Gladius - San Pablo Seminary, #20 Crystal Cave Road, Baguio City (2026)

15/08/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐨?

In his “A Short History of the Diocesan Seminaries in Northern Luzon”, Fr. Roque Reyes, a priest of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia and former formator at San Pablo Seminary, quipped:

“The regional bishops decided to transfer the college department of the Immaculate Conception Seminary. This gave birth to the Northern Luzon inter-diocesan College Seminary in Baguio City and, perhaps with good reasons, took back the original name of San Pablo Seminary, with the Immaculate Conception as a secondary patron”[1].

The statement recognized (a) the efforts made by the regional bishops as regards the relocation of “the college department”, (b) the college was formerly attached to the “Immaculate Conception Seminary” in Vigan, (c) the change of the seminary’s patronal name from a Marian to Paulite [2], claiming back “the original name San Pablo Seminary” [3] and (d) the lineage of the San Pablo Seminary is closely tied to “the Immaculate Conception” being its “secondary patron”.

Was the Board of Trustees aware of the original name of Immaculate Conception Seminary “and, perhaps with good reasons, took [it] back”? Also, the same statement did not categorically mention the “good reasons” for taking “back the original name”. It merely indicated, though, that there might be some “good reasons”.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐞?

On May 27, 1976, Bishop William Brasseur, together with the members of the seminary board of trustees: Rev. Fr. Sebastian Dalis, Rev. Fr. Jose Alipio, Rev. Fr. Pablo Filog, and Rev. Fr. Patricio Guyguyon, convened and formally resolved to change the name from "Immaculate Conception Collegiate Seminary" to "San Pablo Seminary”. The seminary’s name was changed for the following two reasons:

“1. By giving the seminary the name of the great Apostle to the Gentiles, Saint Paul, it is hoped that the seminarians will be inspired by his great seal which characterized his whole apostolic life.”

“2. Being the name of a man, San Pablo is likely to evoke a more manly attitude in the seminarians than the title of Our Blessed Mother. It is also expected that this new name shall create the same manly impression in people who come in contact with the seminary”[6].

Bishop Brasseur emphasized in his letter to the minister of the Department of Education and Culture, “because of these reasons, though insignificant they seem, yet full of rich meaning and implications, we, the Chairman and members of the Seminary Board, would like to request your office make the necessary adjustments which this change of name calls for” [7].

This marked the culmination of years of planning, sacrifice, and collaboration, finally giving the institution a distinct identity reflective of its mission and vision for priestly formation in Northern Luzon.

Obviously, the change of name from “Immaculate Conception” to "San Pablo" reflects the seminary’s mission to form future priests in the spirit of Saint Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, who courageously brought the Gospel to distant and unfamiliar territories. Similarly, the seminarians are called and inspired to continue this apostolic work by bringing the good news to diverse and often remote communities of the Cordilleras who subscribe to indigenous religions and to the rest of Northern Luzon.

However, one could not fail to notice and wonder about the second reason. The emphasis on the use of the phrase, “Being the name of a man, San Pablo is likely to evoke a more manly attitude in the seminarians than the title of Our Blessed Mother”.

A reference to the report of the assessment of the program of the seminary by the apostolic visitor might help clarify the intent of the wording. It seems that the reference to San Pablo relates to “the desire to see the students develop in a mature and manly way with proper use of the gift of freedom.”

Manly attitude in this sense is connected to the exercise of responsible freedom. There is no real freedom without responsibility. This view was once again emphasized in the pages of the same document, where manly attitude was deeply tied to self-discipline.

According to the report, “discipline in the seminary is not only for the good order and progress of the institution but also as a means for the young men to prepare themselves for the self-discipline and responsible use of freedom they will encounter in their priestly ministry”.[9]

Discipleship is borne out of discipline. There can be no discipleship without discipline. Seminarians are called to spiritual and intellectual maturity in addition to mastering oneself in relation to the virtues of understanding, wisdom and temperance. It is expected that seminarians could make their own decisions and be responsible for their actions, and not be overly reliant on another’s decision.

The report understands that while “self-discipline and self-control” can be very demanding, it could be gradually mastered. It is therefore hoped that seminarians of San Pablo Seminary “should already have acquired, as almost a second nature, spiritual, intellectual and self-disciplinary virtues” [10].

