“A grace of God and a Gift to the Philippine Church and for the Filipino Migrants”, tema sa ika-50 anibaersayo ng Collegio Filippino
Isang makabuluhang pagdiriwang ng ika-50 anibersaryo ng Collegio Filippino ang ginanap noong nakaraang linggo, May 1. “A grace of God and a Gift to the Philippine Church and for the Filipino Migrants” ang napiling tema sa nasabing okasyon na dinaluhan ng humigit kumulang na 500 mga Pilipino na magmula pa sa iba’t ibang parte ng Italya at mundo.
Natatandaang noong nakaraang Linggo din ginanap ang beatification ng mahal na Pope John Paul II, kung kaya’t matapos ang pagdiriwang sa St. Peter’s Basilica ay sama samang nagtungo ang mga Pilipino sa Via Aurelia upang ipagdiwang ang anibersaryo.
Pinangunahan ang banal na misa ni Cardinal Gaudencio Borbon Rosales, naging co-celebrants naman sina Cardinal Ricardo Jamin Vidal, Monsignor Greg Gaston, ang Rector ng Pontificio Collegio Filippino; Fr. Romeo Velos, ang Chaplain ng Sentro Pilipino kasama ang iba pang mga Cardinals , Bishops , Archbishops, Monsignors and Priests. Hindi nawala sa pagtitipon ang mahal na Ambassador to the Vatican Mercedes Tuazon. Pinangunahan naman ng San Raffaele Arcangelo Community Choir ang mga awitin sa pamumuno ni Ronnie Caravana. Naging mahalagang bahagi rin ang partisipasyon ng five clusters ng Sentro Filipino (Center, East, West, South at North), gayun din ng Security Committee na pinanguhan ng UGBII- Solid Brothers Chapter sa tulong ng GII- Anti Crime Chapter.
Isang masaganang hapag ang pinagsalu-saluhan habang sinasaksihan ang cultural presentation mula sa mga dumalo ng nasabing pagdiriwang.
Pontificio Collegio Filippinois the college of Filipino diocesan priests studying at pontifical universities in Rome, Italy. It was formally established as an institution with pontifical rights by Pope Blessed John XXIII on June 29, 1961 through the PapalBull Sancta Mater Ecclesia. Also known as Pontificio Collegio Seminario Filippino, the college is officially named by the papal bull as Pontificio Collegio Seminario de Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje. The seat of the institution is located at 490 Via Aurelia in the suburb of Rome where a four-story structure designed by Edoardo Cherubini and done in the contemporary architectural design of the 1960s stands on a 238,933.44 square metres (285,762.02 sq yd) property between the Collegio Pio Brasiliano and the Villa Pacelli. Cardinal Rufino Jiao Santos proposed establishing the college during the meeting of the Catholic Hierarchy of the Philippines on 26–31 January 1959. His plan was supported by the Philippine ecclessiatical hierarchy and approved by the Vatican. Pope John XXIII blessed and inaugurated the modern edifice on October 7, 1961 at the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. As of the year 2001, Pontificio Collegio Filippino has been a home to 522 seminarians and priests, 38 of whom have become bishops. The current rector of Pontificio Collegio Filippino is Rev. Father Gregory Ramon Gaston.
