Dear Family and Friends,
A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!
As you may all affirm, the year 2009 was once again a period of both triumphs and challenges. The global economic crisis, the floods in Luzon and the eruption of Mount Mayon as well as the sad massacre of innocent lives in Maguindanao ... all seem to chorus a message of gloom and anxiety that threaten to dampen our outlook for the coming year. Amidst all these ‘bad press,’ let our message be a message of hope as we invite you – our friends and family – to join the 89% of adult Filipinos who have registered their HOPEFULNESS for 2010.
The hopefulness that we share is not without basis. We hope because in all diligence, we have done and we continue to do our part – asking always, in each step of the way for the Lord’s blessing. As one important dictum tells us: "We work as if everything is dependent upon us; we pray as if everything is dependent upon God." We therefore look at the past year and celebrate the good our human hands and the grace and inspiration of the Spirit can together make.
This year 2010, your seminary – St. John Vianney Theological Seminary – celebrates its Silver Anniversary! This 25th Foundation Anniversary is indeed a crucial moment not merely to reminisce our romantic beginnings but more so to firmly ascertain the role we must play to more effectively build and support the Church of the Southern Philippines.
As you may all know, the leadership of the seminary is now in transition. The very fruitful six-year rectorship of Fr. Renato Repole, SJ comes to an end this year and the community has begun ritualizing its little “goodbyes” to Father Pops who had infused many a creative and innovative programs to build the SJVTS community spirit. Incidentally, our indefatigable diocesan priests-professors Frs. Alberto Uy and Joey Rapadas likewise end their terms by March 2010. If you may remember earlier last year, Fr. Norlan Julia, SJ also bid the seminary ‘adieu’ as he packed his things for London to begin further studies in theology. He was replaced by newly ordained Jesuit Fr. Frank Savadera, SJ. We are nevertheless glad to report that the names of equally able and competent priests-professors-administrators have already been short-listed to replace our out-going community members. Official announcements in this regard will be made by mid-2010.
“Viannistas on Fire: Zealous Through the Years!,” was one catchy theme we adopted as a seminary battle-cry in 2009. Judging from the attendance and outpouring of support during our last alumni homecoming, we say that our collective zealousness as priests comes not merely from our expanding number but more so from the Creator, the source of all our blessings, the well of fire and energy that we all share and hold close to our hearts. True enough, the Lord through our patron St. John Mary Vianney, continues to shower us with blessings. As we thank the Lord for the bounty of last year’s 10 newly ordained priests, we continue to ask for your prayers as well, for the ordination in 2010 of at least eight new deacons.
Needless to say, the work of forming our young diocesan priests remains not an easy deal. Alongside the usual spirituality, human, intellectual and pastoral formation programs which the seminary offers, we have likewise in 2009, managed to promote amongst our ranks the growing concern for the environment, the greater awareness of the functions of liturgy, an understanding of national elections as a medium of societal change, and of course, a deeper appreciation of the life and witness of St. John Mary Vianney as the patron of priests. As a product of much prayerful reflection - a Viannista Credo - a guiding principle to being a “true viannista” was also crafted and overwhelmingly approved by the community.
Of course, priestly formation would not be possible without the Spirit of the Lord touching your hearts to lend your valuable support for the seminary. We continue to list down and pray for your many petitions each day during our morning celebrations of the Eucharist. We have installed our Benefactors’ Mural to acknowledge your valuable contribution to the seminary’s Trust Fund. As you may know, we have launched early last year “Project 25 for 25” which aims to collect P25 million to beef up the SJVTS Trust Fund. To date, we are happy to report that we have accounted for P13 million worth of donations to the fund. Your continued support will go a long way in helping us reduce the cost of our tuition fees and enable poor yet deserving young men to gain more access to quality seminary formation beginning the next school year.
We also thank you – our friends and benefactors – for the support you have rendered for last year’s repair and reconstruction of the SJVTS Main Chapel and the St. Francis of Assisi dormitory. For this year, the seminary has likewise prioritized the improvement of the following facilities: the Main Chapel Sacristy, the SJVTS Kitchen/ St. Martha’s Refectory and the St. Michael the Archangel dormitory. We continue to enjoin you and your friends to help us pool the much needed resources for the said projects.
Help us thank as well our loyal seminary staff under the guidance of Fr. Butch Zayas, our very able seminary faculty, our formation team headed by Fr. Manol Montesclaros and Ms. Venus Guibone, our beloved bishops, the Jesuit community of Cagayan de Oro and the many other countless names whose love and friendship we remember in our prayers always.
And as we say ‘goodbye’ to 2009 and welcome 2010 with greater hope, we cling onto what our patron St. John Mary Vianney himself once said: “Oh, how great is a priest! The priest will not understand the greatness of his office till he is in Heaven. If he understood it on earth, he would die, not of fear, but of love.” Join us therefore in experiencing a foretaste of that love. Continue to journey with us as we discover more about the joys of our common priesthood in 2010 and beyond!
P.S. For more information about St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, please log onto sjvtsviannista@blogspot.com. Donations to the seminary may likewise be sent payable to: ST. JOHN VIANNEY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY or deposited to Bank of Philippine Islands – CDO Main Branch with Account Number: 2041-034958.
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Help us thank as well our loyal seminary staff under the guidance of Fr. Butch Zayas, our very able seminary faculty, our formation team headed by Fr. Manol Montesclaros and Ms. Venus Guibone, our beloved bishops, the Jesuit community of Cagayan de Oro and the many other countless names whose love and friendship we remember in our prayers always. 
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HIMAYA KANIMO by KORO VIANNISTA. In cooperation with the Jesuit Music Ministry and the Jesuit Communications Foundation Inc., the Koro Viannista - the home-grown choir of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary released its first album of Visayan liturgical music in 2006. The album Himaya Kanimo (which means "Praise to You") represents the seminary's initiative to promote the Visayan classical songs of Fr. Rudy Villanueva and Narcisa Fernandez. Featured in the album are the songs “Way Sukod ang Pagmahal” (Love without Measure) and "Huni sa Kinabuhi." 
