Getting to Know Your St John Paul II Seminary

The seminary is nine years old. It is located in Sitio Kibanban, Digos City. It has a few buildings which house the chapel, dormitory, offices, kitchen and dining hall. The building was built upon the idea to put up a formation center for the young gentlemen who believed they have the “calling” and they want to go deeper into an experience that will take them to major studies someday. The seminary presently has 8 seminarians and 27 candidates for seminary coming from the different parishes of the diocese and sent 11 seminarians to St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Davao City plus 11 Theology students presently enrolled at the Regional Major Seminary (REMASE).

The seminary was initiated by the past Bishop, Most Rev. Generoso Camina, DD. He was the first bishop of the diocese. His successor, Most Rev. Guilermo Afable, DD made the vision into a reality. He made the construction of the seminary one of his top priorities, believing it will produce homegrown young priests who will lovingly come home someday to serve and to lead.

On August 9, 2009 during the feast of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of all the priests and in this special year of the priest, the seminary was blessed and was named St. John Paul II to honor him who erected the diocese of Digos and appointed the first two bishops of the diocese. October 22 is a significant date for the Catholic Church most specifically to the seminary because it was the time when Pope John Paul II was canonized and later proclaimed a saint. The seminary will forever remember his significant contributions from the founding of the diocese to the appointing of first two bishops.

Fr. Marvin Zamora, DCD, former Vocation Director of the Diocese of Digos and presently the Administrator of San Isidro Labrador Parish couldn’t help but mention how the Bishop went emotional during the opening of the Seminary. He was evidently happy that the once dream now becomes a reality. He also mentioned that they encountered many challenges on its early years of running the facility. They needed to invite more youngsters to respond to the call. They also realized that most of the students needed financial assistance to keep going. They offered all these at the altar believing God will take care of the matter.

Today, the seminary is on its nine years of existence. The parents, friends and supporters of the seminary continue to give help like financial aid, gifts and supplies. Bishop Guillermo Afable mentioned during the mass that the seminarians need to grow its number without sacrificing quality. It is important to him that the priests who started his life here will come back a full man with a heart of a missionary ready to carry the mission with fervor and zest. (Blaze Cantaros | Sugid SoCCom)