After a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary (HASS) resumed on August 5, 2023 its various apostolate programs providing pastoral exposure to senior seminarians as part of their integral formation.
Prior to the deployment of the seminarians in their respective community assignments, the "Rite of Sending-Off" commenced during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist around 7am on that same day.
Fr. Roy Rexelle Decena, Rector and the Director of Pastoral Formation, announced the apostolic placements of the brothers towards the conclusion of the Holy Eucharist celebrated at the HASS Chapel. In a solemn commissioning and send-off rites within the Mass, the brothers also received their apostolate cross and bible---symbolic of the mandate to bring and discover Christ's presence in the parishes, communities, families and individuals they will encounter and minister to.
As in "The Commissioning of the Disciples" (cf. Mt. 28: 16-20), where the Lord instructed them "Go forth and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," the senior seminarians are to bear the Lord's compassionate presence and share the good news of Christ to poor families, basic ecclesial communities, the sick in the hospitals and to any people they will encounter in the apostolate.
One brother-seminarian recalled his first time to set foot at this part of Tondo, one of the seminary's apostolate areas. As they visited smaller communities in the area, they walked through the sea wall that helps block a portion of the sea full of garbage. He noticed that because of the pile of rubbish, the sea water and the surroundings would stink. But this is also precisely a place where the Lord Jesus chooses to dwell. This will be their home for the next apostolate weekends where they will immerse themselves. For a brother in formation, such experience will always be fruitful because he is given wider eyes to see and a growing capacity to embrace the plight of his brothers and sisters. This is where one also encounters the Lord or allow the light of Christ to shine through. Vocation, indeed, is saying "Yes" to Christ every day! Through the apostolate of presence, this Yes is being challenged, strengthened and renewed.
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