moments with discussions and chats that mostly would result to enormous laughter and bliss.

4.Do not make your cleaning time a boring one.

Always equip yourself with cleaning materials during the cleaning time. But it is not enough. You also need to be serious and naughty sometimes while cleaning. The most obvious and effective way of making a fun cleaning time is to dance while you mop or sweep the floor, sing while you remove the spider web in the ceiling, having the rap songs while wiping the window pane. For sure, with these extra hobbies, you will never get bored while cleaning.

5.Let yourself involve in the events organizing activity.

Seminarians are not just good in praying and doing the apostolates. They are also recognized as good facilitators, leaders, and most especially, event’s organizers.  During the birthday celebration activities, Lenten season, feasts, and other celebrations, seminarians are indeed very creative in doing the physical arrangement of the stage, the flow of the program, the table settings for dining, and even in the restoration. Since the overall preparation is a way of showing their creativity for them, the word “tired” does not exist. Thus, you must definitely involve yourself to this.

6.Make a timeframe for your academic endeavor and have some group studies.

Academic life is somehow exigent in the seminary since this is one of the most imperative pillars of this kind of endeavor. But there are helpful tips for seminarians to be able to succeed in this requirement. First, seminarians need to be organized in terms of their time schedule especially when to study their lessons without clashing with the activities within the seminary. In this aspect, it is practical to make a timeframe of your study time, or when you will be finishing your home works and other academic demands. By this, you will be guided on what would be the things that you should prioritize. Second, it is also without a doubt very advantageous if you will organize a study group especially to those seminarians having the same subjects. Herewith, you could arrive at the right understanding of academic theories that could actually help you pass the subjects.

7.Emerge yourself in the movie time.

In Canossian Seminary, movie time is “a-must” activity to get into. It is somehow a trademark of the seminary since they believe that seminarians must also enjoy their lives in the formation house. Who would not enjoy in the movie using a projector and loud speaker that would scare you when you watch horror films, the laughter in their faces in comedies, their outraged faces in the action films and many more? That would be the exciting part of it.

8.Who said that having laundry is just for girls, it’s for boys too and they are better!

Seminarians are not just taught how to be a good preachers and proclaimers of the word of God. They are also exposed to those tasks that would make them realize how to be independent and having their laundry is one of these things. But will you be getting bored when you will have your laundry in group? Will you be worn-out when you spiced it with so many chats and conversations with any topics under the sun? Or is it also dreary if you will be naughty sometimes playing with soaps and water? Perhaps this would be an interesting one.

9.Love the charism of your congregation and be used to it.

Every congregations have their own “charism” or identifiable way of contributing to the betterment of the church through the different ministries they administer. Just like in the Canossian Sons of Charity Congregation, their charism is for the youth and also to the little ones comprising of those who are not just poor in physical but also those who are destitute in spirit and faith to God. During Sundays in the Oratorio time of the seminary as an example, seminarians are the one who facilitate the catechism and tutorials for children and youth. In these ways, they would have a personal encounter with their vocation and discover the unity of their charism and with the congregation.

10.                Whatever happens, submit yourself to God.

Formation is very important in the seminary in order for the seminarians to be purified especially their vocation for the future ministry. Thus, having the crisis within the self is common for seminarians. That is why Formators are there to develop and cultivate the heart and intentions of the aspirants. On the other hand, the greatest thing that they must bring into this journey is their faith to God and always reminiscing how God called them.

These are the effective ways of making your seminary life worthy and blessed as you go along with this kind of journey. Whatever life that every person chooses, there would always be ways on how to embrace it wholeheartedly. It is just a matter of loving the things that you do and believing on what God plans for you.