Jose Pujalte Jr. By Dr. Jose Pujalte Jr.   For this week, I am giving way to my medical school classmate who left to become a priest. He is Fr. Gregory Ramon D. Gaston and he shares this article with us: “When Cardinal Tagle and our Filipino bishops come to Rome for meetings with the Pope or other tasks, they usually stay at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino. Our priests who do further studies, in addition to the basic Bachelor’s in Philosophy and Master’s in Theology before ordination to the priesthood, and who are sent by their respective dioceses, are the primary residents of the Collegio. But most of all, it is our Filipino OFWs working and residing in Italy who find solace and spiritual comfort in this ‘home in Rome.’ “With the Vatican three kilometers away, priests residing in the Collegio can see the Holy Father every week, during the Sunday Angelus or the Wednesday Audience, listening to his words in Italian, without having to wait for the English translation. They join him in the Christmas, Mass on Holy Thursday canonizations, jubilees, and other celebrations. “While studying, priests undergo on-going human, spiritual and pastoral formation. The day-to-day interaction with each other strengthens the sense of brotherhood. Retreats, recollections, and conferences make them grow spiritually. “On Sundays and breaks such as Christmas, Holy Week, and summer, our priests serve our OFWs, celebrating Masses for around 50 Filipino communities in Rome alone. Filipinos in other cities in Italy (Naples, Bari, Lecce, Milan, Turin, Pisa, Parma …) and Europe (Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Spain, France, Malta, Greece, etc.), and parishes in the US, also ask for their help, allowing them to understand the realities of those places. They also witness the situations and needs of our Filipinos in the diaspora, vis-à-vis the needs of their family members left back home in the Philippines. “Founded by the Philippine bishops, blessed by Pope St. John XXIII, and visited by Pope St. John Paul II, the Collegio was established in 1961 as a home away from home for student priests, with a Filipino ambiance. But beautiful as it may be, the building also needs a lot of maintenance, like the human body that reaches 57 years of age. Thanks be to God, we have been able to renovate the top three floors, with almost 90 bedrooms, and are finalizing the renovations of the left wing’s basement (laundry, kitchen, mini-gym, and media room) and ground floor (offices and refectory). We still need to renovate the right wing’s basement (library) and ground floor (hall with meeting and TV rooms), as well as the central chapels, lobby area and façade. “Divine providence has not and will not fail us in this regard. For this reason, we never stop praying, and asking friends for help, and indeed, generous hearts have come to our aid. But we still need as much assistance as we can, as we await whatever providence and friends might have in store for us.” * * * Fr. Gaston  is a priest of the Archdiocese of Manila, and currently rector of Collegio Filippino, where he has stayed for a total of 17 years.  He recently gave a series of Lenten webinars to doctors, health care workers, and patients (view at upcm.ph/webinar).  Together with his batchmates at UP College of Medicine where he studied two years ad where he discovered his vocation to the priesthood, he will celebrate his ordination 25 years ago through a SILVER SACERDOTAL ANNIVERSARY MASS.  Cardinal Tagle will concelebrate the mass together with Fr. Gaston and Fr. Stephen Simangan, who were ordained at same time in 1993. The mass will be held at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine, 90 4th St., New Manila, QC, and will be followed by a benefit dinner at the adjoining Fr. Mark Horran Hall.  In lieu of gifts, please donate to the Collegio. For dinner tickets and details on how to donate, contact 0927-0810084 or [email protected]. E-mai:l [email protected]