Saturday, March 15, 2014

KAKATHA NEWS 2014: First Hagonoeño Seminary Rector presides over Ash Wednesday Mass


KAKATHA NEWS EVENTS 2014

Dated: March 5, 2014

Msgr. Fernando Garcia Gutierrez, H.P. (Sto. Niño) was the first Rector of the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary (ICMAS) and assured its establishment when it was founded in 1983. In this celebration of the Ash Wednesday mass in the seminary, he has come back to the seminary after 20 years. (Photo courtesy: Sem. John Albert V. Absalon, for Educational Affairs Committee - Graduate School of Theology, Immaculate Conception Major Seminary)
GUIGUINTO, BULACAN - During his 6-month vacation in the country, Rev. Msgr. Fernando Garcia Gutierrez, H.P. (Sto. Niño) was invited by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel I. Cruz, the fifth Rector of the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary (ICMAS), the seminary of the Diocese of Malolos in Guiguinto, Bulacan. Msgr. Gutierrez celebrated a mass during Ash Wednesday last March 5 at the Immaculate Conception Theologate Chapel with the whole ICMAS community. As the first Rector of ICMAS, Msgr. Fer had the leading role in providing formation for the seminarians present during the initial stages of the seminary. During his narrations, he mentioned a great deal of the hard work made for the establishment of the Institute of Formation in 1983, followed by the College Department the following year and the Graduate School of Theology in 1987. During all these times, Fr. Cruz mentioned how important Msgr. Gutierrez's role was for the firm establishment of these departments of the seminary.


    During his homily, Msgr. Gutierrez reminded the seminarians and the community of the value of sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom of God. He said that there was a need for us to be "covered in ashes ourselves" for which shall feel how itchy it would be and by then allow us to understand the value of patience, suffering and endurance amidst the temptations of the world. Further, he also mentioned the value of obedience and respect shown by the experience he had as a formator in the seminary. He told the community that his dream was for the institution to truly form priest who are ready to serve and love the people as they have vowed to love Christ. By coming to the seminary after 20 years, he felt that his life has come into a "full circle" as he has returned to this place, which for him he considered as the "crowning glory of his priestly ministry."

   During his thanksgiving message for Msgr. Gutierrez, Fr. Cruz said that this was not only a significant event for him but for the seminary as well. This was because, by his return, the life of the seminary has also come to a full circle as it remembers the years of the seminary's existence and the legacy that has been put up in order to continue forming priests for the Diocese of Malolos and other neighboring areas. He said he would not forget how much Msgr. Gutierrez has given himself for the formation of seminarians. He remembered how obedient he became, especially to the Most Rev. Cirilo R. Almario, Jr., D.D., then Bishop of Malolos and founder of ICMAS. His dedication and perseverance for the establishment of the seminary is not to be forgotten, he said.


Msgr. Gutierrez together with seminarians of the town of Hagonoy, Bulacan, his beloved home town, taken after the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. (Photo Courtesy: Sem. John Albert V. Absalon, for Educational Affairs Committee - Graduate School of Theology, Immaculate Conception Major Seminary)
   Msgr. Gutierrez plans to continue coming back to the seminary during his annual 6-month vacation. He has been invited to continue giving talks on pastoral management that shall help the seminarians of today to be enriched in skills for the priestly ministry. KAKATHA News Admin.

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