Big Brother

We are inside "kuya's bahay" so to speak.

Living in the seminary changed my life. Do you know how it is inside a seminary?

Let me put it this way. If you are watching Big Brother....like the Pinoy Big Brother...with all the rules but removing the controversies and other things in the Big Brother's house.:)

The seminary is like any other school. The only difference is that we are in one place. Inside our parents are not around to watch over us rather there are priest formators, teachers, and our big brothers so to speak.

We are group into twelve, named after the twelve apostles. Each group is compose of seniors, juniors, sophomore and freshmen. Freshmen are assigned to Seniors and we call them....guess what...Big brother.

They look after us making sure that we are not doing things that are against the rules. As I qoute our rector...Rules are like boxes, they keep you from harm so keep the rules and the rules will keep you." But besides that they are there to guide us in our personal journey to Christian life and if ever we are really called to the priesthood.

After some time I myself became Big brother. Its a task without any price but the reward is knowing that one can shape someone to be the best person that they can be.

Entering the seminary

I was too young back then. I really never said I want to be in the seminary. Usually our dad enrolls us to the Catholic High School in town just like all my older siblings. It was because of the influence of our SVD parish priest, Rev. Father August Herbers +, that I ended up staying in the seminary.

I really never made decisions for my own during those days. I just go what my parents say because I believe they have the best intentions for me. I secured all my documents to enter the seminary. Then I took the entrance test and had the chance to go around the seminary. It was quiet...it was summer thus the institution was silent. Seminarians were in their homes and parishes. But there I am, just going with the flow.




It was awkward; I am not good in communicating in English back then. I am just a young boy who recently graduated elementary. I went to three interviews one of which is an American SVD, Rev. John Donald Healy. The purpose of these interviews was to check the psychological status of every applicant.



After all that I was accepted. We were handed a list of things needed. In a way I was just like the typical English kids sent to a boarding school...but a different boarding school. They say the word "seminary" is derived from seminarium, translated as seed-bed. Thus the seminary is more than just a boarding house. It is a formation institution for future priest.