Immaculate Conception celebrated with fun and prayer

by Sem. Marclorenz T. Ortega

​The Saint Joseph Seminary celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception through games and spiritual activities on December 8, 2020.
 
The celebration of the Immaculate conception started with a Holy Mass that was celebrated by Fr. Gary Rex Bugtong and concelebrated by Fr. Sanny John Paguio while the Chorus Josephi served as the choir.
 
The seminarians offered candles to the Blessed Mother after the Holy Mass. They placed their candles with their prayers near the magnificent statue of Mother Mary located beside the chapel.
 
The Senior High School seminarians prepared and facilitated the parlor games. It was done in the Fr. Carmelo Gonzales Wellness Center. The parlor started with the muscle straining Gab-bo where in 10 representatives from each peer wrestled their enemies out of the circle to win. The seminarians also played the equally frustrating Catch the tail and Vietnam War relay. The precision and endurance of seminarians were exhausted as they played Planting Rice, Sack Race and Bayang Base. Mary went to town was the final game. Seminarians were asked to ride on sacks, put on make-shift veils, hold baskets, and apply a tremendous amount of powder on their faces, as if in imitation of how Mary could’ve gone to town pampered and dressed though the powder on her face was not as much as the seminarians had.
 
The Scriptural Rosary started at 6:00 P.M. in the SJS Chapel. A Bible passage is read to introduce the mystery. Five Senior High School seminarians gave a short but thought-provoking reflection for each mystery. The first mystery was reflected by Nil Justeen Garcia; second mystery by MarcLorenz Ortega; third mystery by Janne Alexis Turalba; fourth mystery by Reishigeitz Carlo Ramos; and fifth mystery by Zuriel Job Pariñas.
 
The Marian Chorale Competition the concluded the day. It was held in the Inner Garden at 8:00 P.M. Each class sang a Marian Hymn judged by the formators and the faculty. The Grade 7 sang “Hail Mary” by Teofilo Vinteres; The Grade 8 sang “Song to Mary” by the Gens; The Grade 9 sang “Stella Maris” by Manuel Francisco and Silvino Borres and The Grade 10 sang “Hail Mary” by Teofilo Vinteres and an upbeat “Immaculate Mother.”  The Senior High School sang “Ave Maria”
 
The feast of the Immaculate conception reminds us that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without original sin, she was full of grace which made her free form all sin. It reminds us that, though we are sinners we should strive and seek after perfection, and that is by accepting God’s love which makes us perfect in every aspect.