Bearing the name San Pablo means responsibility, freedom and discipline. These traits became the guiding post of the seminary's journey. They are therefore expected from every Paulite.

Having embraced these traits proved to be San Pablo Seminary's strength as they carried it through the difficulties that went with the birthing of a new beginning. As aptly described:

“San Pablo’s first year of existence was no doubt a very difficult one. But signs of the Lord’s supportive and guiding presence had never been lacking, and at the end of its first year, the community could honestly call itself a Christian community with an identity [...] it own[s]" [11].

Vivere Christus est et mori lucrum - San Pablo.

REFERENCES

[1] Reyes, Roque. A Short History of the Diocesan Seminaries in Northern Luzon. San Pablo Seminary Collection. Undated, pp. 1-3.
[2] This title was mentioned in a typewritten draft, with handwritten remarks, of the section “Brief History” of San Pablo Seminary. To quote, “San Pablo’s first year of existence was no doubt a very difficult one. But signs of the Lord’s supportive and guiding presence had never been lacking, and at the end of its first year, the community could honestly call itself a Christian community with an identity all it own. And it had captured these in writing, now contained in the Paulite’s handbook” (emphasis added). See SITE, BUILDING AND QUARTERS in “Brief History”. Maroon Colored Folder. San Pablo Seminary Collection, pp, 1-4.
[3] It can be recalled that the Conciliar seminary in Vigan was first named after the great apostle, Paul, until it took a Marian title as its primary patron.
[4] Articles of Incorporation of the San Pablo Seminary Incorporated (Amended), July 10, 1978, p. 1.
[5] Board of Trustees. Resolution. 27 May 1976, Bishop’s Residence, Diocese of Baguio Archive, Baguio City, Philippines.
[6] Board of Trustees. Resolution.
[7] Msgr. W. Brasseur to Dr. Bequirin, letter, 21 June 1976, Bishop’s Residence, Diocese of Baguio Archive, Baguio City, Philippines.
[8] Report of the Apostolic Visitor on the program of San Pablo Seminary, no. 2. This report has missing pages. While it is signed, it is unreadable and undated. Diocese of Baguio Archives, Baguio City, Philippines. A photocopy of the same document is kept in San Pablo Seminary Collection, Crystal Cave. Hereafter, Report of the Apostolic Visitor
[9] Report of Apostolic Visitor, no 4.
[10] Report of Apostolic Visitor, no. 4. By virtues, one could refer to cardinal virtues such as justice, understanding, temperance, wisdom, and theological virtues as faith, hope and love.
[11] SITE, BUILDING AND QUARTERS, p. 4.

14/08/2026

COUNTDOWN | 60 DAYS TO GO!

The theme of the Celebration of the Golden Jubilee and Grand Alumni Homecoming, Explained

“LANGEN-LANGEN: A Golden Jubilee of Fraternal Love.”

Langen-langen refuses translation into anything more solemn than itself. It is Ilocano wisdom compressed into a gesture — the unhurried art of lingering with another simply because their presence is enough reason to stay. Not conversation for information, not gathering for agenda, but communion for its own sake: the oldest and least defensible form of love, precisely because it seeks no further justification than the other person's company.

In the seminary that formed us, this was never incidental to formation — it was formation. Long before doctrine settled into conviction, it was langen-langen — the unstructured hours, the shared table, the laughter that asked nothing of us — that first taught us what communion feels like from the inside. Friendship, Aquinas reminds us, is charity's most human face; and it was here, in idle togetherness, that charity first became instinct rather than instruction.

Fifty years on, that instinct calls us home. Whatever paths we took — the altar or the marketplace, the collar or the ordinary vocations of family and profession — we return not as strangers reassembling but as a communion remembering itself. Time, which scatters, cannot undo what langen-langen once built: a fellowship existing not merely in memory but in what Augustine might call an eternal present — ever recollected, never past. This Golden Jubilee, then, is not a return to what we were, but a renewed enactment of who, in friendship, we have never stopped being — and of what San Pablo Seminary, in her fifty years, has quietly taught us all along: that to form a priest, or a person, is first to teach them how to stay.

