LIVED EXPERIENCES ON ACADEMIC FORMATION OF GRADE 12

SEMINARIANS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

RAYBERT KIRWEL L. ACEBUCHE

NESTOR DEO FRANCIS D. MOLATO
KENT C. ESTOLANO
SAM L. GABORNI
RUEL VIENS MACALLAN

JOHN PAUL SEMINARY

ST. JOHN PAUL II PASTORAL COMPLEX
BRGY. DOÑA LUCIA, MONDRAGON, NORTHERN SAMAR
6417, PHILIPPINES
 JOHN PAUL SEMINARY

St. John Paul II Pastoral Complex

Doña Lucia, Mondragon, Northern Samar

6417 Philippines

Lived Experiences on Academic Formation of

Grade 12 Seminarians during

CoVid-19 Pandemic

Submitted by:

Raybert Kirwel L. Acebuche

Nestor Deo Francis D. Molato

Kent C. Estolano

Sam L. Gaborni

Ruel Viens Macallan

Submitted to:

Dr. Rogelio D. Banagbanag

RESEARCH MODERATOR

i
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE i

TABLE OF CONTENTS ii

Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 1

Statement of the Problem 5

Objectives of the Study 5

Significance of the Study 6

Scope and Limitations of the Study 6

Theoretical Framework 8

Conceptual Framework 8

Definition of Terms 9

II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Modular Learning 10

III. METHODOLOGY

Locale of the Study 14

Research Design 15

Population and Sampling 15

Participants of the Study 15

Data Gathering Procedure 16

Treatment and Analysis of Data 16

ii
IV. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
Research Findings 17

V. CONCLUSSION, INTERPRETATION & DISCUSSION

Summary of Research 20

Discussion and Interpretation of Findings 21

iii
 1

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

John Paul Seminary is a School of Formation in the

Diocese of Catarman that has been built in Alisyao Heights

Doña Lucia, Mondragon Northern Samar since 1976. John Paul

Seminary has four major aspects in turning the seminarians

into the shape of becoming good and educated priests,

Spiritual Formation, Human Formation, Academic Formation,

and Pastoral Formation. The Academic life of John Paul

Seminary is an opportunity to focus, enhance and improve the

learning of those who enter.

John Paul Seminary is not only focused on the growth of

spirituality, but it also improves many aspects of life and

Academic performance improves study habits.

As the coronavirus disease 2019 bombarded the whole

Philippines in March 2020, it affected the whole country,

including the educational sector. The traditional face-to-

face classes in the Seminary were canceled and remained for

months. However, the Commission on Higher Education and the

Department of Education released a memo and implemented

modular learning for those schools and also Seminaries that

 2

cannot hold online classes because of the unstable internet

connection.

The present COVID-19 pandemic has brought extraordinary

challenges and has affected the educational sectors, and no

one knows when it will end. Every country is presently

implementing plans and procedures on how to contain the

virus, and the infections are still continually rising. In

the educational context, to sustain and provide quality

education despite the lockdown and community quarantine, the

new normal should be taken into consideration in the

planning and implementation of the “new normal education

policy”.1

Furthermore, there are also difficulties in this type

of learning approach. Not all seminarians are capable of

learning at their own pace. Other than that, an unstable

internet connection is also a problem during this modular

approach, there are times that the seminarians needed to

search for some information about a certain lesson or topic

in their subject. This modular learning approach is new to

seminarians. Not just seminarians, but everyone.

1
Jose Tria, (2020), “The COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of
education in the Philippines: The new normal.” Retrieved in February
2021, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341981898
 3

The pandemic greatly affected the seminarians in John

Paul Seminary especially the batch of seminarians in the

School Year 2020-2021. They faced struggles in adjusting to

this kind of learning approach. Even the DepEd permitted the

seminarians to be in the seminary because they are not going

outside after they arrived in the seminary, still, they face

the struggles of the pandemic. The Lay Teachers in the

seminary only give modules to seminarians to answer and to

study. Thus, modules were often submitted late, and most of

the answer sheets are blank. Sometimes the teachers think

that seminarians’ answers in their modules have no validity,

and most probably, mastery of the lessons is impossible to

attain.

