That's me!
I am, Genesis Pacaldo Labana, born on March 2, 1989 to Mr. Felicito Labana and Mrs. Daisy Labana. I am the eldest among the three of us, siblings. We are all boys, next to me is Urbansito Labana and the youngest is Alladino Labana. They are still taking their respective studies. We live in Landing, Catarman, Liloan, Cebu. I finished my primary schooling in Tayud Elementary School and my Secondary schooling was in La Consolacion College – Liloan (formerly Holy Child School). I am currently taking up AB Philosophy at Saint Thomas of Villanova Insitute of Philosophy.
First and foremost, I want to thank the Lord for being with me all the time. I may not see and touch him but I can still sense his presence. Every breath that comes in and out from my mouth is the simplest way to describe his ever loving presence. However, to recount my greatest experience with God, it would be the time when I was about to enter the seminary.
Normally, when a high school student reaches senior years this is an occasion when students think of their future either to pursue college or not. On one hand, if they choose to pursue college life then what course would it be? While. on the other hand, if they choose not then what should they do? One has to choose either to work or stay idle at home? For my part, I was thinking of taking Industrial Engineering but since my family does not have a constant income that’s why I was a little bit sceptic if I will be able to pursue college or not. However, my parents were adamant that I should enter college and they want me to choose any course that I like. Although they gave me the chance to choose still I am certain of the course that I will take.. Personally, during this time I felt emptiness as if something is lacking. Deep within my personality I was alone, unhappy and doubtful.
My mind was totally outside the box as if I am like a stray cat wandering from the streets looking for something that would fill my empty stomach, my empty mind and my empty heart. But something happened along the way. Something had waked me up from my deep slumber. This was when the Augustinian novices (whom I don’t know yet what were their stage of formation) at our school for a vocation campaign in the morning. After their visit, a certain feeling had aroused. There is this enthusiasm and interest about the stories they had told to us. The stories they have told were amazing especially Fr. Renchie Senoro, OSA. He was the one fully responsible for the awakening of my vocation. It was not only the explanation of Fr. Renchie but somehow the novices showed their talents. They sang and said something about their selves and where they come from. From my preliminary encounter with them I found happiness from their faces and this made me a little bit curious. After the campaign we took an examination, but honestly, I don’t how to answer the questions. What I did is making a guessing game. I was not expecting to pass the exam. After it, I asked myself; about the reason of why when I look to their faces they are in high spirits.
Later on this curiosity awakened my enthusiasm to explore there lives. It made me to discern more for the next few months. And within those few months I was seeking for signs if He really does want me to join with his disciples. And I think God did not fail me with my prayers. I think with those signs I proved that he was there present and guiding me towards his goal for me.
One of those instances was when I prayed at the Blessed Sacrament at our parish one Friday afternoon. I could still remember the gloomy atmosphere at that day. I could still hear the shouts and noise of teenagers playing basketball adjacent to the Blessed Sacrament. To describe this event, I think this was the main reason why I am here inside the seminary. This epoch was the turning point of my life. It had totally changed my life as an individual who once was an ignorant that do not know what is happening around him. While I was kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament and at the same time I was in deep silence I suddenly asked from him a sign. And if this sign appears to me then I said, “Lord, I will be yours.” I asked from him if he could give me a white handkerchief inside this sacred place. After minutes of praying a certain young girl together with her mother entered the place and the young girl was carrying the sign. I don’t know what to do but the thing that I was asking from him came into reality. I was internally jubilant of what I had just seen and it was extremely extraordinary. After which I said thanks to the Lord and left the holy place with extreme joy carrying the big answer “YES”. I went home bringing that memory into one of my greatest experience with God.
Although this may sound an ordinary event yet I consider this still as a means that God is really calling me to be one of the servants of his Church.
Because of this event I decided to join the seminary. When I told our principal Sr. Cora she was overjoyed. Since my family does not have a consistent income and I think by God’s grace she volunteered to look a sponsor for me. If I were to recall what Fr. Renchie said, don’t think of money as a problem because if you have the calling God will make a way to let you be one of his workers in the vineyard. And, I suppose he was right.
One more situation, when I was already in the seminary, I was thinking that God was also present during my search-in at Basilica. The search-inners were more than 70 and 33 of it came from our school. I felt somehow special because from those 33 seniors who joined the search-in from our school I was the only one who really continued the path. Actually, during that search-in at Basilica, I met other people who also showed their enthusiast to enter the seminary especially Edmar, who was really loquacious. From those 77 students who took the search-in only Robert, Harvy, Edmar, Jorge and I had seen each other again at Basilica.
I think these events were indeed the reasons why I entered the seminary. Actually, I was totally ignorant of what I was joining at, either a secular or religious order. Not until I arrive here and everything was clear to me again.
