CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Mother of Good Counsel Seminary (MGCS) on Saturday celebrated its 60th year in formation with a grand alumni homecoming of former seminarians here.
The diamond jubilee bash of MGCS (Mater Boni Consilii) continues Sunday with a gathering of families of seminarians currently pursuing the priestly vocation in observance of the seminary's foundation on July 4.
Archbishop Paciano Aniceto recalled some seminary graduates during the commemoration dubbed "Sixty Years of Grace: MGCS Celebrates with Praise."
"It is reliving the establishment of the seminary here in San Fernando, seminary for the priesthood which started in Guagua in 1950 and then two years later was transferred to Apalit and then was moved to San Fernando in 1962 until the present," Aniceto told Sun.Star Pampanga.
Aniceto recalled he graduated at the seminary in Apalit then in 1954. He similarly cited four alumni bishops and two bishop formators of the seminary.
"We have produced four alumni bishops and two bishop formators. Aside from myself as an alumnus, we have also the late Bishop Jesus Galang, University of the Assumption president Roberto Mallari and Bishop Pablo Virgilio David," he disclosed.
The Bishop Formators, he continued, are Bishop Onesto Ongtiuco of Cubao and Bishop Florentino Labarias of Iba, Zambales.
The Outstanding Lay Alumni are Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Jose De Jesus, Regional Director on Tourism Ronaldo Mallari and Pampanga mediamen Ashley Manabat and Bong Lacson.
The 73-year-old prelate celebrated the Holy Mass in Latin for the more than 300 alumni who gathered for the jubilee.
"This is what I am most excited with. After so many years, we'll finally do Holy Mass with the former seminarians," he ended. (Marlon P.Beltran)