In a study conducted by Ysthr Rave Pe Dangle and

Johnine Danganan Sumaoang stated that 90% of the students

had a hard time answering their modules within a week. They

often receive 8 modules one for every subject, and each has

3-5 activities. It was also stated that they are having the

greatest difficulties in Mathematics, History,

Entrepreneurship, and Applied Economics. In Mathematics,

some students said that most of the problems and equations

are difficult to understand. In History, some learners also

stated that most of the lessons have lengthy readings and

some of the questions are hard and do not have enough

 4

examples. Lastly, some students have difficulty in

Entrepreneurship and Practical Research because they lack

business knowledge. Furthermore, most of the students cannot

answer all their modules independently; that is why they

badly need the assistance of others. Parents/Guardians of

the students play a vital role in education today. Eighty-

three (83) percent of the students said that the teachers

were approachable, some said that the teachers do not

immediately respond to the queries regarding the lessons.2

The Batch of seminarians in 2020-2021 have experienced

more during this CoVid-19 Pandemic. Not only that they are

stressed in academics but they are also stressed with their

mental health because of the new realities they have to cope

with home-schooling for students and the lack of physical

contact with friends, family members, colleagues and this

takes time to get used to and adapting to these lifestyles

such as these are hard to take in and especially managing

the fear of contracting the virus, particularly here in the

seminary because seminarians are distant from their families

and the anxiety that lingers in their minds, if their

families is safe from the covid 19 outbreak and other

problem’s like financial and well-being of their families,

2
Tria, “The COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of education in
the Philippines: The new normal.”
 5

making it more harder to adapt and to concentrate in their

studies and their new routine inside the seminary.

There are more experiences of Grade 12 seminarians

during this pandemic and this study will deter it as this

research continue.

Statement of the Problem

This study will determine the lived experiences in

the academic formation of Grade 12 seminarians during the

Covid-19 pandemic.

This research will answer the following questions:

1. What are the experiences of seminarians in their

academic formation during the pandemic?

2. What are the common problems encountered by

seminarians in their academic formation during the

pandemic?

3. What are the coping mechanisms employed by

seminarians in overcoming problems in their academic

formation during the pandemic?

Objectives of the Study

This study will determine the lived experiences in

the academic formation of Grade 12 seminarians during the

Covid-19 pandemic.
 6

Specifically, it will try to:

1. Ascertain the experiences of seminarians in their

academic formation during the pandemic;

2. Determine the common problems encountered by

seminarians in their academic formation during the

pandemic; and

3. Identify the coping mechanisms employed by

seminarians in overcoming problems in their academic

formation during the pandemic.

Significance of the Study

The result of the study would benefit the following:

Seminarians. The result of this study would help the

seminarians address their possible difficulties experienced

during the pandemic through this study.

Parents of Seminarians. The result of this study would

help the parents to know what their sons experiencing in the

seminary during the pandemic.

Lay Teachers. The result of this study would help them

identify the difficulties experienced by seminarians during

modular learning, and lessen the activities in every module

if necessary.
 7

Formators. The result of this study would help the

formators to cope up with the seminarians and to help them

in finding ways to get through the pandemic.

John Paul Seminary. The result of this study would help

the Seminary to know the different kinds of experiences by

seminarians and improve the way of formation, so that

seminarians can cope up easily.

Future Researchers. This study could serve as a

reference and guide for those who are interested in

conducting a similar study.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study primarily focused on the experiences of the

Grade 12 seminarians during the pandemic period. Also, this

study aims more in the Academic part of the formation given

by the John Paul Seminary which the researchers saw more

negative experiences towards seminarians. The limitations of

this study is that, there are only limited related studies

since the problem is a new one. Additionally, the number of

participants involved in the study will affect the result

because it cannot be connected to other seminaries because

maybe the experiences of Grade 12 seminarians is different

from the experiences of other seminarians in other

seminaries.
 8

Theoretical Framework

In the Theory of Distance Education, Dr. Desmond Keegan

points out that if education requires intersubjectivity

shared experience in which teacher and learner are united by

a common zeal then distance education is a contradiction in

terms.

Additionally, Michael Simonson states in his

Equivalency Theory that instructional experiences are essential

to learning and that no student, regardless of study mode, should

be forced to endure lesser instructional experiences.

In the John Paul Seminary, giving the best formation to

the seminarians amidst the CoVid-19 is a difficult one

especially in its Academic Formation. The education in the

seminary needs to have a direct contact with the teacher and

the seminarians.

This Theory of Distance Education could help the

researchers determine the difficult experiences of the

seminarians during the pandemic. Also, it could help the

researchers analyze the result of the study.

