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Abra was originally a part of the vast ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Nueva Segovia. At present, Nueva Segovia comprises the whole civil province of Ilocos Sur and the city of Vigan as its seat.
On 12 June 1955, Abra was raised to a Prelature Nullius through the Apostolic Letter Cum Misericors Deus by Pope Pius XII. The capital town of Bangued became its seat. The Very Rev. Odilo Etspueler, SVD, the Rector of the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Vigan, was appointed as the Prelate Ordinary of Bangued. He was ordained Bishop on 11 October 1956 at Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City. It was also during the term of Bishop Estpueler that Bangued was elevated into a Diocese on 15 November 1982 by Pope John Paul II. St. Joseph Seminary finds its inception from the mandate of the erection of the Prelature itself. The decree of the erection of the Prelature Nullius of Bangued indicates that Bishop, “attend, as soon as possible, to the erection of at least a minor seminary to receive and train young boys for the priesthood according to the norms of Canon Law and of the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities…” (Banguedensis Praelatus Seminarium saltem elementarium curet quam primum excitandum ad furis normam et iuxta lengem a S. Consilio Seminariis Studiorumque Universatibus praeposito traditas…) |
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With this mandate as its starting point, St. Joseph Seminary has the main purpose to form young men to be true Christian gentlemen who possess the intellectual, moral and spiritual qualities of becoming a priest. Only boys who expressly mention their intention and desire to become a priest would be accepted.
It was a tall order at that time to establish a minor seminary for Abra. Skeptics and some ordinary people doubted its viability, but Bishop Etspueler, being an optimist and obedient man, pursued the mandate and found ways to start the dream. On 29 December 1959, on the occasion of the first Solemn Thanksgiving Mass of Fr. Dominador Flores, SVD, in Tayum, the Bishop committed himself publicly to open a seminary the following school year, 1960.
From then on everything had to move fast. On 1 June 1960, Fr. Peter Mayers, SVD, formerly assigned in Vigan, became the first Rector. He served in this capacity until 25 April 1969. The old Bishop’s Residence (This is the Lizardo Building in Bangued adjacent to the present Bishop’s Compound) served as the temporary house. They hired masons and carpenters to make the necessary adjustments of the rooms in this old house. Meanwhile, advertisements for the opening of the seminary were made. Things were eventually made ready and in good shape as June of that year approached. It was a humble beginning.
On 11 June 1960, twelve young men entered the new St. Joseph Seminary. This date was also the official foundation of the Seminary. Those who initially entered were actually thirteen. The thirteenth, however, quit early the next morning. Classes started on June 13 of that year. Latin, Religion, and Music were offered in the seminary. For the rest of the classes, these young men went to the nearby Colegio del Sagrado Corazon, known at present as the Divine Word College of Bangued. With their presence, the neighbors were delighted to hear these young men with their sweet voices singing the Salve Regina before retiring every night.
Meanwhile, the planning and work for the identified site and all-new edifices of St. Joseph Seminary began. The wooded area of a Church property in Galicia, Pidigan was the chosen place, located along the highway between Pidigan and Bangued. To prepare the mountainous terrains into a more suitable and spacious seminary ground, a lot of bulldozing was necessary. The work was very tiring and exhaustive but more than rewarding, paving way to a building site which drew the admiration and approval of many who passed by ever since.
By June 1961, one building was ready to shelter an increasing number of boys. Records show that the whole seminary structure including the land preparation cost around Php 600,000.00 pesos only. The whole construction was supervised by Bishop Etspueler himself. A story has been repeatedly told that once there was a strong typhoon that raged the province when the ground was newly bulldozed. The torrents of water from the hillside was eroding the leveled are. That night at the height of the typhoon, the Bishop roused his co-workers. With raincoats on, they redirected the rushing waters so that the place would not be destroyed.
On 17 June 1961, the seminarians joyfully transferred from Bishop’s Residence to their new quarters in their new building in Galicia. There were no tiles or windows yet. The ground was still rough and cluttered with building materials. There was yet no spacious playground. A new Hanomag, a Mercedez Benz van brought directly from Germany, carried the boys forth and back to Bangued for their morning and afternoon classes. Every so often, a new sight, a new sign of progress, a steel girder put properly in place greeted them to their return.
On 14 July 1963, St. Joseph Seminary, where it is located and stands at present, was solemnly blessed by no less than His Eminence Rufino Cardinal Santos, the Archbishop of Manila, assisted by Bishop Etspueler and some other bishops. To preserve and beautify the place, a massive tree-planting was carried out by Bro. Alois Goldberger, SVD in the mountainous slopes of the seminary compound. Today, the compound boasts of a beautiful forest of mahogany, narra and teak trees.
