Abra Diocesan Major Seminarians

Happy Birthday, Rev. Fr. Mark Cloyd Degrano!
More years of serving the Lord, Apo!
Greetings from the Abra Diocesan Major Seminarians...

ARISE | The Abra Diocesan Major Seminarians served during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on the culmination of the Diocesan Youth Camp 2023 in Lagayan, Abra.

𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐁𝐘𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐘, 𝐅𝐑. 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐃!

Rev. Fr. Mark Cloyd Degrano, Vocation Director of the Diocese of Bangued and parish priest of St. Joseph the Worker Quasi-Parish, marks his First Presbyteral Anniversary today.

Let us remember him in our prayers and ask God to guide him in his vocation as a shepherd to the people of God.

We are now accepting applicants for SY 2023-2024 for incoming Grades 7, 8 and 11.

For complete details, visit:
http://www.stjosephseminary.com/admissions.html

SCHEDULE OF EXAMINATIONS
🟢 January 22, 2023
🟢 January 29, 2023
🟢 February 5, 2023
🟢 February 12, 2023
🟢 February 19, 2023

PRELIMINARY REQUIREMENTS

🟢 Letter of Permission to take the test from Parish Priest
🟢 Letter of recommendation from School Head
🟢 Photocopy of recent grades
🟢 2 pcs. 2x2 pictures
🟢 Accomplished Application Form

ATM | ADMS Christmas Party 2022

Celebration of the Holy Eucharist presided by Most Rev. Leopoldo C. Jaucian, SVD, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Bangued

"Desiring to become a priest is not enough. You must act on your priestly desire!” Fr. Quirico T. Pedregosa Jr., OP

Congratulations, brothers! May you persevere in your vocation to priesthood!

Five seminarians from the Discipleship Stage Year I (Class of St. Anselm of Canterbury) were vested with their cassock and surplice on Sunday, September 25, 2022, at the UST Central Seminary Chapel.

In his homily before the simple rite of investiture, the Rev. Fr. Quirico T. Pedregosa Jr., OP, the Central Seminary Rector, reminded the seminarians that more than just desiring the priestly life, those who aspire for it must be committed in their years in formation.

Reflecting on the Gospel, the Father Rector noted that the rich man may have had good intentions for the poor but did not act on such desires.

Seminarians, he said, do all have good intentions when they enter the seminary so that they may act on these desires.

"Desiring to become a priest is not enough," Fr. Pedregosa said. "You must act on (your priestly) desire."

During the Rite of Investiture, seminarians are vested with cassocks as a sign of their commitment to the priestly formation. At the same time, surplices are meant to be worn when they serve in the liturgy.

Those who were vested were: Sem. Gene Gabriel De Guzman Ablaza, Diocese of Bangued; Sem. Leonard Renn Alzate Barros, Diocese of Bangued; Sem. Kenny Gallego Guevarra, Diocese of Balanga; Sem. Hartnell Dimayuga Guevarra, Diocese of San Fernando of La Union; and Zuriel Job Seril Pariñas, Diocese of Bangued.

Pagyamanantay ti Dios a nangted manen iti baro a tawen ken Fr. Mark Cloyd T. Degrano a Vocation Director ti Diocesetayo, ket makipagkaykaysatayo a mangrambak ita nga aldaw iti panagkasangay na.

Happy Birthday apo Mark! May God bless you a hundredfold.

We again thank our brothers and sisters who have reached out to our diocese for their financial aid and other forms of assistance. For those who still want to donate, you may deposit to our Social Action Commission's PNB Checking Account: Roman Catholic Bishop of Bangued - NASSA (222670000933). For Gcash: 09365192794 (Jeffrey B.). You may contact this page or the following contact persons before/after depositing your donations: Rev. Fr. Jeffrey Bueno (09365192794) or Ms. Asuncion Reyes (09758894793). Please send your e-receipts.
Rest assured that your donations will be used as intended.

Dios ti agngina!

*Fraudulent acts are always wrong, especially in situations after a disaster. Please do not attempt to use these situations to scam charitable movements that try to help people.

