yup! this is the refectory circa 2006. i never associated refectory as a sad place -- eating there was fun coz we fought over food, told funny stories, shared baon and of course the merienda time ..isakaramusa hehehe. but here it looks sad and feels really empty.
so counting the chairs i assume there are only about 58 seminarians.
and even the priests' table (ano ngani an tawag sadto?) has also gotten smaller
looks like OLPS is beginning to fade away... :-(
what can the alumni kaya do to revive OLPS? any suggestions?
got the pix pala from batch 93
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OLPS won't fade away kun intero kita magbaralik sa sulod. Nano baya mga sano?
Seriously, namunduun ako na basi pag-abot sin adlaw eh wara na kirita mabibisita na OLPS or better put it... wara na kita mauulian na OLPS. I hope na diri man mangyari ini. Nano daw talaga an mahihimo ta intero?
UNTIL MONS PAX RETURNS TO OLPS
yayes
The "refectory photo" is just the tip of the iceberg and I'm pretty sure it opened the floodgates and emotions will pour in but at least it came to the surface so we all can share some positive contributions. I don't want to sound like a pessimist but at least we will try while it's still not too late and ultimately we can't just sit on the fence and let new/future SANOS be a dying breed and much more, we want OLPS to be there when we retire.
To conclude... we might not be the answer to the problem but we can be the question for answers that will come... 'coz I believe the question will be, " Why are they doing it (this project)... is it because OLPS has made a great impact on their lives (which is true!)???". From there, parents can then conclude that sending their sons to the seminary in the future is the best decision they'll make....
yeah, and perhaps when we speak about the minor seminary we immediately associate it with, well, priesthood, whether we like it or not(even if we're just after solid academic formation or basketball and then leave later on, we had to say the "magic line" to boost our chance of admission: "i want to become a priest someday", naaaks!).
postmodernity has just redefined a lot of things to the postmodern young man--the "potential seminarista".
random thoughts led me to reflecting on these points:
1. change the approach, i.e., formation-wise or the set-up. we need to adapt to the current times, perhaps make the seminary co-ed (hmm, pwede pa magbalik?!?) or like one boarding school (oh captain! my captain! hahaha, very dead-poets-society ah!) instilling the usual values and experiences that bind us altogether (viz., academics, discipline,language, sports, creativity, and what-have-you); however make it a point not to create a school simply for the rich or so, maybe create opportunities for the less-fortunate to still be able to consider studying in the "boarding school" (a.k.a. repackaged seminary). from this set-up we identify prospects for the priestly-vocation.
2. priesthood. nothing's wrong with priesthood anyway, it is one great heroic way of responding to "the call"(okay, all of us are called, lay and ordained alike, we just responded in many different ways) . but then something's wrong with a few (or if not some) priests not just in the diocese but then the priest as a global identity. one great challenge for our shepherds, huh!;
3. timing (somehow corrolary to reflection #1). when should we start forming would-be-priests? at a very precarious age of adolescence--a very crucial developmental stage that necesitates a vey careful treatment or atleast a "normal" and healthy environment. we have so much more to say on this issue, but let's just expound on this when we have an in-depth analysis of the situation.
i bet you have a lot more points to add after this. speak your mind out sanos. this is one bold step that we're taking which will consequently address this "pressing issue".
look how a picture painted a thousand words. litrato lang yan san refectory, pero kitaa an nagruluwas na horop-horop ta. whew...
hearted-_boy posted the refectory picture and now everybody could have a share of the pie. we could post here also a picture of the chapel, of the study hall, of the dormnitories but as sano dondee said: "litrato lang yan san refectory,pero kitaa an nagruluwas na horop-horop ta",picture really
paints a thousand words. and that picture says that we really need your help, if we want at least, that when we reach our golden days some young stout hearted boys would still be singing for us the OLPS hymn as we stand proud (maybe bent by old age)that once we belong to this great alma mater.
thanks bomick, dondee and o-ep for the meaningful discussion and insightful suggestions
olps will be more interesting if it participate in activities within the province, like quiz bees, sports heck maybe even proms. during my time stuff like that was removed. we have to literally beg to join in the sorsogon basketball tourney. olps community was not even permitted to watch the game. little things like that is a big turn off now with kids wanting to enter olps.
olps will need a lot of pr work. maybe we can have the services of aldin ayo, he used to play with letran. have mike go come up with some sort of uaap/ncaa tourney that olps can participate. other alumni can contirbute funds for elective subjects in olps..like photography, video editing, band equipment...you know stuff that can be fun will you're inside olps....