Conceptual Framework

The main concept of this study is the lived experiences

of Grade 12 Seminarians during the tip of the pandemic

period. Specifically, this study aimed to know more about

 9

the effect of the experiences of Grade 12 Seminarians in

their academic formation and how they manage to go through

to this challenge of pandemic.

Definition of Terms

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Conceptually and

operationally, it means a disease caused by a new strain of

coronavirus. Formerly, this disease was referred to as ‘2019

novel coronavirus’ or ‘2019-nCoV’.3

Difficulties Encountered. Conceptually, it refers to

the quality or state of being hard to do, deal with, or

understand.4 Operationally, it refers to the problem that is

being faced by seminarians during the pandemic especially in

the academic formation.

Formation. Conceptually, it means an arrangement of a

body or group of persons or things in some prescribed manner

or for a particular purpose.5 Operationally, it means the

process which young men undergo to become future priests.

CHAPTER II

3
___________. “Key messages and actions for COVID-19 prevention
and control.” Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-mesages-and-
actions-for-covid-19-prevention-and-contol-in-schools-march-2020.pdf

4
“Dificulties Encountered.” Merriam Webster, Inc. Retrieved in
February 2021, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/difficulty
5
“Formation.” Merriam Webster, Inc. Retrieved in April 2022
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formation
 10

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

Academic in the Seminary Amidst CoVid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on education

systems around the world, affecting approximately 1.6

billion students in over 200 nations. More than 94 percent

of the world's student population has been touched by

school, institution, and other learning facility

closures. Seminarians and, of course, Seminaries are also

affected by this incident.

This has resulted in far-reaching changes in all

aspects of our lives. Traditional educational practices have

been significantly disrupted by social distancing and

restrictive movement policies. Reopening schools after

restrictions have been lifted is another challenge, with

many new standard operating procedures in place.6

In the article of Joseph Nguyen, The University of St

Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary, Illinois with the

guidance of the Rector, Rev. Fr. John Kartje decided

immediately to send home the seminarians because of this

outbreak of the CoViD-19. It was a big decision for them but

because of the large geographical area, Fr. Kartje knew that

6
Sumitra Pokhrel & Roshan ChhetriFirst, “A Literature Review on
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Teaching and Learning.”, SAGE ChoiceOpen
AccessCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, January 19, 2021,
https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120983481
 11

if an ultimate lockdown is implemented it is hard for the

seminarians to get to their home.

All of their classes in-person immediately changed into

a virtual learning. They struggle in coping up to this new

remote learning. It is hard for the seminarians but it has a

good effect in their pastoral formation because they are

only in their parishes and it enhances their pastoral

works.7

While in the Philippines, the Jesuits face a

contrasting scenario at San Carlos Seminary, where there is

a "plenty" of vocations. According to Father Eric Escandor,

SJ, vocations director for the Society of Jesus in the

Philippines, the start of their formation year has been

postponed due to a lack of candidates. Back then, when it

was common for a large number of candidates to submit, all

relevant documentation should have been presented. According

to Father Escandor, they cannot do transactions online

because most activities require face-to-face interaction.8

According to Very Rev. Dr Kevin Lenehan, there's been a

number of obstacles for our seminarian students, such as

relocating to shelter at home arrangements, gaining access

7
Joseph Nguyen, “Forming Priests in a Pandemic”, University of
Saint Mary of the Lake, December 17, 2020, https://usml.edu/forming-
priests-in-a-pandemic/
8
Mark Saludes, “Pandemic brings new challenges to Philippine
seminary formation”, Licas News, July 8, 2020,
https://www.licas.news/2020/07/08/pandemic-brings-new-challenges-to-
philippine-seminary-formation/
 12

to devices and the internet; finding new ways to continue

progressing with formation and pastoral goals, as well as

balancing their academic tasks and finding the resources to

complete assessment tasks.9

In the news article “CBCP Commission Proposes

Guidelines for Seminaries amid Pandemic”, Archbishop

Socrates Villegas said that “This unexpected tempest called

COVID-19 also makes it necessary for us to revisit our

program of seminary formation, prayerfully attentive to the

signs of the times yet relentlessly faithful to the mind and

heart of the Church”.

Archbishop added that if it comes to the classes, it

must be done with the physical contact with the teacher and

the seminarians especially in their major subjects. Minor

subjects may consider doing it in an online classroom.

