History of Rogationist Seminary-Cebu

Written by Vocation Promotion Ministry

Tuesday, 22 December 2009 05:00

ST. HANNIBAL FORMATION CENTER-CEBU                                       Punta Princesa, Cebu  September 21, 1990 is a special date in the life and history of the Rogationists in the Philippines because this was the very day when their Novices, Batch 1990-1991, together with the Novice Master, Fr Joseph Aveni, RCJ arrived in the beautiful and historical island of Cebu. The transfer of the Novitiate House from St Anthony’s Boys Village in Silang, Cavite to Cebu concretized the beginning of the Rogationists’ presence in southern part of the Philippines. It is indeed, a momentous event worth remembering for the charism of the Rogate which was handed on by St Hannibal has finally spread far and wide reaching Visayas and Mindanao. Likewise, the establishment of the Novitiate in Cebu sparked a bright hope that seeds of a Rogationist vocation could now germinate among young men from the region who are willing to work in the great harvest of the Lord. Fr. Salvatore Ciranni, RCJ who was responsible for the construction of the buildings and who was then the newly appointed Superior of the House, welcomed them. Four months later, Fr Rene Panlasigui, RCJ arrived from Manila to work as the Vocation Promoter. He did not waste time in starting to conduct vocation awareness activities among the youth. He visited places without limiting himself to Cebu. He also went to remote areas of Visayas and Mindanao. The Rogationists’ name soon became known among the people and young boys got attracted to the Rogationists’ charism and mission. The house after sometime grew into a formation house for five seminarians who went to SVD Formation Center for schooling.  On June 23, 1991, the Archbishop of Cebu, His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, inaugurated the House in the presence of the then Superior General, Fr Pietro Cifuni, RCJ together with his General Councilors.  The Rogationist Community gradually increased through the years under the guidance of Fr Luigi Toffanin, RCJ (1991 – 1994), Fr Rene Panlasigui, RCJ (1994-2000), Fr Herman Abcede (2000-2006) and Fr Marcelino Diaz II (2006-2009), the four superiors who succeeded Fr Salvatore. In January, with the help of Dr Charles Cabataña and other lay collaborators, embarked on a more committed medical apostolate by providing a free clinic to the poor neighborhood. This came to be known the Avignone Medical Apostolate Program (AMAP). Through the generosity of Mr Angelo Zanassi, an Italian businessman, the Avignone Clinic was constructed near the seminary’s main gate. On October 1999, the Philippine Pediatric Society, Cebu Central Eastern Visayas Chapter (PPS-CCEV) together with the Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) chose the AMAP as a partner in delivering accessible, comprehensive and community based health care in the realm of curative, preventive and promotive health aspects through an initiative called Community Health Access to Medical and Preventive Services (CHAMPS). Concurrent with the medical apostolate are the weekly catechism classes held by the seminarians for the nearby indigent children and elementary and high school students in some public and private schools.  At present, the house is under the supervision of Fr Christoper Salonga as Superior with Fr Ronaldo Paulino as the Prefect of Discipline. They are assisted by other Rogationist priests and brothers in practical training in the formation of the seminarians. Fr Ruel Desamparado takes care of the Vocation Animation and Promotion. Since they became independent school from its former school affiliation in San Jose Recollect University, Rogationist Seminary College to which Fr Francis Escaño serves as Prefect of Studies has accommodated not only more than 70 Rogationist seminarians but as well as more than 50 seminarians from various Religious congregations in Cebu.