(c) MR. NIÑO RANDY C. FLORES, Ph. D. (Cand.)
SPS Batch 2016

————————————

🎉GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION & GRAND ALUMNI HOMECOMING
📍 SAN PABLO SEMINARY, Crystal Cave Rd., Bakakeng Central, Baguio City
🗓 October 13-14, 2026 (Tuesday- Wednesday)

Registration ends September 30, 2026 (Wednesday). See registration link at the comment section.

Umayen, keli! 🙌

Vivere Christus est, et mori locrum.
(Philippians 1:21)

13/08/2026

𝑺𝒂𝒏 𝑷𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒐 𝑺𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒚//𝑨 𝑳𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒄𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉

𝓐 𝓢𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓻𝔂 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓰 𝓜𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓝𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓷 𝓛𝓾𝔃𝓸𝓷

High on the cool and misty mountains of Baguio City stands one of Northern Luzon’s pillars for priestly formation and education. For over five decades, San Pablo Seminary has stood the test of time and opened its doors to cradle countless young men from the various provinces of the North in their journey of faith and to the priesthood.

Such dedication was rooted in what a seminary ought to stand for: “A good seminary is essential for the formation of good, holy, dedicated and zealous priests”[1].

Of course, these traits are expected from anyone – priests and lay people – who have had formation in the seminary.

𝓕𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓑𝓪𝓰𝓾𝓲𝓸 𝓣𝓸 𝓥𝓲𝓰𝓪𝓷 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓑𝓪𝓬𝓴

Despite the challenges the administrators and seminarians experienced when the Immaculate Conception Collegiate Seminary was relocated to Baguio between 1970 and 1972, the idea of Baguio as a possible seminary site for the coming years never waned.

In 1973, the bishops of Northern Luzon convened and decided to relocate the Philosophy department. This was just some months after the short-lived experimental collegiate seminary in Guisad, Baguio, was returned to Vigan.

Why was there an urgency for relocation?

In an earlier post, it was mentioned that the reason for the transfer was the limited space to accommodate a growing population of seminarians.

However, there seemed to be a deeper reason – a lack of personal discernment and decision-making about one’s vocation.

How this happened is what we will discover below.

𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓬𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷-𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓕𝓪𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻

In the minds of bishops and formators, the move to relocate the collegiate seminary could break the tendency to be complacent of personal discernment and decision-making.

What does this mean?

Being overly confident of one's situation could lead to complecency. This could badly influence a seminarian’s personal discernment and responsible decision about his vocation [3]. If this is correct, decisions would then become less motivated by the realities and challenges of priestly life.

An individual, even a seminarian, should be able to make a well-informed personal decision and not become a drifter. However, was the environment in which seminarians immerse themselves helpful?

"At present, a seminarian entering the Archdiocesan Major Seminary, Vigan, Ilocos Sur, stays in the same place for a total of nine years. It is our experience that this is simply staying too long in one place. The seminarian can easily drift along from year to year, and drift even into theological studies from college, without making a real decision for the priesthood. Such a problem would be averted to a great extent, we feel, if the College and Theology Departments were physically separated" [4].

It appears that the decision not to keep the two departments together in the same location was partially due to “population explosion” and lack of physical space – structural – and with it, overcrowding. A more serious reason, as observed by the faculty, was rooted in a deeper reality – lack of personal discernment – that could define a seminarian’s trajectory and priority.

So, what’s the solution?

The faculty “favor, first of all, the establishment of a Regional College Seminary, to be located in a place other than the Archdiocesan Major Seminary, Vigan, Ilocos Sur”[5]. Could this approach effectively help?

The seminary’s program structure was meant to instill discipline and maturity in seminarians. However, whether or not the setup could address this concern seemed untenable. Again, the motivations for their new proposal were on point.

“In the first place, one and the same rule for two heterogeneous groups – college and theology students – is not suited to their two different levels of psychological, intellectual and spiritual development. Furthermore, having one rule for two such very different groups aggravates disciplinary problems. Each group has need of a general rule of discipline that creates an atmosphere geared to self-discipline, but suitable to each group’s age and maturity level.