His Most Excellency’s concluded that “COVID-19 has been

metaphorically called a doorway leading to a new rupture in

the world. The seminarians will be the future priests on

whose shoulders will be laid the task to lead our flock into

that new world.”10

9
Samuel Pearson, “Seminary Life Amidst COVID-19”, Corpus Christi
College, June 4, 2020,
https://www.corpuschristicollege.org.au/reflections/2020/04/06/seminary-
life-amidst-covid19
10
Leslie Ann Aquino, “CBCP Commission Proposes Guidelines
for Seminaries amid Pandemic”, Manila Bulletin, May 24, 2020,
https://mb.com.ph/2020/05/24/cbcp-commission-proposes-guidelines-for-
seminaries-amid-pandemic/
 13

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Locale of the Study

 14

The John Paul Seminary started as a formation house

back then in 1976 with Fr. Romeo Infante as the first

Rector. Without a building of their own, the first batch of

the aspirants had to share space with the Bishop in his

residence at Brgy. Cawayan, Catarman. Meanwhile, the new

formation house and chapel were under construction. The next

rector, Fr. Balerite, suggested to the Bishop that the new

building be named John Paul in honor of the present pope,

John Paul II and his immediate predecessor, John Paul I.11

On September 27, 1992, a new imposing edifice atop the

hill of Sitio Alisyao Barangay Doña Lucia, Mondragon,

Northern Samar, was blessed and inaugurated.

On August 10, 2020, the Department of Education

released the Office Memorandum #304, s. 2020 announces the

renaming of John Paul Seminary House of Formation to John

Paul Seminary of the Diocese of Catarman Inc.

The Seminary only accepts Pre-College for preparation

to the course of Philosophy back then but now following the

curriculum of the DepEd it accepts Senior Highschool

Students together with the Pre-College applicants.

Research Design

11
Rev. Fr. Gaspar Balerite, "The History of the Church in the
North of Samar" in North of Samar Island: 400 Years of Christianization,
Catarman, 1996, pp. 24-25.
 15

This study employed the phenomenological research

design. It assumes that people use a universal structure or

essence to make sense of their experience. Phenomenological

research design requires the researcher to bracket whatever

a priori assumption they have about the experience or

phenomenon. In simpler terms, researchers use

phenomenological research designs to understand a

phenomenon’s universal nature by exploring the views of

those who have experienced it.

Population and Sampling

The researchers used purposive sampling technique. It

involves the researchers using their expertise to select a

sample that is most useful to the purposes of the research.

The researchers include only four (4) among the twenty-three

(23) seminarians.

Participants of the Study

The participants of the study are four (4) grade 12

seminarians.

Data Gathering Procedure

First the researchers asked the permission of the

selected participants. Upon approval, the researchers

immediately started their interview to the selected

 16

participants one by one. The researchers used voice recorder

aside from pen and paper to cope up with the flow of the

interview. After interviewing the four selected seminarians,

the researchers gathered all the data and analyzed it to

have reliable results.

Treatment and Analysis of Data

This study employed by qualitative research design

using thematic analysis as method (Braun & Clark, 2006).

Thematic analysis based on Braun & Clarke (2006), they

explained that this method is used to identify, analyze, and

report the pattern or theme from the data. This study was

designed to identify the difficulties encountered in

academic formation of grade 12 seminarians during the

pandemic.

CHAPTER 4

DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

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Research Findings

This part of the chapter presents the finding and

analyzed data obtained from the individual interviewees on

their Lived Experiences on Academic Formation of Grade 12

Seminarians during CoVid-19 Pandemic. The data were

extracted and analyzed according to the objective of the

study.

During the gathering of data using an interview basis,

in the question “What are your experiences in the academic

formation here in the seminary during the peak of CoViD-19

Pandemic”, a seminarian stated that during the peak of the

pandemic, he struggles because of the transition from face-

to-face classes to this new mode of learning like modular

and online classes. Another seminarian said that this is

challenging for him because it is a change of perspective on

how he could learn and on how he could ensure that his

academic formation is still intact. In addition, the other

seminarian that undergo the interview said that his

experiences are answering a lot of modules, the submission

of activities are difficult because of the limited time

given by the teacher and lastly, having no communication to

the teachers also affect their academic life in the

seminary.
 18

As the interview continued, the participants were asked

if those experiences helped them to grow their academic life

in the seminary. A seminarian answered positively with a yes

because the experiences that he encountered motivate him a

lot to study more with his own capacity and his willingness

to learn. Another said yes with his reason that it really

helped him value his academic life and to not taking it for

granted considering the situations we all faced. Also,

another one said yes because if he studied outside the

seminary then it is more difficult to him unlike in the

seminary, there are many resources that he could grasp

easily.