July 6, 2022
The Shepherd’s Voice Radio Program at DZPA with the UST & ICST Seminarians, Ma’am Flora Velasco, & Ma’am Elaine Ferras

AW-AWISENNATAYO NI JESUS NGA AGANI

Maikasangapulo ket Uppat a Domingo ti Kadawyan a Tawen
Sunday, July 3, 2022

EBANGHELIO: “Pimmili ni Jesus iti pitopulo ket dua a lallaki. Imbaonna ida a sagdudua ta umun-unada a mapan iti tunggal ili. ‘Adu ti anien, ngem bassit ti agani. Agdawatkayo ngarud iti akinkukua ti maani tapno mangibaon kadagiti agani iti paanina. Inkayon! Ibaonkayo a kas karnero iti yan ti arban dagiti lobo. Dikay mangitugtugot iti supot, bay-on wenno sapatos. Dikay agsardeng dalan a kumablaaw iti sasinoman. No sumrekkayo iti maysa a balay, umuna a kunayo, ‘Adda koma talna iti daytoy a balay, No iti dayta a balay adda tao a managayat iti talna, agbatinto kenkuana ti inkablaawyo. No awan, ibabawiyo ti inkablaawyo. Agdaguskayo iti dayta a balay ket kanenyo ken inumenyo ti idasarda kadakayo ta rumbeng a matangdanan ti agtrabaho. Dikay agalis-alis iti pagdagusanyo. No sumrekkayo iti maysa nga ili ket awatendakayo, kanenyo ti maidasar kadakayo. Paimbagenyo dagiti masakit iti dayta nga ili kunayo, ‘Asidegen kadakayo ti Pagarian ti Dios.’”

ESTORIA: Idi addaak iti maysa a parokia, napanak iti eskuela ket inyawisko kadagiti estudiante ti bokasion a kinapadi ken kinamadre. Nakakaskasdaaw ta gapu iti dayta nga awis, adda dagiti simrek iti seminario ken kombento. Ket nagbunga iti lima a padi ken maysa a madre. Iti naudi a parokia, adda tallo a sakristan a nagaget a tumultulong iti simbaan ken barangay a papananmi pagmisaan. Inawisko ida nga sumrek iti seminario ket immayda nagtest ditoy seminario ket naawatda.

MENSAHE: “Adu ti anien ngem bassit ti agani.” Para ken Jesus, amin a tattao ti maani. Amin a tattao ditoy lubong, ania man a kolor, aniaman a suli ditoy daga. Amin a kita ti tao - nabaknang man wenno napanglaw, managbasol man wenno nasingpet, agsakit man wenno nasalun-at, mamati man wenno pagano, uray dagiti sabali ti pammatina. Ipangpangrunana dagiti saan a mamati, dagiti napanglaw, dagiti masakit ken adda problemana. Kayat ni Jesus nga agkaykaysa amin a tao Kenkuana. Ti kararagna: “Agkaykaysada koma amin Ama, kas iti panagkaykaysata.”

“Ngem bassit ti agani.” Agpayso unay a bassit dagiti agani. Agkurkurang ti papadi ken mamadre kadagiti adu a lugar. Uray ditoy Abra, saggaysa laeng ti padi ti kada parokia malaksid ti cathedral. Sadiay America ken Europa, pagtitiponenda ti dua wenno tallo a parokia nga aywanan ti maysa a padi. Ditoy Pilipinas, ti average nga bilang ti aywanan ti maysa a padi ket 100,000 a kristiano katoliko. Adu met ti tumulong a laigo, dagiti kameng ti religious organizations, dagiti lay leaders. Ngem agkurang dagitoy a mangaywan kadagiti amin a tattao.

“Agdawatkayo ngarud iti akinkukua ti maani tapno mangibaon kadagiti agani iti paanina.” Nagpintas a panunoten a kukua ti Dios amin a tao a maani. No kukuana, isu ti mangsigurado a maani ti paanina. Agkararagtayo ngarud Kenkuana, ta mangibaon kadagiti papadi, mamadre, dagiti laigo a tumulong iti panagawis kadagiti tattao a mamati Kenkuana. Ngarud agkararagtayo tapno adu dagiti umuneg ti seminario ken komkombento. Agdawattayo tapno adu dagiti tumulong iti pannakaporma dagiti papadi, mamadre, ken laigo babaen iti pinansial wenno moral a pammagbaga wenno pammatuladda. Ni Jesus ti mangayab ken mangpili. Isu ti mangted ti grasia kadagiti lallaki ken babai nga agtarigagay nga agpadi, agmadre, ken agserbi iti simbaan a kas laigo.