St. Joseph Seminary reaped the first fruits of her four-year toil in April of 1964. The twelve boys who entered the seminary four years earlier graduated. On 3 August 1964, Government Recognition was granted to the First Year level. On 19 July 1965, the Second Year level was also granted Government Recognition. Thus, seminarians on these two levels held their classes in the seminary. It was also on this date that the classes for the Third Year and Fourth Year seminarians were transferred from Divine Word College of Bangued to St. Mary High School of Pidigan. This setup continued until the Government Recognition for Third and Fourth Year levels was finally granted on 7 July 1969.
St. Joseph Seminary has been primarily intended to train young men to become priests who will later serve the Diocese. In the beginning of its operation, however, there was an understanding between the superior of the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) and Bishop Etspueler that the seminary may also accept boys who will join the SVD later. The practical reason was the fear that if it was made exclusively for diocesan seminarians, the number may not be enough for a seminary to exist. It happened that more of these young men joined the SVD congregation than pursue for the diocesan priesthood. It was eventually declared in 1972 that St. Joseph Seminary was exclusive for the training of diocesan seminarians. Those who wanted to join SVD went to Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City.
Beginning in the 1970’s, the question whether St. Joseph Seminary is worth the money and effort was lingering. Many felt that the Prelature Nullius of Bangued was spending so much money and investing so much of its personnel to maintain it while the proportion of those who continue for the priesthood was not significant. This opposition was aggravated in the 1980’s with an added issue that the boys are too young to be plucked out from their families, and put in a situation which may retard or disturb their psycho-emotional growth.
Confronted with these issues and recognizing the validity of this lingering question based on his experiences once as a Rector of this institution, Bishop Cesar Raval, SVD decided to phase out the First Year and Second Year levels. In June of 1990, only aspirants for the Third Year and Fourth Year levels were accepted. This situation continued until 1994, when Bishop Artemio Rillera, SVD restored the old four-year setup. This decision was reached after listening to all involved parties: seminary formators, clergy, seminarians, and laymen.
To this day since its foundation in 1960, St. Joseph Seminary has produced around 60 priests both diocesan and religious. Almost all the diocesan priests serving the Diocese of Bangued are products of this seminary. It has also formed gentlemen who became Christian leaders of our communities today.
With its humble beginning and glorious and colorful past, St. Joseph Seminary proudly stands on a mountain-side where it was originally carved. It remains to be a vital witness of those who enter and leave the capital town of Bangued. Aspirants continue to enter its portals. Those accepted are molded according to Church norms and approved customs. And the graduates are happy to leave after four years of formation and pursue further the meaning of their chosen call, either as priests or Christian gentlemen and leaders. For now, it is not the number that counts but those who are willing to dedicate and offer their lives according to its mandate and the example of St. Joseph, the patron saint whose ideals every Josephite should emulate.
The voice continues to echo the call. 2020 marks the seminary's 60th year of shaping a just society.
It was a tall order at that time to establish a minor seminary for Abra. Skeptics and some ordinary people doubted its viability, but Bishop Etspueler, being an optimist and obedient man, pursued the mandate and found ways to start the dream. On 29 December 1959, on the occasion of the first Solemn Thanksgiving Mass of Fr. Dominador Flores, SVD, in Tayum, the Bishop committed himself publicly to open a seminary the following school year, 1960.
From then on everything had to move fast. On 1 June 1960, Fr. Peter Mayers, SVD, formerly assigned in Vigan, became the first Rector. He served in this capacity until 25 April 1969. The old Bishop’s Residence (This is the Lizardo Building in Bangued adjacent to the present Bishop’s Compound) served as the temporary house. They hired masons and carpenters to make the necessary adjustments of the rooms in this old house. Meanwhile, advertisements for the opening of the seminary were made. Things were eventually made ready and in good shape as June of that year approached. It was a humble beginning.
On 11 June 1960, twelve young men entered the new St. Joseph Seminary. This date was also the official foundation of the Seminary. Those who initially entered were actually thirteen. The thirteenth, however, quit early the next morning. Classes started on June 13 of that year. Latin, Religion, and Music were offered in the seminary. For the rest of the classes, these young men went to the nearby Colegio del Sagrado Corazon, known at present as the Divine Word College of Bangued. With their presence, the neighbors were delighted to hear these young men with their sweet voices singing the Salve Regina before retiring every night.
