Bicol High School Seminarians gathered in Naga City

By Sem. Samuel Jed R. Llorin The Holy Rosary Minor Seminary recently hosted the Bicol Association of Minor Seminaries (BAMS) Meet last February 22 – 24, more than 23 years since the Minor Seminary of the Archdiocese of Caceres had joined the said gathering as a result of the closure of the High School Department in 1990 and its recent reopening in 2013. Interconnected with the Year of the Clergy and Religious, the Meet was themed “Towards a greater appreciation of the Vocation to the Priesthood” and was attended by the five Seminaries across the Bicol Region, namely: Our Lady of Peñafrancia Seminary of the Diocese of Sorsogon, St. Anthony de Padua Minor Seminary of the Diocese of Masbate, Immaculate Conception Seminary of the Diocese of Virac, St. Gregory the Great Seminary of the Diocese of Legazpi, and the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary of the Archdiocese of Caceres. 148 seminarians attended the event, with their respective seminary priests, lay faculty, staff, and parents. Various events highlighted the said event, which was opened by a motorcade and succeeded by a mass celebrated by Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona at the Good Shepherd Chapel of the Archbishop’s Residence. The first day was capped by different sports events. On the second day, Naga Parochial School Director and Caceres Parochial Schools Superintendent Fr. Rex Andrew Alarcon delivered a talk, highlighting the importance of personal development as seminarians. The traditional BAMS Night showcased the talents of the seminarians from the different seminaries. The third and last day closed the Meet with a eucharistic celebration presided by Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral. In his homily, the prelate challenged the seminarians to learn how to listen to God’s voice calling them and added “that they bring his ‘spiritual pabaon’ as they go back” to their respective seminaries. The current Rector of the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary is Fr. Mario Arnulfo Gaite, while the over-all coordinator of BAMS MEET 2018 was Fr. Jay Jacinto.