“Ibaonkayo a kas karnero iti yan ti arban dagiti lobo.” Ammo ni Jesus a napeggad ti mangiwaragawag ti mensahena. Adu dagiti lobo wenno kumontra. Masapul ngarud ti tured ken panagsakripisio. Nakasaganada a mangidaton ti biagda, tiempoda, ken uray iti sanikuada. Dida agbuteng ta ni Jesus ti kadua ken salaknibda.

“Dikay mangitugtugot iti supot, bay-on wenno sapatos. Dikay agsardeng dalan a kumablaaw iti sasinoman.” Kinasimple ti kayat ni Jesus kadagiti ibaonna. Awan ti itugotda malaksid ti Sao ti Dios, ti mensahe a kappia, ken iti pannakabalin a mangagas kadagiti masakit ken mangpaksiat ti demonio. Agdiskargada kadagiti material a balonda, ta pakanen ida dagiti pagserbianda. Agdiskargada kadagiti bagahe a probproblema ti balay, ti pamilia, ken personal tapno mawayaanda nga mangipokos ti panangiwaragawag ken Jesus ken ti mensahena.

“Apo, mangibaonka kadagiti agani ta adu ti maani. AMEN.”

Fr. Floro Bautista

We are now accepting applicants for SY 2022-2023 for incoming Grades 7, 8 and 11.

For more details, visit:
http://www.stjosephseminary.com/admissions.html

Interested in web design and layouting? Want to learn more how to improve your digital communication and harness its potential for evangelization? Check out this online seminar organized by the Faculty of Philosophy Students’ Forum.

Congratulations, Reverend Mark Cloyd T. Degrano !
Diocese of Bangued, we have a new deacon!

The Diocese has one diocesan minor seminary: St. Joseph Seminary. ( St. Joseph Seminary, Bangued, Abra )

History:

Abra was originally a part of the vast ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Nueva Segovia. At present, Nueva Segovia comprises the whole civil province of Ilocos Sur and the city of Vigan as its seat.

On 12 June 1955, Abra was raised to a Prelature Nullius through the Apostolic Letter Cum Misericors Deus by Pope Pius XII. The capital town of Bangued became its seat. The Very Rev. Odilo Etspueler, SVD, the Rector of the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Vigan, was appointed as the Prelate Ordinary of Bangued. He was ordained Bishop on 11 October 1956 at Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City. It was also during the term of Bishop Estpueler that Bangued was elevated into a Diocese on 15 November 1982 by Pope John Paul II.

St. Joseph Seminary finds its inception from the mandate of the er****on of the Prelature itself. The decree of the er****on of the Prelature Nullius of Bangued indicates that Bishop, “attend, as soon as possible, to the er****on of at least a minor seminary to receive and train young boys for the priesthood according to the norms of Canon Law and of the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities...” (Banguedensis Praelatus Seminariumsaltemelementariumcuretquamprimum excitandumadfurisnormam et iuxta lengem a S. Consilio Seminariis Studiorumque Universatibus praeposito traditas...)
With this mandate as its starting point, St. Joseph Seminary has the main purpose to form young men to be true Christian gentlemen who possess the intellectual, moral and spiritual qualities of becoming a priest. Only boys who expressly mention their intention and desire to become a priest would be accepted.

It was a tall order at that time to establish a minor seminary for Abra. Skeptics and some ordinary people doubted its viability, but Bishop Etspueler, being an optimist and obedient man, pursued the mandate and found ways to start the dream. On 29 December 1959, on the occasion of the first Solemn Thanksgiving Mass of Fr. Dominador Flores, SVD, in Tayum, the Bishop committed himself publicly to open a seminary the following school year, 1960.
From then on everything had to move fast. On 1 June 1960, Fr. Peter Mayers, SVD, formerly assigned in Vigan, became the first Rector. He served in this capacity until 25 April 1969. The old Bishop’s Residence (This is the Lizardo Building in Bangued adjacent to the present Bishop’s Compound) served as the temporary house. They hired masons and carpenters to make the necessary adjustments of the rooms in this old house. Meanwhile, advertisements for the opening of the seminary were made. Things were eventually made ready and in good shape as June of that year approached. It was a humble beginning.

