Throwback: Heartfelt Class

Text and Photo: Fr. Jun de Ocampo, SVD

Father Jun Ocampo, center back, now in Germany. To his left, Manuel Bongayan, Ben Limsuan, Roderick Salazar (all in the Philippines) To Jun's far right, Atilano Corcuera (looking down), Roger Alasan both in the Philippines. Below Roger Alasan, at the front line, Leo Bose (+), Max Chua (now lay in Argentina), Noel Gatchalian (in Africa), Popong de la Cruz (in the Philippines), Florante Camacho (not part of our class but rector of our seminary then), behind and between Popong and Florante is Rocky Albano now a diocesan priest in San Francisco, USA; to the left of Fr Florante is Johnny Balsicas, now a lay person in the Philippines; to his left is Rizal Jose (RJ) Santos now in Japan; Paul Bolanos, now lay person in the Philippines; Macky Apuya (died last year); beside Macky is Lino Nicasio, parish priest in Kamuning, QC' between them at the back, Greg Sebastian now in Taiwan;, beside Lino, partly covered is Jose San Juan (SJ for short); between the two at the back is Vic Uy, now in Bohol. Not seen in photo is Victor Bagsic, first in the class to die. We were 20 ordained in Tagaytay on June 21, 1974, on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We chose this date because we consecrated ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Thus, we called ourselves HEARTFELT 74. Dante Venus was ordained in 1974 but in Ireland. Tony Pernia was ordained in 1975, with the class called DIWA 75. 1975 was the centennial of the SVD. We were established on September 8, 1875. Of the original 20 Heartfelt, 3 have died, 3 are now in the lay state, and 1 became a diocesan priest. As of this date, there are 13 surviving priests of HEARTFELT 74. As we thank the Lord for the grace of vocation and perseverance, we continue to ask for prayers for continued faithfulness to the Divine Word and His Sacred Heart.