In the second place, if the college were separated from the theologate, not only could each group be better disciplined; the growth and maturation of each group could be better attended to. With the separation of the college from the theologate, the college students could assume the responsibilities of student government, liturgical planning and intellectual leadership – all of which opportunities are greatly reduced when the collegians are in the same house with older and more experienced theology students”[6].

Put simply, (1) a one-size-fits-all approach could be disadvantageous, (2) a familiarity among seminarians and formators who stayed together longer than normal could be disastrous for personal maturity.

As observed, the arrangement being followed was less effective for diverse groups with diverse needs to grow maturely. Seminarians are not homogeneous. Different needs demand different approaches and level of understanding. Taking the “one rule for all” maxim as the rule of thumb in seminary formation tends to malign differences. It would be acting indifferently. Insisting on staying together for a very long period of time tend to slow down, if not curtail, growth and maturation because of familiarity; comfortability with the familiar.

From the faculty’s side, that kind of seminary set-up was less helpful.

The faculty’s proposal could effectively break the lingering problem, which sometimes overwhelms when left unchecked. The proposal to separate the college from the theology seminarians in sharing the same seminary could lead to the unfamiliar, that is, a new environment where self-discovery, spiritual, emotional, and social growth take place.

The unfamiliar apparently nurtures creativity, enlightens understanding, and guides discernment. Conversely, when left unchecked, familiarity tends to impede growth, make an individual feel complacent, comfortable, self-entitled, or even drift along with others. Thanks to the unfamiliar that breaks the familiar to generate the person anew.

The faculty and the bishops considered several locations to meet the unfamiliar: Vigan, Urdaneta, Laoag, San Fernando, La Union, and Baguio, Mt. Province [7]. Among these locations, Baguio once again emerged in the conversation and was chosen as the most favored choice for the seminary’s new home [8].

A factor in the decision to establish a regional college seminary in Baguio was its ideal environment for study and the availability of competent teachers. Strategically, Brasseur quips, “Baguio City was decided as the best location for the department of philosophy as it is better for studying and also because of the facility of better faculty from lay teachers” [9]. Along similar lines, the Faculty claimed, “Baguio is probably the most acceptable location for students and faculty[10].

At that time, Baguio was a booming educational hub, home to several academic institutions, with Saint Louis University as the city's leading Catholic school.

The socio-economic condition was another factor in their choice. While Baguio City was the most centrally located site among other proposals, it was an economic center in bloom. However, choosing Baguio came with underlying constraints. As had been experienced, Baguio demanded a “relatively higher cost of living”, the absence and unavailability of “land and money”[11].

What to do?

The members of the faculty of Vigan, as well as the bishops, agreed that a major investment in “appropriate facilities, including a lot and building” was needed.

𝓢𝓪𝓷 𝓟𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓸 𝓢𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓻𝔂 𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼

The ICM Property in Liteng, Pacdal was acquired by the bishops for this purpose. However, the existing building on the property was insufficient after a thorough reassessment.

Brasseur offered to swap Saint Francis Xavier Minor Seminary in Crystal Cave with the property in Liteng, Pacdal. However, “only the use and development of the property is exchanged. The land remains [with] the owners”[13].

The college seminary was relocated to Crystal Cave.

The bishops decided to start the school year in June 1976[14], “with 66 seminarians for the first three years, as was decided by the bishops: next year they will have the full courses of Philosophy of
four years [15]. Interestingly, Fr. Tjolle certified “the teachers and other school employees of [seminary] will become members of the C.I.C.M Teachers’ Retirement Plan effective June, 1976”[16].

Brasseur shared his impression and seemed satisfied with the opening of the seminary: “I went to make a visit to the seminary lately, and I found a good spirit among the seminarians and a good faculty”

A good start seemed to have enveloped the beginning of this chapter in the life of San Pablo Seminary. To make it flourish would be a continuing project to sustain. In the meantime, a new chapter had just unfolded.

On 24 February 1977, a year after it opened its doors to seminarians from Northern Luzon, San Pablo Seminary was inaugurated. This milestone was both (1) a recognition of the work done by the administration, staff, and seminarians and (2) a defining inspiration for more collaborative efforts for the good of the seminary amidst difficulties and opportunities.

