Fr. Angelia is new seminary rector

Rev. Fr. Orlando A. Angelia, DCD, is now officially installed as the new rector of the Saint Francis Xavier College Seminary during the celebration of the Holy Spirit Mass presided by his Excellency, Most. Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, at the Saint Francis Xavier College seminary chapel, June 15, 2016.

In an appointment letter which took effect last June 7, Fr. Angelia is to replace Fr. Maximo Bahinting, DCD, as a rector. Fr. Bahinting has served the seminary for 10 years.

Abp. Valles recognized Fr. Angelia for doing great in his previous assignment as the parish priest of the new St. Francis of Assisi parish in La Verna. He also said that Fr. Angelia is the best and the most deserving choice for this task.

Attendees such as seminarians, Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, religious and diocesan priests, were told by the archbishop that seminary work is the work of the Church, it is the work of God in which we only participate. “Seminary life is the way of the cross, it requires a lot from those who want to follow the Lord in the work of spreading the Gospel,” he added.

He challenged the seminarians to discover Jesus in the seminary, so that they may experience the joy of seeing the Lord.

Fr. Angelia was happy and humbled by this new assignment as he expressed his gratitude to fellow resident priest-formators, faculty, and staff who will be his partners and co-workers in the formation of the future priests of the local Church of Davao.

“I am overwhelmed by the presence of their new rector,“ says Sem. Kim Amparo.

“He is so Christ-like,” said Miss Pops Barcela, one of the teachers of SFX-College seminary. “I am so happy that he will be the one who will journey with the seminarians,” she added.

“I am very happy and excited because our new rector is still very young, he can surely connect with our generation,” said another second year seminarian Charles Gonzales.

“With his brilliance and competence, I am sure that he can handle the seminary very well as he is the perfect choice for the task,” the graduating seminarian Nathaniel Suarez said.

Born on May 2, 1973 in Babak, Garden City of Samal, Fr. Angelia was ordained priest on February 14, 2002. He earned his AB Philosophy from the very institution which he will now be serving as rector, Pastoral Ministry masteral at the Regional Major Seminary (REMASE), and Moral Theology doctorate at the University of Navarra, Spain. (Cristopher Alcayde)