THEME: “UT UNUM SINT” Jn.

17:21

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus prayed to the Father for the unity of his disciples
whom he will be leaving in the world: “Omnes ut unum sint, sicut tu Pater in me, et ego in te, ut
et ipsi in nobis unum sint: credas mundus, quia tu me misisti” (That they may all be one; even as
thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also maybe in us, so that the world may believe that
thou has sent me). The unity of the disciples of Christ is based on the unity of the Father and the
Son. Authentic Christian communion can only happen when the disciples of Christ are firmly
rooted in Jesus’ communion with the Father.

This year, we celebrate the Year of the Parish as Communion of Communities. The
Christian faithful of the Church in the Philippines are called to be in communion with each other
as one People of God. To be united as disciples and followers of Christ we have to be in intimate
communion with the Triune God. The communion of the People of God is simply a consequence
of the Christians’ intimate union with God.

The 11th Gathering of Theology Seminarians in the Visayas (GTSV) is a way of expressing
this communion. All the theology seminarians from Palo, Cebu, Iloilo and Capiz are gathered to
celebrate the gift of priestly vocation that they have received from God. The theology seminarians
from the four seminaries are unique and different from each other but what truly unites them is
their faith in the Triune God and their priestly vocation. The hope of this gathering is to fulfil
through God’s grace Christ’s prayer for unity for his disciples. May the 11th GTSV be a source of
communion for all men called to the Priesthood by Christ, the High Priest of the New Covenant.

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 EXPLANATION OF THE OFFICIAL LOGO OF 11TH GTSV

CENTER ICON
The center icon shows the eye of the 2013 Super Typhoon
Yolanda – international name “Haiyan” that took the lives of
thousands of people and devastated houses, building natural resources
and livelihoods in the province. The painful and unforgettable
experiences of those times left scars that would never be erased in
people’s hearts. The mixed feelings of anxiety, fear, sickness,
loneliness, discouragement, and the unrelenting questions as to why
this catastrophe happened challenged the faith of many believers. But despite of those things we
find the abiding presence of God through the Church and the spiritual and humanitarian aids of the
people from all over the world both from government and private sectors and from different
parishes and Christian communities in the Philippines and abroad.
FOUR-HUMAN IMAGES
The four-human images that form a circle represent the theology seminaries in the
Visayas. These images emphasize the beauty of the gathering of theology seminarians united in
faith, hope, and love and in the Vocation that God has called them to live—the priesthood. Through
this gathering we united ourselves with the people of God in their joys, hopes, sorrows, pain and
afflictions especially those who experienced the wrath of Yolanda.
CRUCIFIED CHRIST
Lastly, the Crucified Christ represents God’s unfathomable love for all people. Nothing
can separate us from the love of God, not even the worst events and circumstances of human life.
The Crucified Christ is a constant reminder that God himself suffered like us and he is not
indifferent with our pains and sufferings. In the Crucified Christ, a love which is not capable of
giving up on people is expressed in all its grandeur and power. Jesus, the source of our unity and
the center of our lives always gives us the strength and perseverance to continue His salvific works
on earth despite the ups and downs of life. Hence, the image, portrays Christ in our midst. Unity
is only possible when we are firmly united with Christ. Christ is the source of unity. That we may
be one in the name of Jesus Christ.

(11TH GTSV official Logo by Sem. Lino Ellorando)

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