DAVAO City, August 25, 2012—After spending years in seminary formation and the priesthood, the alumni priests of St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary (REMASE) of Mindanao are back again to the heart of the Church—the seminary— for their biennial homecoming.
“It’s time to be home with our brothers. A time to be back to our Galilee experience with the Lord and to learn from him again,” said REMASE alumni president Fr. Gilbert Nasataya from the Archdiocese of Cotabato who once served the seminary as one of its formators.
Priests coming from 21 dioceses of Mindanao converged August 20 to 22 at REMASE, Catalunan Grande, Davao City, where they underwent rigorous academic, human, pastoral and spiritual training and formation.
The occasion was graced by the presence of the newly-installed Archbishop of Davao Romulo G. Valles who was the keynote speaker.
Archbishop Valles, also a REMASE alumnus, finished his theology from the seminary in 1976.
“The alumni homecoming is the moment when the alumni priests re-visit the very place which is very important to their journey as priests. The homecoming would hopefully re-kindle the fire of serving the Lord and His church,” said REMASE Rector, Msgr. Abel Apigo.
As REMASE is now on its 48th year of existence, Msgr. Apigo said REMASE formators at present are trying their best to give seminarians the kind of formation that will mold them to become holy and zealous priests in the future.
“Full of hope, the St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary as an institution is happily journeying to her coming golden jubilee on 2014,” Msgr. Apigo added.
The REMASE homecoming happens only once every two years. (John Frances C. Fuentes)
