Mon Carmelo Marcaida is a seminarian from the Diocese of Masbate, Philippines. He comes from a Catholic family, who always attended mass, prayed the rosary and celebrated the word every Sunday.
"I entered the minor seminary right after my elementary years that when I was 12 years old.
The truth is that I had no idea about a seminary before. I didn't know what a seminary was until I heard an announcement from the parish priest in my parish that there would be an exam for those who wanted to enter the minor seminary, and that the diocese was looking for young boys who wanted to become priests.
I started asking my parents if I could take the exam to enter the seminary. For my parents it was a real surprise because they never imagined that I could enter the seminary.
I entered the seminary without the vocation to be a priest. I didn't have it very clear, I think I just wanted to see life in the seminary, just out of curiosity.
While my classmates had everything clear: they wanted to be priests. I did not know what to do.
I had a hard time in the seminary. I was 12 years old, I didn't know how to wash my clothes, clean my room or make my bed. I look back on those four years in the minor seminary with joy.
I learned many things and there I discovered my vocation to the priesthood. I discovered that God was calling me to be a priest.
I was 15 years old when I felt the call of the Lord. I was very young. I was very afraid. I did not know how to respond to this call to the priesthood. So in my prayer I said to the Lord: "Make all this clear to me, Lord, make all this clear to me. I am very young, I don't know what to do. But I felt your call, help me to answer it."
After the minor seminary, I decided to continue.
My years studying philosophy were some of the best years of my life. My vocation to the priesthood was beginning to grow. I was beginning to understand the call of the Lord.
I remember perfectly the day when I said "Yes" to the Lord.
One summer, my rector sent me to an island, very remote, without electricity, without anything. It was very hard for me because I am from a big city and I was not used to living without electricity. The rector sent me there to be with the people to pray, to accompany them, to do catechesis, to give catechism classes for the young and the old and above all to celebrate mass. In the village where I was, mass is only celebrated once every two months.
On that island, I said "Yes" to the Lord. I have seen the need for a priest in my diocese. I have seen the thirst of the people for the sacraments. And who am I to say NO to that great call of God to be his instrument to bring the sacraments to all peoples.
After that experience, it was clear to me that I was going to be a priest. I came back home, very happy. "