My Vocation Story is my greatest experience with God
I am, Genesis Pacaldo Labana, born on March 2, 1989 to Mr. Felicito Labana and Mrs. Daisy Labana. I am the eldest among the three of us, siblings. We are all boys, next to me is Urbansito Labana and the youngest is Alladino Labana. They are still taking their respective studies. We live in Landing, Catarman, Liloan, Cebu. I finished my primary schooling in Tayud Elementary School and my Secondary schooling was in La Consolacion College – Liloan (formerly Holy Child School). I am currently taking up AB Philosophy at Saint Thomas of Villanova Insitute of Philosophy.
First and foremost, I want to thank the Lord for being with me all the time. I may not see and touch him but I can still sense his presence. Every breath that comes in and out from my mouth is the simplest way to describe his ever loving presence. However, to recount my greatest experience with God, it would be the time when I was about to enter the seminary.
Normally, when a high school student reaches senior years this is an occasion when students think of their future either to pursue college or not. On one hand, if they choose to pursue college life then what course would it be? While. on the other hand, if they choose not then what should they do? One has to choose either to work or stay idle at home? For my part, I was thinking of taking Industrial Engineering but since my family does not have a constant income that’s why I was a little bit sceptic if I will be able to pursue college or not. However, my parents were adamant that I should enter college and they want me to choose any course that I like. Although they gave me the chance to choose still I am certain of the course that I will take.. Personally, during this time I felt emptiness as if something is lacking. Deep within my personality I was alone, unhappy and doubtful.
My mind was totally outside the box as if I am like a stray cat wandering from the streets looking for something that would fill my empty stomach, my empty mind and my empty heart. But something happened along the way. Something had waked me up from my deep slumber. This was when the Augustinian novices (whom I don’t know yet what were their stage of formation) at our school for a vocation campaign in the morning. After their visit, a certain feeling had aroused. There is this enthusiasm and interest about the stories they had told to us. The stories they have told were amazing especially Fr. Renchie Senoro, OSA. He was the one fully responsible for the awakening of my vocation. It was not only the explanation of Fr. Renchie but somehow the novices showed their talents. They sang and said something about their selves and where they come from. From my preliminary encounter with them I found happiness from their faces and this made me a little bit curious. After the campaign we took an examination, but honestly, I don’t how to answer the questions. What I did is making a guessing game. I was not expecting to pass the exam. After it, I asked myself; about the reason of why when I look to their faces they are in high spirits.
Later on this curiosity awakened my enthusiasm to explore there lives. It made me to discern more for the next few months. And within those few months I was seeking for signs if He really does want me to join with his disciples. And I think God did not fail me with my prayers. I think with those signs I proved that he was there present and guiding me towards his goal for me.
One of those instances was when I prayed at the Blessed Sacrament at our parish one Friday afternoon. I could still remember the gloomy atmosphere at that day. I could still hear the shouts and noise of teenagers playing basketball adjacent to the Blessed Sacrament. To describe this event, I think this was the main reason why I am here inside the seminary. This epoch was the turning point of my life. It had totally changed my life as an individual who once was an ignorant that do not know what is happening around him. While I was kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament and at the same time I was in deep silence I suddenly asked from him a sign. And if this sign appears to me then I said, “Lord, I will be yours.” I asked from him if he could give me a white handkerchief inside this sacred place. After minutes of praying a certain young girl together with her mother entered the place and the young girl was carrying the sign. I don’t know what to do but the thing that I was asking from him came into reality. I was internally jubilant of what I had just seen and it was extremely extraordinary. After which I said thanks to the Lord and left the holy place with extreme joy carrying the big answer “YES”. I went home bringing that memory into one of my greatest experience with God.
Although this may sound an ordinary event yet I consider this still as a means that God is really calling me to be one of the servants of his Church.
Because of this event I decided to join the seminary. When I told our principal Sr. Cora she was overjoyed. Since my family does not have a consistent income and I think by God’s grace she volunteered to look a sponsor for me. If I were to recall what Fr. Renchie said, don’t think of money as a problem because if you have the calling God will make a way to let you be one of his workers in the vineyard. And, I suppose he was right.
One more situation, when I was already in the seminary, I was thinking that God was also present during my search-in at Basilica. The search-inners were more than 70 and 33 of it came from our school. I felt somehow special because from those 33 seniors who joined the search-in from our school I was the only one who really continued the path. Actually, during that search-in at Basilica, I met other people who also showed their enthusiast to enter the seminary especially Edmar, who was really loquacious. From those 77 students who took the search-in only Robert, Harvy, Edmar, Jorge and I had seen each other again at Basilica.
I think these events were indeed the reasons why I entered the seminary. Actually, I was totally ignorant of what I was joining at, either a secular or religious order. Not until I arrive here and everything was clear to me again.