On 11 June 1960, twelve young men entered the new St. Joseph Seminary. This date was also the official foundation of the Seminary. Those who initially entered were actually thirteen. The thirteenth, however, quit early the next morning. Classes started on June 13 of that year. Latin, Religion, and Music were offered in the seminary. For the rest of the classes, these young men went to the nearby Colegio del Sagrado Corazon, known at present as the Divine Word College of Bangued. With their presence, the neighbors were delighted to hear these young men with their sweet voices singing the Salve Regina before retiring every night.

Meanwhile, the planning and work for the identified site and all-new edifices of St. Joseph Seminary began. The wooded area of a Church property in Galicia, Pidigan was the chosen place, located along the highway between Pidigan and Bangued. To prepare the mountainous terrains into a more suitable and spacious seminary ground, a lot of bulldozing was necessary. The work was very tiring and exhaustive but more than rewarding, paving way to a building site which drew the admiration and approval of many who passed by ever since.

By June 1961, one building was ready to shelter an increasing number of boys. Records show that the whole seminary structure including the land preparation cost around Php 600,000.00 pesos only. The whole construction was supervised by Bishop Etspueler himself. A story has been repeatedly told that once there was a strong typhoon that raged the province when the ground was newly bulldozed. The torrents of water from the hillside was eroding the leveled are. That night at the height of the typhoon, the Bishop roused his co-workers. With raincoats on, they redirected the rushing waters so that the place would not be destroyed.

On 17 June 1961, the seminarians joyfully transferred from Bishop’s Residence to their new quarters in their new building in Galicia. There were no tiles or windows yet. The ground was still rough and cluttered with building materials. There was yet no spacious playground. A new Hanomag, a Mercedez Benz van brought directly from Germany, carried the boys forth and back to Bangued for their morning and afternoon classes. Every so often, a new sight, a new sign of progress, a steel girder put properly in place greeted them to their return.

On 14 July 1963, St. Joseph Seminary, where it is located and stands at present, was solemnly blessed by no less than His Eminence Rufino Cardinal Santos, the Archbishop of Manila, assisted by Bishop Etspue ler and some other bishops. To preserve and beautify the place, a massive tree-planting was carried out by Bro. Alois Goldberger, SVD in the mountainous slopes of the seminary compound. Today, the compound boasts of a beautiful forest of mahogany, narra and teak trees.

St. Joseph Seminary reaped the first fruits of her four-year toil in April of 1964. The twelve boys who entered the seminary four years earlier graduated. On 3 August 1964, Government Recognition was granted to the First Year level. On 19 July 1965, the Second Year level was also granted Government Recognition. Thus, seminarians on these two levels held their classes in the seminary. It was also on this date that the classes for the Third Year and Fourth Year seminarians were transferred from Divine Word College of Bangued to St. Mary High School of Pidigan. This setup continued until the Government Recognition for Third and Fourth Year levels was finally granted on 7 July 1969.

St. Joseph Seminary has been primarily intended to train young men to become priests who will later serve the Diocese. In the beginning of its operation, however, there was an understanding between the superior of the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) and Bishop Etspueler that the seminary may also accept boys who will join the SVD later. The practical reason was the fear that if it was made exclusively for diocesan seminarians, the number may not be enough for a seminary to exist. It happened that more of these young men joined the SVD congregation than pursue for the diocesan priesthood. It was eventually declared in 1972 that St. Joseph Seminary was exclusive for the training of diocesan seminarians. Those who wanted to join SVD went to Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City.

Beginning in the 1970’s, the question whether St. Joseph Seminary is worth the money and effort was lingering. Many felt that the Prelature Nullius of Bangued was spending so much money and investing so much of its personnel to maintain it while the proportion of those who continue for the priesthood was not significant. This opposition was aggravated in the 1980’s with an added issue that the boys are too young to be plucked out from their families, and put in a situation which may re**rd or disturb their psycho-emotional growth.