Meanwhile, the planning and work for the identified site and all-new edifices of St. Joseph Seminary began. The wooded area of a Church property in Galicia, Pidigan was the chosen place, located along the highway between Pidigan and Bangued. To prepare the mountainous terrains into a more suitable and spacious seminary ground, a lot of bulldozing was necessary. The work was very tiring and exhaustive but more than rewarding, paving way to a building site which drew the admiration and approval of many who passed by ever since.
By June 1961, one building was ready to shelter an increasing number of boys. Records show that the whole seminary structure including the land preparation cost around Php 600,000.00 pesos only. The whole construction was supervised by Bishop Etspueler himself. A story has been repeatedly told that once there was a strong typhoon that raged the province when the ground was newly bulldozed. The torrents of water from the hillside was eroding the leveled are. That night at the height of the typhoon, the Bishop roused his co-workers. With raincoats on, they redirected the rushing waters so that the place would not be destroyed.
On 17 June 1961, the seminarians joyfully transferred from Bishop’s Residence to their new quarters in their new building in Galicia. There were no tiles or windows yet. The ground was still rough and cluttered with building materials. There was yet no spacious playground. A new Hanomag, a Mercedez Benz van brought directly from Germany, carried the boys forth and back to Bangued for their morning and afternoon classes. Every so often, a new sight, a new sign of progress, a steel girder put properly in place greeted them to their return.
On 14 July 1963, St. Joseph Seminary, where it is located and stands at present, was solemnly blessed by no less than His Eminence Rufino Cardinal Santos, the Archbishop of Manila, assisted by Bishop Etspueler and some other bishops. To preserve and beautify the place, a massive tree-planting was carried out by Bro. Alois Goldberger, SVD in the mountainous slopes of the seminary compound. Today, the compound boasts of a beautiful forest of mahogany, narra and teak trees.
St. Joseph Seminary reaped the first fruits of her four-year toil in April of 1964. The twelve boys who entered the seminary four years earlier graduated. On 3 August 1964, Government Recognition was granted to the First Year level. On 19 July 1965, the Second Year level was also granted Government Recognition. Thus, seminarians on these two levels held their classes in the seminary. It was also on this date that the classes for the Third Year and Fourth Year seminarians were transferred from Divine Word College of Bangued to St. Mary High School of Pidigan. This setup continued until the Government Recognition for Third and Fourth Year levels was finally granted on 7 July 1969.
St. Joseph Seminary has been primarily intended to train young men to become priests who will later serve the Diocese. In the beginning of its operation, however, there was an understanding between the superior of the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) and Bishop Etspueler that the seminary may also accept boys who will join the SVD later. The practical reason was the fear that if it was made exclusively for diocesan seminarians, the number may not be enough for a seminary to exist. It happened that more of these young men joined the SVD congregation than pursue for the diocesan priesthood. It was eventually declared in 1972 that St. Joseph Seminary was exclusive for the training of diocesan seminarians. Those who wanted to join SVD went to Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City.
Beginning in the 1970’s, the question whether St. Joseph Seminary is worth the money and effort was lingering. Many felt that the Prelature Nullius of Bangued was spending so much money and investing so much of its personnel to maintain it while the proportion of those who continue for the priesthood was not significant. This opposition was aggravated in the 1980’s with an added issue that the boys are too young to be plucked out from their families, and put in a situation which may retard or disturb their psycho-emotional growth.
Confronted with these issues and recognizing the validity of this lingering question based on his experiences once as a Rector of this institution, Bishop Cesar Raval, SVD decided to phase out the First Year and Second Year levels. In June of 1990, only aspirants for the Third Year and Fourth Year levels were accepted. This situation continued until 1994, when Bishop Artemio Rillera, SVD restored the old four-year setup. This decision was reached after listening to all involved parties: seminary formators, clergy, seminarians, and laymen.
To this day since its foundation in 1960, St. Joseph Seminary has produced around 60 priests both diocesan and religious. Almost all the diocesan priests serving the Diocese of Bangued are products of this seminary. It has also formed gentlemen who became Christian leaders of our communities today.
With its humble beginning and glorious and colorful past, St. Joseph Seminary proudly stands on a mountain-side where it was originally carved. It remains to be a vital witness of those who enter and leave the capital town of Bangued. Aspirants continue to enter its portals. Those accepted are molded according to Church norms and approved customs. And the graduates are happy to leave after four years of formation and pursue further the meaning of their chosen call, either as priests or Christian gentlemen and leaders. For now, it is not the number that counts but those who are willing to dedicate and offer their lives according to its mandate and the example of St. Joseph, the patron saint whose ideals every Josephite should emulate.
The voice continues to echo the call. 2020 marks the seminary's 60th year of shaping a just society.
