ORDER OF AUGUSTINIAN RECOLLECTS

Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno

Casiciaco Recoletos Seminary, Inc.
48 Naguilian-cor. Asin Rd., Baguio City

“Sed Luz y Amor Para el Mundo!” (Be Light and Love for the World!)

Xavier Romeo C. Emnace December 1, 2022

Bachelor of Arts in Classical Philosophy I Expository Essay

Prayer life is considered to be the “soul” of a seminarian’s vocation. In Casiciaco

Recoletos Seminary, seminarians are being honed into the contemplative lifestyle
through the exercise of scheduled and structured prayers. A day would be incomplete
for a CAReS seminarian if he would miss one of the following: lauds, the Holy Mass,
midday prayer, rosary, vespers, and night prayer. They are not just being formed into
men with great intellect, but with great spirituality as well.
Some seminarians, of course, would be challenged in keeping up with this transition
from the secular norms to the contemplative practices in the seminary. On most days,
seminarians would rise up at 5:15 in the morning for the Lauds or morning prayers. After
the psalms have been prayed, a fifteen- minute meditation takes place in preparation for
the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Seminarians are to engage either in spiritual reading,
Lectio Divina, or simply to contemplate in God’s presence during meditations.
Afterwards, the seminarians would now settle themselves with some brothers attending
to their respective offices that are essential in the Holy Mass such as the office of the
liturgy, music, and socio- cultural committee. After the mass, seminarians would
proceed at the refectory for their breakfast before their classes.
As soon as the eleven to twelve classes end, the bell is rung signifying that the
brothers are to gather in the “Capilla” or chapel for their midday prayers. Then, they will
have their lunch at the Refectory, followed by their siesta, and at their rising at 2:15 in
the afternoon, the rosary will be prayed by the community in the chapel. The languages
used in the rosary and the Holy Mass would vary depending on what day of the week it
is. Latin is used every Tuesdays and Spanish is used every Thursdays. After praying
the rosary, the brothers are to do manual work inside (Manualia) and outside
(Laborandum) of the seminary buildings. Then, it would be followed by their game
period, showers, and classes.
Lastly, the vespers are said around 7:15 in the evening preceded by a fifteen-minute
spiritual reading that starts at seven. Then, the Angelus is prayed, followed by the
vespers’ psalms and canticles. After the reading of a bible passage, lights will be turned
off for the meditation. Moreover, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the night prayer is being
said right after the vespers, after which the Gospel for tomorrow is being read for the
seminarians to reflect on it during Silentium Magnum. They are strongly encouraged to
ORDER OF AUGUSTINIAN RECOLLECTS
Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno
Casiciaco Recoletos Seminary, Inc.
48 Naguilian-cor. Asin Rd., Baguio City

“Sed Luz y Amor Para el Mundo!” (Be Light and Love for the World!)

maintain this contemplative silence after the night prayer to give way as well for their
restful slumber meditating on the Word of God.
In this intensive practice of forming the prayer habits of seminarians, it is greatly
emphasized that in going towards God, seminarians are to go back to themselves in
order to know this same God. As St. Augustine would say, “Noverim me, noverim te.”
Meaning, “Let me know myself, let me know you.” It is through the exercise of
meditation that someone gets to keep in touch with oneself, and it is through prayer that
someone directs oneself to God. The contemplative aspect of the seminary formation
would be grounded on what St. Augustine had said in one of his commentaries on the
Psalms, “You are praising God when you do your day’s work. You are praising him
when you eat and drink. You are praising him when you rest on your bed. You are
praising him when you are asleep. So when are you not praising Him?”