God uses men and women

(An excerpt of the homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., during the 60th Founding Anniversary of St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary of Mindanao, July 11, 2024.)

And, today in this very special Jubilee, we say, Lord, we renew our faith in your presence amongst us, as we say in theology, in studies, the efficacious, the ever always effective presence of the Lord in our midst. And one of the effects of that efficacious, always active, always creating results of God’s presence is this seminary.

But first also today we renew our belief in the mystery of God’s style the style of God that God uses men and women. Pwede dili, pwede dili.

But since the beginning like he called Abraham he called Moses. Kun dramahon pa nato in his God’s battle before the evil forces of the Egyptians of the Pharaoh pwede shortcut, but he called Moses, Aaron. Drama kaayo, thrilling kaayo. Egyptians, “sus ning Ginoo oy, arte, arte pa, kilatan lang unta ning Egyptians, but a bit of agony, God’s style. He chose men, fast forward, he chose to send himself but unta Superman, kondili he sent his son to be like us. So, today as we remember 60 years of ReMaSe, we renew our belief just as we believe that it is God’s hand. God chooses men and women to establish his ways, and like remembering our Bishop Thibault 60 years ago.

And for us today with the Rector, Vice Rector, duha ka Rene, with bishops in the Commission, faculty members, friends of ReMaSe, benefactors, we continue making alive the project that God has begun 60 years ago with Archbishop Thibault and the bishops, we continue today not only crossing our arms and say, God, continue what you begun. No, we believe also that God uses men and women to sustain his miraculous project. I should say of the 60 years of ReMaSe.

With that thought in mind, I can, with confidence, say in the years to come, ReMaSe will continue to exist simply because it is God’s project, God’s program, God’s gift, but mysteriously sustained by us who believe that God uses men and women to be with him… We need the conviction that God needs men. In its powerful being, God, powerful nature, He needs, he calls men to cooperate with him. So, this is the seminary that we are remembering today in its jubilee. Now, the purpose of the seminary, well spelled out in the fairly recent motto of the seminary. Ilahang tag – Priests according to the Heart of Jesus of Christ. Mao na ang ilang motto to mold more priests according to the heart of Christ.