An equally momentous event worth celebrating came on 13 June 1978. San Pablo Seminary was granted the official “Government Recognition for a Four-Year Liberal Arts Course [18]. Before this recognition, the seminary operated on a temporary permit [19].

The first two years of the seminary seemed to have proceeded quite well. It was a great start. It established a solid foundation – one that inspired and continues to inspire the mission to form Paulite seminarians.

𝓐𝓷 𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓸𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷

Born out of the pressing need for a regional college seminary in response to the growing number of vocations in Northern Luzon, the establishment of San Pablo Seminary was marked by trials, transitions, and the unwavering commitment of countless visionary clergymen, benefactors, and the faithful. Their perseverance and collective effort laid the groundwork for this new institution that would serve not just one diocese but an entire region.

From this humble sanctuary, the seminary has produced exemplary graduates, many of whom became priests and a few bishops, now serving across the country and beyond.

San Pablo Seminary continues to prosper and stands true to the words of the late Bishop William Brasseur: “A good seminary is essential for the formation of good, holy, dedicated and zealous priests”[15].

𝙑𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙨 𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙞 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙢 – 𝙎𝙩. 𝙋𝙖𝙪𝙡

REFERENCES

[1] William Brasseur. Letter to Dr. Donald Gallagher. 15 July 1976. San Pablo Seminary Collection. Crystal Cave, Baguio City, Philippines, p. 2. Why must the formandi be good, holy, dedicated, and zealous, however, is a question we intend to discuss in another post.
[2] Gladius - San Pablo Seminary. San Pablo’s Roots. 7 August 2006. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/195BJczWi7/
[3] The Faculty of Archdiocesan Major Seminary. Letter to the Northern Luzon Bishops. 15 October 1973. Bishop’s Residence, Diocesan Archives. Baguio City, Philippines.
[4] The Faculty, p. 1.
[5] The Faculty, p. 1.
[6] The Faculty, p. 1. See also the Catholic Bishops of Northern Luzon/ Petition to the Bishops’ Conference of the Federal Republic of Germany. 7 July 1975. San Pablo Seminary Collection, Baguio City, Philippines.
[7] The Faculty, p. 3.
[8] Brasseur, William. Letter to whom it may concern. 9 December 1975. Bishop’s Residence, Diocesan Archives. Baguio City, Philippines.
[9] Msgr. Brasseur. Letter to Gallagher. 15 July 1976, p. 1.
[10] The Faculty, p. 3.
[11] The Faculty, p. 4.
[12] Gladius - San Pablo Seminary. The site of a collegiate seminary in Baguio. 8 August 2006. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18v58nJXKV/
[13] Catholic Bishops of Northern Luzon. Minutes of Meeting, no. 7. Bishop’s Residence, Diocesan Archives. Baguio City, Philippines. Undated.
[14] Brasseur, William and Claustro, Felix. Certification. 13 November 2026. Bishop’s Residence, Diocesan Archives. Baguio City, Philippines.
[15] It should be noted that the school calendar indicated “June 7, 1976 – classes begin”. However, in his letter to Dr. Gallagher, Brasseur wrote, “The seminary started already on June 21…” (see San Pablo Seminary. School Calendar for 1976-1977. Bishop’s Residence, Diocesan Archives. Baguio City, Philippines; Brasseur, William. Letter to Dr. Donald Gallagher. 15 July 1976, p. 2).
[16] Tjolle, Roger, CICM. CERTIFICATION. 12 December 1975. Bishop’s Residence, Diocesan Archives. Baguio City, Philippines.
[17] Brasseur, William. Letter to Dr. Donald Gallagher. 15 July 1976, p. 2.
[18] Manuel, Juan. Government Recognition. 28 July 1978. Bishop’s Residence, Diocesan Archives. Baguio City, Philippines.
[19] Gladius - San Pablo Seminary. The site of a collegiate seminary in Baguio. 8 August 2006. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18v58nJXKV/ , Reference no. 16 and 17.
[20] Brasseur, William. Letter to Dr. Donald Gallagher. 15 July 1976, p. 2.

13/08/2026

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED.