I am at the moment compiling my own ideas and inputs and will post them as soon as I'm through with them.
Here's my initial input which I will put more emphasis on advertising the seminary to the outside world (not everyone in the province knows the existence of the school, pls. correct me on this if I'm wrong).
1. The FM radio station of the Diocese (does it still exists?) can be used as a medium for spreading the news in form of advertisements.
2. Any local cable station that shows local news and programs can also be used for the same purpose (ads).
3. Community newspaper and magazines can have the same purpose as well.
4. A group or PR people (spin doctors) can be employed or the existing admin. staff and they shall have the detailed knowledge of the seminary so they can answer all the questions thrown at them. These people can set up stalls during provincial and town festivals (Kasanggayahan for example, mayun pa sini hanggan niyan?)and have pamphlets and other informative materials on display for people and visitors to browse and be handed to.
5. Time should be allocated for these PR personnel and seminarians say a week a year to celebrate a so-called Seminary Week where they will visit schools in and around the province to discuss with primary teachers and students about the benefits of studying in the seminary.
I'll post more next time!
Mga sano out there, we encourage more people to join this think tank group to create more resolutions for the ongoing problem! Please feel free to do so...
jan-jan renovalles- soldier/pmayer
aldin ayo- varsity letran, in his bball jersey
mike go- councilor/civil servant
who's that film director?- entertainment industry
priest-whoever do they want to be the poster boy, but hopefully someone young
basically the poster will show the jocks, the nerds, the grunts, the clergy etc..each of them cool in their fields..
the poster can be used as a recruitment tool, to be posted in different school. its like a be all you can be in olps kinda thing. well of course the diocese will have to approve it. and olps adapt to a new system.
O-ep, I have a question for you... Will these practical yet innovative ideas mentioned be accepted by the current OLPS admin.? Will the system allow you to use them? Please advise!
So maybe a boarding school for boys focusing on math and sciences, languages and technology (parang philippine science high --kasi boarding school din sila-- pero a whole lot better--- parang OLPS would be training renaissance men -warrior-philosopher-kings hehehehe) that would be cool!
and we just have to keep the name as it is OLPS hehehe
gibbs cadiz
batch '87
Objectives has been defined.Things had a good start..The only ingredient missing is Motivation..Thats why we have a board of officers and the SANO as a whole!! Lain man ogang reunion lamang an objeto naton!!Hala pa tawag na meeting!!
Mene... ayaw pagdonar sin orig kay pupulutanun/lilitsunun man hamok yuon sa reunion. Hehehehehe! Anyway, your suggestion of donating spare time to mentor seminarians is an excellent proposal. This will not only strengthen the unity with sanos (alumni and current students) but will also keep the retention of those who are already enrolled there.
I have this plan of enrolling my son into where I spent my 4 years of adolescent life, my 2nd home, my highschool alma mater, the Our lady of Penafrancia Seminary. I also want him to have what I had when I was in the seminary. But now I have 2nd thoughts because of what's happening to OLPS. So please enlighten me.
Last question, batchmate mo man baya si Boy Barranda, ha? Thanx Mene!
I am forever grateful to Bulan priests who sent me to the seminary.
1) Msgr. Ching Encinares - He conducted the invocation in my elementary graduation. After the program, he personally met me at the backstage and asked me take the entrance exam. Then, he accompanied me and 4 more kids to Sorsogon for the exam.
2) Papa Leo - This ideal priest met all Bulan seminarians during summer at 3PM every afternoon after his siesta to teach Latin (MW) and Spanish (T-TH). This went on until I was in Junior year. Because of this 'daya', I was an A-1 student in both subjects. In college, I was in the Spanish advanced class only attending 1 session per trimester and guaranteed with the highest grade of 4. At work, I was paid 38+/mo. because of Spanish proficiency.
Priests of each town should be involved too. Please post contacts and information of these 2 priests.