The bishop of Pagadian has urged seminarians to be committed in living the community dimension of their formation and strive to put their ideals to reality.
In a report posted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar, of the Pagadian Diocese and Bishop-in-Charge of Saint Mary’s Theologate Seminary at Gango, Ozamiz City, said seminarians should strive to create a community model that embraces the common vision and mission statements of the ecclesiastical province of Dipolog, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Iligan and Marawi (DOPIM), and put their ideals to reality.
The bishop said seminarians will be engaged in a lot of academic studies, theological reflections and pastoral exposures but their overall aim is to be saturated by the Spirit of Christ and His mission.
“I want to share the purpose of this journey: To become personally penetrated and permeated by the person and mission of Christ,” he said in his column.
The prelate also stressed “the personal journey with Christ is not to be undertaken individually, but as a group, that is, as formative community,” said Cabajar.
Cabajar said the community dimension of formation is essential not just for religious congregations that are supposed to lead a community life, but also for the secular clergy.
Cabajar said the task of building and strengthening basic ecclesial communities – the Gagmayang Kristohanong Katilingban (GSKs) – certainly requires some experience of community living in SMT.
He said it demands serious training, which leads seminarians to share everything with the other brothers in the community. – Sandy Araneta