St. Expeditus: Patron Saint of Speedy Causes

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St. Expeditus:  Patron Saint of Speedy Causes The venerated image of St. Expeditus in  the Lipa Cathedral In the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian in Lipa City is a venerated image of a young Roman Centurion saint named Expeditus. Every month of April, a nine day novena in his honor is held in the cathedral that culminates in the celebration of his feast day on the 19th of the month. Who is this saint whose intercession was also invoked in the Oratio Imperata  to avert a catastrophic eruption of Taal Volcano prepared by the Archdiocese of Lipa when the volcano exhibited extra-ordinary activity early  in January, 2020?  St. Expeditus could have found affinity with the Lipenos since the martyr shares a lot of commonality with St. Sebastian, the city’s patron. St. Expeditus, like St. Sebastian was also a young Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and was also martyred as a consequence, during the period of Diocletian persecution.  Hence, a devo...
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Episode 7. Liham buhat sa Seminaryo Part 2

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Repost (from 2012)

Linggo. Maaga pa, excited na ako umuwi para makita ang napakahalagang liham mula sa seminaryo (Pero exage namang sabihin na yung liham lang ang gusto kong uwian, sympre gusto ko na ring umuwi kasi nami-miss ko na mga tao sa bahay at ang mga trabaho ay pihadong nagtambak na sa table ko sa office. haha). Maaga akong nagcheck-out sa hotel at talaga namang halos hilahin ko na ang mga paa ko papuntang airport. Bagama't 11:30 am pa ang alis namin papuntang airport (1:45 pm pa kasi ang flight namin), 9:00 am pa alang eh nasa lobby na ako ng hotel para hintayin ang van na mag-shuttle sa amin papuntang airport. Nasabihan tuloy ako ng isa sa mga delegado sa festival na "Excited na sir umuwi? hehe". Okay lang.  Naupo na lang ako sa couch at nagpakabusy sa paglalaro ng tetris sa celfone. 

Ayan na. Dumating na kami sa airport. Nagikot-ikot sandali para bumili ng ilan pang dagdag na pasalubong para sa mga nasa office, para sa bahay, etc. Pagkatapos, nagtungo na kami sa may departure area at naghintay sa pagdating ng eruplanong aming sasakyan. Mayamaya in-anounce sa P.A. na delayed ang flight (tsk, tsk, tsk!). At atrasado na nga ng isa't kalahating oras ang pagdating namin sa Manila. At di pa dyan natapos ang nakakabad trip na biyahe. Medyo nagtagal ang eruplano sa ere (55 minutes lang ang biyaheng Bacolod - Manila, pero parang napansin ko, inabot kami ng halos isa't kalahating oras sa himpapawid - at naging malikut na ang isip at imahinasyon ko - pano kung madivert ang flight na ito sa Clark? haha). Medyo heavy yata ang air traffic sa NAIA kaya di agad nakapag landing ang eruplano sa terminal 3. Mga 4:30 pm na noon (eh dapat 2:45 ang original schedule of arrival namin sa NAIA).

Dumating kami sa amin mga 6:30 pm na, kaya't di ko na napuntahan sa office ang liham. Dumiretso na lang ako sa bahay. At ngayon, Lunes ng umaga, narito ako sa office at binuksan ang liham (excited! haha) at eto ang laman ng liham. (drum roll, please... haha)


Letter Head ng Seminaryo

January 24, 2012

Dear Mr. xxx,

Greetings of Peace!

In view of the favorable evaluation of your participation in the last "search-in" you are qualified to attend the 3-day live-in vocation discernment seminar on Feb. 24, 25, 26, 2012 here at the xxx Seminary.

This is the final and most important phase of the Seminary's Admission Program. In this phase, you will observe and actually live with the Seminary community, and in the process, make a self-evaluation of your fitness for a life-time service to God and His people.

Please check in at the seminary not later than 8:00 o'clock in the morning of Feb. 24, 2012 (Friday). Bring along clothes good for three days, sports wear, rubber shoes, collared shirt, toilet articles and cash amounting to ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED PESOS (P 1,200.00) to defray board and lodging expenses.

With every best wish, I remain,

Sincerely yours,

Rev. Fr. xxx, Vocation Director

Ecstatic na naman ako. Pero natigilan din at napaisip. Para dito ba talaga ako sa buhay na ito? Pero nasabi ko sa sarili ko, sige, subok pa ulit. Bahala na ulit si Lord. Kaya't pupunta muli ako sa seminaryo para tuklasin ang kalooban ng Diyos para sa akin. Parang ang bilis ng mga pangyayari.


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