Foundation and the History of San Pablo Seminary
Realizing the need for a formation house for collegiate candidates to the priesthood, the Bishops of Northern Luzon dreamed of putting up a Regional College Seminary for Northern Luzon. Originally, there was only one Diocesan Major Seminary in this part of the country: the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, which was founded
in 1822 as Seminario Conciliar de San Pablo. To foster a better formation for their college seminarians, the Bishops of Northern Luzon decided to separate the Philosophy department from the Mother-institution and had it transferred to Baguio City in 1976. For this purpose, the Bishops bought a building at Liteng, Pacdal but later found this to be too small for a Regional seminary. William Brasseur, CICM, D.D., then the Apostolic Vicar of the Mountain Provinces, offered the more spacious building — the former St. Francis Xavier Seminary, built by the late Fr. Francis Lambrect, CICM, at Crystal Cave, Baguio City to become the new house of formation for the College Seminarians of Northern Luzon. This new house of formation was named San Pablo Major Seminary after the name of St. Paul the Apostle, the patron-saint of the seminary. In June 21, 1976, the San Pablo Major Seminary in Baguio City was opened for the first time. It was formally blessed and inaugurated on February 24, 1977 by the late Archbishop Bruno Torpigliani, D.D., then Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. Since its foundation in 1976, San Pablo Major Seminary has been under the care of formators from the Diocesan clergy. William Brasseur, CICM, DD, became the first Chairman of the Board of Bishops with the Very Rev. Jose Alipio as first Rector. Alipio assumed the task of “laying the foundations” with the help of a team of formators and some members of the Religious of the Assumption as part of the team of formation. Alipio stayed on as a rector until 1979. The Very Rev. Victor Maynigo took over the position of Rector after the term of Fr. Alipio. It was during Fr. Maynigo’s term as Rector, that an annex building was built to accommodate the growing number of seminarians. The new building was blessed on September 8, 1981, the feast of the Nativity of Mary, by the Apostolic Nuncio. Maynigo was Rector until 1983. After Fr. Maynigo, the Very Rev. Thaddeus Mercado took over the reigns of Rectorship. It was during his time that the San Pablo Major Seminary became affiliated to the Pontifical Urbanian University in Rome. Thus, on January 26, 1987, San Pablo Major Seminary was given a Pontifical status. Moreover, during the time of Fr. Mercado, the present seminary library was built. The library, which was built at the top of the two-storey annex, was made possible through the help of several funding agencies like: Missio Aachen, Kirche in Not, Konigstein, some German dioceses, and the Propaganda Fide in Rome. The library, which was dedicated to St. Therese of the Child Jesus, was blessed and inaugurated by the Most Rev. Bruno Torpigliani, DD, on April 1, 1987. The term of Fr. Mercado ended in 1989. Mercado, San Pablo Major Seminary had the Most Rev. Sebastian Dalis, DD, as its Rector. It was during this time that the killer-quake of July 16, 1990 struck Baguio. The seminary went to a severe testing. The community had to celebrate mass in the open grounds, classes were suspended, and the seminarians had to sleep outdoors under the chilling cold of night. In spite of the destructions caused by the earthquake the seminary had to move on. Bishop Dalis undertook the difficult task of rehabilitating the seminary building. In November 1991, the Very Rev. Rodolfo Beltran took over the administration. He continued the work of restoration. His administration was responsible for the widening of the seminary chapel and the start of the construction of the seminary gymnasium. Beltran’s term ended in 1997 and the Very Rev. Andres Cosalan Jr. succeeded him as Rector. Cosalan’s term that the gymnasium was brought to completion. He also did some other improvements and repairs of the seminary building. His term ended in April 2000. After almost twenty five years, the seminary had a rector who was a product of this institution — the Very Rev. Liberato “Liber” Ortega. Ortega, together with a new team of formators, who were also products of this seminary, started his term by fostering a kind of atmosphere which was more conducive for formation and community living. He, together with the formators and the seminarians, formulated a Vision-Mission Statement and to come up with a written seminarian’s manual. The manual was officially launched and distributed to the seminarians in a mass presided over by the Most Rev. Ernesto Salgado, DD, the chairman of the Board of Bishops at the opening of the second semester of formation year 2000-2001. During Fr. Liber’s term some other parts of the seminary building, like the dining hall, had also been refurbished. In 2001, San Pablo Major Seminary looked back to 25 years of challenging experiences marked by various events and colorful persons. There were triumphs and defeats. There were moments too painful to remember yet San Pablo Seminary continued to stand as a beacon of hope and a symbol of new beginnings. A new Rector came in June 2002. Adalbert Barut, who just finished his Doctorate of Philosophy in Rome. In this new administration, there was a substantial change in the academic curriculum. The Seminary oratory was renovated and was blessed on July 26, 2004. Some more changes and improvements were made in 2006 and 2007 like the reconstructions of the Seminary chapel’s sanctuary and the repair of the downspouts and gutters, and the repainting of the Seminary building. At the beginning of the formation year 2008- 2009 the Very Rev. Florito Apalias was in- charge of the administration He came second semester of November 2008. He initiated many projects for the betterment of the Seminary Structure and for the formation of the seminarians. He, together with the new team of formators, made the Seminary formation go on efficiently and fruitfully through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the ultimate formator. To date, San Pablo Major Seminary has produced numerous graduates, many of whom have become priests and are serving in the Church of Northern Luzon. Two former Spiritual Directors and one Rector have become Bishops: The Most Rev. Jesse Mercado, DD, who was with the seminary from 1977-1979 and the Most Rev. Camilo Gregorio, DD, who was with the seminary from 1979-1981. Rodolfo Beltran, PhD, DD, likewise served as Rector from 1991-1997. Given this history of the founding of San Pablo Seminary, and all the formators and the graduates, with all the seminarians presently enrolled, the saying of St. Paul, our Patron Saint lives on; “VIVERE CHRISTUS EST!” (To live is Christ).
