“I am coming home”: Big Brothers reunite in XaCoSe

Theorist Charles Darwin hit a sensitive chord on the Davao Exsems’ evolution over the past years. From the traditional (negative) “ex-seminarian” tag, with which some felt “uncomfortable”, it has evolved and downplayed to “former-seminarian”. Oh well, what’s in a name anyway? What counts is the way we conduct ourselves, how we think, believe, say, act, or more specifically how we treat others/each other. Anyway, the most recent big break of Darwin’s theory of evolution for our group came when as a “token of proud ownership”, it evolved further up as we started calling ourselves, BIG BROTHERS (to the seminarians of the St. Francis Xavier College Seminary or XaCoSe)! This theme dominated our week-end stay-in at the very home where we spent our youth, once upon a time, on May 26-28 this year.

This latest development tickled us, and so it became acceptable to most, if not, all of us. We started celebrating on this “newly-found trademark”. But then when the euphoria settled down, some of us started rethinking, feeling somewhat, yes, “uneasy.”

Little did we realize earlier that it’s a tremendous responsibility, a very tall order, we were imposing upon ourselves. We may have failed to fully comprehend that a BIG BRO is supposed to take care of his young bro, providing for everything that he needs beyond his means and capacity.

In a normal family setting, kuya is ready to sacrifice himself and will always be there for his bunso. And so for us, this became a self-imposed “walang iwanan” commitment for life. Hindi na ito biro! The big question therefore is: kung hindi nila kakayanin, kaya ba natin gampanan, tulungan at ibigay ang mga pangangailangan ng mga college seminarians sa XaCoSe?

If not, or if we can only say: we cannot guarantee, “kung ano lang ang kaya natin ibigay/gawin”, then how dare we say we are BIG BROTHERS to them! Ahh pwede mohangyo? Is there such a thing as a “Partial Big Bro” (PBB)? Well if there is, ‘yan na lang siguro.

But there’s no doubt as to our willingness and eagerness to help them. Obviously not all the thousands who studied/trained and left XaCoSe came forward to help voluntarily; but as records show, about a few hundred of us have already proved and demonstrated in action our intense desire to help and support them, deeply grateful and seriously feeling a loyal sentimental attachment to our beloved Alma Mater. Some of us joined, because we believe it is payback time, we did not make it, so let us just help, nakokonsensya, bumabawi lang, etc.

But wait, there’s more to it than just “pera-pera lang.” There’s an even deeper concern to seriously consider: if even financially we have difficulty doing it, here’s a heavier task we should start looking into. How can we help them so they will later become/remain GOOD PRIESTS, GOOD EXSEMS?

Once we left the seminary doors (either as ordained priests or laymen), we’re faced with the “stark reality” — the outside world, full of roses and thorns, opportunities and threats. Distractions abound, temptations all around. Vocation crisis does not refer only to lack of priests, not only to “scandalous/problem priests”, not only to dilapidated seminary buildings/structures, but also to “exsems” who behave, think, say, and act as if they have not undergone any seminary training at all.

Sa totoo lang, let’s admit it, many of us have stopped attending Mass/going to church, nor getting involved in parish activities, and getting immersed into the complex web of earthly preoccupations. Even worse, these “lost sheep” have become social menace and problems in their community!

So what can we do? How can we the BIG BROTHERS help, along this area of such church crisis?

And so going back to the big question: how serious are we? Are we ready to pledge, commit and sacrifice, assume the role as BIG BROTHERS to them? Not only in words, but in action! O baka naman, napapasubo na lang tayo nito ha? This is no small chip confronting us, but a big dream, a very noble vision we are honestly trying to chart; mga kabs, hello ‘wag tayong magpapadalos-dalos, isip… isip… isip… (Dodong Ocon | Former Seminarian)