For another intellectually stimulating installment of San Pablo Seminary's Academic Function, we cordially invite you to a lecture and discussion on Pope Leo's Encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and its relevance to ethical life. Professor Jeffrey Centeno will guide us in our reflection.

Click the link below to access the digital copy of the encyclical.

2nd Philosophical Lecture
First Semester, 2026-2027

"Vivere Christus est et Mori Lucrum" (St. Paul)

11/08/2026

ANNOUNCEMENT | SPS MEMORABILIA CORNER FOR THE GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION AND GRAND ALUMNI HOMECOMING

🏠 Bring Home a Piece of the SPS History!
Help us create the SPS Memorabilia Corner during the Grand Alumni Homecoming.

We warmly invite all alumni to bring a meaningful souvenir from your SPS days:
🖼️ Old photographs;
📘 SPS Manuals (especially from the 1970s-1980);
📚 Songbooks;
👕 Class or batch T-shirts; and
📝 Anecdotes, letters, rosaries, or other SPS memorabilia.

These treasured memories will be displayed in our SPS Memorabilia Corner, a special exhibit celebrating the rich history and brotherhood of San Pablo Seminary across generations.

What is the oldest SPS souvenir you still have? Tell us in the comments-or better yet, bring it home to San Pablo Seminary this October! Let's preserve our shared story together.

Alumni who wish to contribute or lend memorabilia for the exhibit are kindly requested to coordinate with Dr. Angelo H. Galarde via facebook messenger (https://www.facebook.com/chiaro.scuro.607911).
____________________________________________

🎉GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION & GRAND ALUMNI HOMECOMING
📍 SAN PABLO SEMINARY, Crystal Cave Rd., Bakakeng Central, Baguio City
🗓 October 13-14, 2026 (Tuesday- Wednesday)

Online Registration ends September 30, 2026 (Wednesday).
See comment section for the Registration link.

Calajo! Man-aadivay kito!
Umali kayo!
Dumanon kayo!
See you!

Vivere Christus est, et mori lucrum!
Philippians 1:21

11/08/2026

𝗜𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗬
𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝘂𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗦𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗮
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼, 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗱, 𝗕𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆
𝟭𝟵𝟳𝟬-𝟭𝟵𝟳𝟮

The establishment of San Pablo Seminary in its present location looks back to an earlier settlement within the city. Long before the Philosophy and the Theology departments in Vigan, Ilocos Sur were officially separated, an “ill-starred” experiment was conducted between 1970 and 1972.

The seminary was named after the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception Collegiate Seminary, bearing the very name from which it sprang.

The administrative staff were Fr. Jesus Cabrera of Pangasinan (Rector), Fr. Jose Panelo of Nueva Segovia (Procurator-Spiritual Director), and Fr. Roberto Mejia of LD (Prefect).

Fr. Cabrera reported that there were 45 seminarians under the formators’ supervision and guidance. The third- and fourth-year seminarians are majoring in Philosophy.[1] The seminarians were housed at the Summer Villa of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia in Manzanillo, Guisad, Baguio City [2], while they followed a Bachelor of Arts program in philosophy at St. Louis University, College of Human Sciences.

The report revealed, “seminarians are from the following dioceses: Tarlac, Lingayen-Dagupan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Abra and Cagayan” [3].

Intriguingly, while the seminary was located in Baguio, there seemed to be no seminarians from the Vicariate of the Montañosa. Was this coincidental? Or had the Montañosa church been sending her college seminarians elsewhere?

Before the formal decision to establish a regional seminary in Baguio, Montañosa seminarians were mostly sent to San Carlos Seminary, which was once entrusted to the Belgian CICM Fathers. They also pursued their theological formation at Maryhill School of Theology, Taytay, Rizal. The most senior priests of the Montañosa church who are still in the (“reduced”) ministry, namely, Fr. Jhoey Paduyao, Fr. Joseph Requino, and Fr. Francisco Balacuit, were some of her seminarians back then. But Maryhill was miles and miles away from Baguio.

What if a regional seminary were to be permanently established just within the neighborhood of Baguio? Would the Montañosa church transfer her seminarians from other seminaries to support it? What would it mean for Northern Luzon when the Montañosa church began sending her seminarians to this regional seminary? What would this transition mean for the Montañosa seminarians?
Who would know what the future holds?

