My seminary batch (first of a six series)

Last May 22, I marked my six years with the Salesians. I entered the seminary in Canlubang during the Great Jubilee Year of 2000, but left four years after. After two years of respite in the world of the academe outside the congregation, I returned.

And the rest is history.

I realized that over the years, I did not only gain years of experience inside the Fence. I also am able to accumulate "batchmates" (I thought that the word "batchmate" is a seminary coined word, hence, the quotation marks; Googling it, I realized that such word exists, at least in urban dictionary. It is commonly used among the British commonwealth countries).

I'm digressing, but making a quick rundown, I have amassed six seminary batches to date. To wit,

1. Junior sems batch 2000-2001
   
2. My first pre-novititate batch (with Br. Melo, et al.)
   
3. My extended pre-novitiate batch (with Br. Jun, et al.)
   
4. My second junior sems batch (200-2007)
5. My second pre-novitiate batch (with Gon, et al.)
6. My novitiate batch

My second to the third batches may be quite familiar to my current circle since most of them have become Salesians (now practical trainees) or they graduated (meaning, they left the seminary) quite recently. People may be in the dark about my first batch--the biggest group so far that has entered the seminary over the past eight years--and a lot of things can be written about it. For one, two of my best buddies ever, came from this batch, Rob and Br. Jake.

We were 21 when we entered the seminary. One semester after, two members of the batch left, and before the school year came to wrap up, the batch lost three. I am not sure now of the number, but at present, out of the 21, only four members remain so far.

That batch has produced three Salesians--Brs., Lonx, Itchan and Jake (currently in their second year of practical training)--four years after it made its entry to the seminary. And eight years after, when no one was looking, it gave birth to another Salesian: me. :-)

The cartoon above was made by Lew Tengco, then a postulant. Sir Erbert dela Resma, a Math teacher of the High School Department of Canlubang, and an adopted member of the batch, made it alive by his colorful rendition of the art piece. Sorry, I don't have a scanned image of a real photograph. For the mean time, this would do so far.