The interviewee come up to the question “what is the

most difficult experience you encountered among all the

experiences”. Their answers are the same and it leads to

this modular learning approach. One of them said that

reading and learning only by himself the module doesn’t gain

him knowledge and sometimes it is difficult to apprehend.

Another seminarian state that the module is supposed to help

them to learn but in result it is difficult to learn

especially on the subjects that needs to have an assistance

of a teacher like chemistry, mathematics and physics.

On the last question, “what are your coping mechanisms

towards those difficulties they’ve experienced” a seminarian

 19

answered that he just managed his time properly and be

faithful to the academic. The other two said that the coping

mechanism that they did is ask for help to the older

brothers in the community to assist them in the academic.

“The best coping mechanism is to be with one another and to

help each other.”

This are the responses of the participants regarding to

the questions of the interviewee fulfilling the needs of the

objective of the study.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSSION, INTERPRETATION & DISCUSSION

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Summary of Research

This study observed the lived experiences of grade 12

seminarians on their academic formation during the pandemic.

The literature review concentrated to what is the academic

life in the seminary during the pandemic. It was found that

all seminaries experienced mostly the same problems to the

formation they give to the seminarians. Likewise in John

Paul Seminary, it also encountered lots of challenges to the

formation that the seminary gives.

The research was made on John Paul Seminary with the

intention to know the experiences that the seminarians

encountered during the pandemic. The total grade 12

seminarians are twenty-three (23), three (3) of them are

transferees and the rest are the same batch of seminarians

who experienced more inside the seminary during their grade

11 year. Only three (3) grade 12 were interviewed because of

the chosen research design of the researchers,

phenomenological research design which only need small

number of participants to speak for the rest of the

population.

Discussion and Interpretation of Findings

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The data gathered from the interview answers the three

(3) objectives of the study.

First objective is to ascertain the experiences of the

grade 12 seminarians during the pandemic. During the

interview with the three (3) chosen seminarians, they stated

their own experience’s during the pandemic. One seminarian

focused in the transition of the new modes of learning.

Others said that their experiences encountered are more on

the modular approach because during their early months in

the seminary they can’t cope up because of the factors

affecting their eagerness to learn such as;

1. The module given by the teachers sometimes cannot

enter to their knowledge because the lesson is

needed to be explained by the teacher.

2. They have a limited time to answer the module

because of the short period of time given to them to

learn and answer the module, and

3. They struggle to learn by themselves because they

need thorough explanations form the people who are

experts of that certain subject and that is the

teacher.

Second objective is to know the common problems

experienced by the seminarians in their academic formation

during the pandemic. The result of the interview that the

 22

common problems of the seminarian is learning and answering

the modules given by the teacher. It is the common problem

for them because the module given by the teacher are

sometimes hard to understand specially the subjects

Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. Moreover, they said that

sometimes the module is many for them to handle and with the

deadline given to them, they cram and sometimes they just

submit the modules even it is unfinished. This is the common

problems faced by the grade 12 seminarians during the

pandemic.

Lastly, this research identified the coping mechanism

of the seminarians in their struggles and difficulties. This

coping mechanism that they said are; managing the time given

to them to study, stay focus on what is your goal, stay

focus to the academic and another mechanism is to ask help

to the brothers in the community that knows the lesson that

they want to asked about.

This coping mechanisms stated by these seminarians are

one of the mechanisms a student must do. In order to reach

your goal, you must have a way that you can achieve those

goals even there are a lot of struggles and difficulties you

encounter.
 23

To end this conclusion, this research hopefully be a

guide and a help to other seminarians struggling in their

academic formation.

“For it is above all a call. It is a vocation … as the

individual takes up his cross, spiritually uniting himself

to the Cross of Christ, the salvific meaning of suffering is

revealed before him. He does not discover this meaning at

his own human level, but at the level of the suffering of

Christ. At the same time, however, from this level of Christ

the salvific meaning of suffering descends to man’s level

and becomes, in a sense, the individual’s personal response.

It is then that man finds in his suffering interior peace

and even spiritual joy.” – Saint John Paul II

As a seminarian struggling, just surrender yourself to

God and He will be help you to overcome these difficult

experiences.