Confronted with these issues and recognizing the validity of this lingering question based on his experiences once as a Rector of this institution, Bishop Cesar Raval, SVD decided to phase out the First Year and Second Year levels. In June of 1990, only aspirants for the Third Year and Fourth Year levels were accepted. This situation continued until 1994, when Bishop Artemio Rillera, SVD restored the old four- year setup. This decision was reached after listening to all involved parties: seminary formators, clergy, seminarians, and laymen.

To this day since its foundation in 1960, St. Joseph Seminary has produced around 60 priests both diocesan and religious. Almost all the diocesan priests serving the Diocese of Bangued are products of this seminary. It has also formed gentlemen who became Christian leaders of our communities today.

With its humble beginning and glorious and colorful past, St. Joseph Seminary proudly stands on a mountain-side where it was originally carved. It remains to be a vital witness of those who enter and leave the capital town of Bangued. Aspirants continue to enter its portals. Those accepted are molded according to Church norms and approved customs. And the graduates are happy to leave after four years of formation and pursue further the meaning of their chosen call, either as priests or Christian gentlemen and leaders. For now, it is not the number that counts but those who are willing to dedicate and offer their lives according to its mandate and the example of St. Joseph, the patron saint whose ideals every Josephite should emulate.

The voice continues to echo the call. St. Joseph Seminary has celebrated with courage and hope the Golden Jubilee of its foundation in 2010.

SUNDAY MASS LIVESTREAM

Dagitoy dagiti mabalin a pakabuyaan ti Sunday Mass nu bigat, August 22, 2021.

Maipalagip nga dagitoy platforms (Social media livestreams, radio) ket tulong para kadagiti kakabsat tayo nga saan makaatendar iti Nasantoan a Misa gapu ti sakit, tawen, ken pati payen para kadagiti kakabsat tayo nga adda ti adayu a lugar, e.g. OFWs.

Ti sakramento ket maawat laeng babaen ti pisikal a presensia. Nu kaya met ti mapan ken masurot met dagiti health protocols, awisen dakayo a makimisa kadagit parparokiayo.

The official social media accounts of the Diocese of Bangued.
What to expect?
- Prayers
- Livestream of diocesan events
- Announcements and messages of the Bishop of Bangued
- Announcements and messages from the different ministries of the Diocese of Bangued
- Announcements, messages, and news from the Pope and the CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines)
- Inspirational quotes, pictures, and videos
- Music videos and other artistic expressions of our Faith
- Infographics
- Collaboration with other diocesan ministries
...and more!
LIKE, FOLLOW, and SHARE our Social Media pages.

We greet our Vocation Director a happy priest day! We would like to thank fr Sanny for his untiring work for the Church, in particular, forming young men to become future priests.

LOOK: ADMS Formation Year 2021-2022

What joy it is to know that when we go out of the house, we are never alone en route.
- Curé d'Ars

The seminarians of the Diocese of Bangued are now in their respective seminaries and some are assigned in the Diocese for their regency program.

We continually pray for their vocation as they heed to God's call.

St. John Marie Vianney patron of diocesan priests, pray for us!

Happy Birthday Most Rev. Leopoldo C. Jaucian!

A Shepherd of God's Flock and a Father to the Youth.
📷: Greg Turqueza

St. Joseph Seminary will host a Voters Education Campaign tomorrow, July 10, 2021, with Dir. James Arthur B. Jimenez as the Main Speaker. The program is a partnership between the COMELEC-Education and Information Department, Josephites, Inc. (The Alumni Association of St. Joseph Seminary), PPCRV-Diocese of Bangued, and DZPA Puso ti Abra.

Enrollment Schedule for SY 2021-2022

July 3: Grades 11 & 12
July 5: Grade 10
July 6: Grade 9
July 7: Grade 8
July 8: Grade 7/Transferees

There will be an orientation at 8:30 AM. Enrollment follows.
To ensure physical distancing, only one representative (parent/guardian) is requested to attend the orientation.