Krystal Gale Cromente
2nd Year BA Mass Communication
University of the Philippines Visayas Cebu College
AFTER a series of novena masses capped with a solemn procession for the vesperas, the Blessed John XXIII Seminary (BJS) in Mabolo, Cebu City celebrated the feast of their patron St. John Mary Vianney last Aug. 8.
“Becoming Witnesses of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace to the World in our Time” was the theme for the 28th annual feast of the patron.
The fiesta celebration started with a Pontifical Mass at 9:30 a.m. celebrated by His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal. The mass was held at the BJS covered court and mass-goers were mostly composed of parents and relatives of the high school seminarians.
The mass was followed with a lunch gathering among seminarians, their families, teachers and the priest formators.
A short program followed the lunch, where winners from the BJS Got Talent a day earlier performed.
Seminarians also presented two cultural dances, the Maglalatik and Pandanggo sa Ilaw, with the former being performed without the usual coconut shell props.
Also attending the celebration was Girlie Las Piñas, 2009 Cebu Pop Music Festival Grand Prize winner, whose son is a 1st year high school seminarian in BJS.
Msgr. Alfredo O. Romanillos, BJS rector, concluded the program with his closing remarks.