One can feel the hopes of the Faculty of Vigan Seminary when its collegiate department was transferred to Guisad, Baguio City. With the new environment, new encounters, and spacious Saint Louis University corridors, a new hope had just dawned.

However, what started as a very promising opportunity for the collegiate seminary’s expansion outside Vigan, Ilocos Sur was short-lived. The initiative could not be sustained due largely to compelling constraints. The faculty members expressed the reasons for this decision:

"We would like to make it clear that the return of the College Seminary from Baguio to Vigan in 1972 was due primarily to insufficient space and, perhaps, insufficient preparation and lack of funds"[4].

Fr. Cabrera, the rector, reported having forty-five seminarians under their care, not counting the resident formators and staff [5]. Considering the large number of seminarians, the space had become a concern. Indeed, how could the villa be a conducive place for seminarians undergoing academic, spiritual, human, and pastoral formation with its limited space?

Space matters in the formation of seminarians. One could immediately think of indoor and outdoor spaces which are necessary for "a sound mind and a healthy body".

The former points to a space for study, dormitories/quarters, library, comfort rooms and shower rooms, laundry room, typing room, and kitchen sports rooms. The latter is connected with outdoor sports facilities, a walking and running area, a garden, to name a few.

Spaces such as these contribute to spiritual, relational, emotional, and psychological wellness in the seminary. A formation house is not supposed to be luxurious, but a suitable space cannot be compromised to promote the well-being of its inhabitants.

The situation must have been financially demanding as well. Unless seminarians walked to Saint Louis University and back, it would have been significantly expensive to ferry the forty-five seminarians daily. This does not include the bill for basic utilities, salaries, food, and maintenance support, to name a few.

Perhaps it had been seriously thought of that a more advantageous situation was to utilize the villa not only as a house of formation but also as a house of study. While that could have been helpful, it merely would have solved a fraction of their financial problem.

Would it be possible that the seminary was financially constrained because the operational expenses rely heavily on the contributions of seminarians and generous bishops and benefactors? Would the situation have been different and better if Rome subsidized the collegiate seminary?

Another reason provided for the short-lived collegiate seminary in Guisad was “insufficient preparation”.

Was the transfer of the college seminary from Vigan to Guisad haphazardly decided? Was the action a spur-of-the-moment decision? Did the bishops and formators plunge into the idea of separating the two departments, thinking that this was simply about relocating to another place, and the operational management would be the same? Did they operate on the idea that says, “we would know whatever adjustment needed to be made when we crossed the bridge”?

It’s difficult to ascertain. However, what was certain was the limited accommodation in the villa, insufficient preparation, and financial constraints.

The seminarians had to be pulled out from Guisad and returned back to Vigan.

The lessons learned from the “ill-starred” experimental college seminary in Guisad indicate both challenges and opportunities. In terms of management and foresight, the experience definitely had a significant impact on the formators and bishops as they continued to find ways to steer the seminary to greater heights.
The experience taught them to stay focused and creative, patient and generous.

It was this very attitude that propelled them to search for a suitable location for the department of philosophy. They had just tested the waters. Soon they would figure it out.

How soon?

They were already there, but it would take another four years to eventually realize it.

REFERENCES

[1] Cabrera, Jesus A. Letter to Bishops. San Pablo Seminary collection. Baguio City, Philippines (signed but undated).

[2] Fr. Laeda recalled that the seminarians were specifically housed at Saint Mary’s Chapel/Retreat House in Monticello, Guisad, Baguio City (Cabunilas, Shierwin and Laeda, Danilo. 20 July 2026. Conversation on the establishment of the Collegiate Seminary in Baguio. ICST Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

[3] Cabrera, Jesus A. Letter to Bishops.

[4] The Faculty of Archdiocesan Major Seminary. Letter to the Northern Luzon Bishops. 15 October 1973. Bishop’s Residence, Diocesan Archives. Baguio City, Philippines, 4.

[5] Cabrera, Jesus A. Letter to Bishops.

Gladius - San Pablo Seminary

15/08/2026

14/08/2026

13/08/2026

13/08/2026

11/08/2026

11/08/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Place Of Worship

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request