New School Year

The ministry of forming young boys become young men started once again. The school year 2008-2009 kicked off last June 15 with the celebration of the Mass of the Holy Spirit presided over by Bishop Bastes, a week after the seminarians already comfortably settled themselves in their "newly-designated" places in the seminary -- including after being acquainted with their cleaning assignments, chairs and pupitres, dormitories and beds, table assignments and classrooms, and their sitting arrangements both in the chapel and the study hall (June 7 -- entrance date).

Relatively, there were fewer freshmen this year. Only 19 boys among the 24 passers entered. But after only a few days, we already had two casualties (they went out for a reason known to us all -- homesickness). Aside from the 19 freshmen, there were 2 transferees (incoming sophomores).

As of the moment, the community is composed of 17 freshmen, 28 sophomores, 15 juniors, 11 seniors, 3 priest-formators, 1 nun, 4 full-time office personnel, 7 house and kitchen staff, 2 part-time cleric teachers, and 8 part-time teachers. All in all, we are 96 able-bodied and good-spirited members of the seminary community for the school year 2008-2009.

Pictures of the events that transpired this month of June will be posted (soon) later.

These are what we need so far as we started the year -- prayers! prayers! prayers! Other needs will be mentioned later as the year progresses.