A road of his own choices

CEBU, Philippines - When most of childhood dreams are made up of hopes for stardom and heroic goals, some are just destined to find the light.

Meet 19-year-old Romeo Toring Jr.– tall, a little bit dark, and a seminarian. Currently majoring in Philosophy at the San Carlos Seminary College in Mabolo, the next academic year would be his eighth year in the seminary life, as he started his high school at the Blessed John XXIII Seminary.

One would get curious as to whether it was his choice to follow the path to priesthood, for many would think that an incoming high school student deciding to become a priest is too young.

Not for him, though. Romeo shares that entering the seminary is what he has wanted ever since. He traces his decision to the establishment of a chapel near their house in Lapu-Lapu City. Admittedly, Romeo reveals that his family was not really religious, but the chapel served as an opportunity for them to reinforce their faith and participate in the activities.

It was in participating that he got to assist the priests as an altar boy or "sacristan". The time spent with the priests was also time spent for the realization of what he wanted to be. He was inspired by their teachings, driven by the priests’ advocacy and empowered by possible experience.

Now looking back to the years he has been a seminarian, Romeo believes he has never been happier and fulfilled.

Tagged, judged

However, despite the years of fulfilment, he also shares that there have been disadvantages in studying in the seminary. For him, being stereotyped by people he barely knows tops the list.

"Mura ug naa kay name tag bitaw. Nga pag makahibaw sila nga semenarista ka, ang musud sa ilang huna-huna kay, ay, serious kaayo na siya. Puro ra bahin sa Ginoo ang mugawas sa baba ana. And I think, what's wrong with that? They look at spreading the word of God as a bad thing," (It's like you have this name tag. If they [people] know you're a seminarian, what comes to their minds is that 'he's serious' or 'he talks about nothing else but God'. And I think, what's wrong with that? They look at spreading the word of God as a bad thing.)

Second is the way society constructs and attaches an image of that seminarian from a regular teenager. For him, people tend to view a seminarian as different from that of a regular teenager just because they differ in, perhaps, their spiritual life and other things.

Lastly, Romeo shares great dislike for the tendency of other people to get scandalized by their mistakes, no matter how little they are. If somehow they let out a bad word, people would condemn them more than when a normal teenager.

“Makalimot bitaw sila nga tao pud mi. Pareha ra baya mi – estudyante pud, nag-eskwela,” (People tend to forget that we are still human beings. We're still like them [other kids] – students studying.)

Back on track

However, despite these disadvantages, Romeo still thinks that nothing will outweigh what he has learned and experienced in the seminary walls. It was in this vast enclosed space that he built a concrete spiritual life – a life full of faith and meaning;and an intimate relationship with God, the Father he has come to look up to.

Romeo believes that God has a greater meaning as to why he was guided to the seminary.

“If wala tingali ko ngari, adik siguro gihapon ko ug DOTA ug uban pang computer games. Padayon tingali akong lifestyle nga wa koy drive mu-skewela. And maybe, wala ra kaayo koy value sa ubang taw unlike now," (If I'm not here, I'd probably be still addicted to DOTA and other computer games. I'd likely continue to be someone without the drive to study, and maybe people would not value me as much as they do now.)

Now, he sees himself as not his usual old self, rather as a man who has a lot of opportunities ahead of him with a formation he can be proud of. He takes great pride in being able to go to church every day and follow a particular schedule because it gives him the sense of being more responsible in budgeting his time as well as have a concrete direction in life. He's also now happy to be able to answer other people's questions regarding faith and guide them just like how he guided himself to enlightenment.

Inspiring others

Romeo also advices future seminarians to cherish the feeling of God's call before embarking on the journey to priesthood with this message: "Let that feeling grow in your heart; paminawa ang tingog sa Ginoo dili sa dunggan apan diha sa kasingkasing," (Listen to the voice of God not through your ears, but with your heart.) (FREEMAN)