The 1961-1962 School Yearbook

Editorial of the Yearbook


The Mission is being accomplished

When the PME Fathers came to Davao in 1937, upon the insistent invitation of Archbishop Luis del Rosario,S.J., D.D., they had a double mission to accomplish in accordance with the constitution of their Society: FIRST, to give immediate service to the Catholic population which was in great need of priests; SECONDLY, to establish a local diocesan clergy which would replace them as soon as possible. They have not deviated from this purpose. Barely four years after the arrival of the P.M.E. Fathers in Davao, i.e., when the war broke out, 12 boys from Davao were studying for the priesthood at San Jose Seminary, in Manila. Unhappily the disturbances of the war forced them all, except one, to abandon the trek to priesthood; and the lone seminarian who persevered was called back to eternity by his Creator in 1946.

After the war, the P.M.E. Fathers, more than ever before needed in the increasing parish work, continued to look for candidates for the priesthood and to send them to San Jose Seminary, in Manila. Upon his appointment as Apostolic Administrator of Davao in 1950, Msgr. Thibault viewed the problem of ecclesiatical vocations as the first among those nearest to his heart. And it still is. The reason is evident: it is a problem which deals with the future of the Church and with the salvation of the great number of souls in this Prelature. No one therefore needs to wonder that, upon and since the erection of this Prelature of Davao, His Excellency Most reverend Clovis Thibault, our beloved Bishop, has been very eager to carry out the mandate of Saint Pius X, which specifies that the first concern of a bishop should be, " to form Christ in those who are to form Christ in others".

His Excellency started to look for funds for the construction of this seminary project, and at the price of great sacrifices, the cornerstone of this new permanent concrete building was blessed in 1955 by Archbishop Jose Maria Cuenco of Jaro. In June, 1956, the Saint Francis Xavier Seminary opened its doors to 34 seminarians. Today our seminary stands majestically as a symbol of the mobility and dignity of the Catholic Priesthood, the greatest dignity on earth. Saint Francis Xavier Seminary plays indeed a very important role in this Prelature of Davao. In fact it owns the key position in the growth and vigor of the Catholic Faith, because there in the seminary are nurtured priestly souls for tomorrow.

The priests who are to constitute, in the eyes of Christ's Church, one mind and one heart with the Bishop, are not made such by birth or inheritance, they have to be trained and formed in a seminary which is the seedbed of vocations. A constant progress is the priesthood. Thus summarizes His Ecellency The Most Reverend Clovis Thibault the fruits anticipated from this rapid expansion: "Growing side by side with this progress is the hope that eventually the saint Francis Xavier Seminary will be able to answer the need for more priests in the Prelature and consequently to meet the spiritual needs of our beloved people of davao".

The Seminary 1961-1962 Yearbook Information

The Members of the Faculty


The First A.B. Graduates


The other Major Seminarians


The High School Graduates (1958-1962)


The other Minor Seminarians

It was in these times in Mindanao and Davao that the Saint Francis Xavier Minor Seminary and the Saint Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary would continue to educate and graduate priests and ex-seminarians up to today.( by JP Mercado, Jr., updated 4/22/2000)

This chapel was built in the early sixties.



The buildings were finally occupied as new in 1958.