The Traditional Priest Education

The Saint Francis Xavier Minor Seminary


How were they educated for the priesthood?

This was the Traditional Approach, the standard of Priest's Training at that time (1956 to 1966):

  1. There was this high school education to start enrolling seminarians for the first year high. Recruits coming from the second year and above were acepted, but they have to start with the first year for their Latin; however, in this case schooling was adjusted taking into accounts subjects already taken.
  2. Seminarians did not go out to visit friends and relatives on week-ends. They did go out on picnics to Talomo Beach in rare occasions.
  3. They went on only twice a year , a week during Christmas, about two weeks during summer vacation. Most of the days of the year, they stayed in the seminary.
  4. The during school days, the life routine was: pray, eat, classroom learning, play, house cleaning and gardening, study periods. During week-ends and on vacations, the routine consisted of praying, playing, excursion games, Science Hobbies like being amateur entomologists, geologists, and astronomists. All seminarians were given chance to be leaders, to be coach in a basketball team, or foreman in housecleaning,etc.
  5. Their studies in high school followed the standard curricula of the Philippines, but for seminarians there were additional subjects for more Latin and English subjects.
  6. Their studies in College also followed the standard curricula of the Philippines. However seminarians were majoring in Philosophy, and having a lot of English and Science Subjects. The early seminarian graduates, in fact, had English and Sciences as their minor disciplines,and a major AB-Philosophy.
  7. In high school, a study habit was strictly guided by the Seminary. Study periods were organised with defined subjects to be studied in such hours. When it was time to study Latin, all in the class must study Latin. The Dean of Discipline roamed around the study hall to check compliance. Hence, avid readers read novels only during siesta time.
  8. The seminary maintained a very high and consistent scholastic perfomance. All seminarians must maintain a grade of 85% and above in all subjects. Seminarians who could not meet this standard based on annual avarage were advised to leave the seminary by the end of a school-year. However, other seminarians left also because they decided to leave. Hence, ex-seminarians became such in two cases.
  9. Seminarians during a schoolyear were directed to understand the priestly vocation through periodic counselling by the Spiritual Directors.
  10. When they reached second year college, they received a "tonsure" designation and would start wearing the "sotana" (the priestly vest); this was obligatory to wear the sotanas in all public and school functions.
  11. Visiting hours for parents and relatives were allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays.
  12. When they finished College with AB-Philosophy, they now took Theological studies in the Major Seminary. These would be for four years; then, they were ready to be ordained priests.
  13. The first Filipino priests in Davao and the early PME Priests followed these disciplines in many extent.

    The Transition Period and Periods of Change

    This change took place right after the conclusion of the famous Second Vatican Ecumenical Council Council, initated by the late Pope John XXIII in 1966. One of the resolutions of this council touched the Education of Priests to be in keeping with the world and to be understood by the world. These were the times with the Latin Mass was gradually translated and prayed in the various dialects and languages around the world; when Mass is to be such as the celebrating priest has now to face the congregation.

    Gradually the seminary education was transformed.

    1. Seminarians could now go out on week-ends more often.
    2. Their Christmas and summer vacations were extended.
    3. Latin studies were gradually eliminated;
    4. English. Philosophical studies, and Science studies were also reduced. An attempt of balance between the Traditional Approach have been experimented now and then.
    5. More subjects to know the Filipino Culture, the Filipino dialects, and on Pastoral and Spiritual disciplines.
    6. The high school education was completely phased out. Only college students would be the apllicants. The Minor Seminary now becomes the College Seminary.

      How are the Priests from today's Saint Francis Seminary?

      Are they better than the early Priests with solid education in Scholastic Philosophy, English, and the Sciences? Who knows? Perhaps, various times require different spiritual expertise by the Catholic Church. One thing all seminarians are trained to believe: the Holy Spirit works on conversion in His unique and Mysterious ways. The mission of seminaries for Diocesan Priests and for religious Priests is to train priests to be very effective instruments of the Holy Spirit in the Catholic Mission. What happened to the saint Francis Seminary is a typical change all over the world of seminaries specially for the Diocesan Priests. Religious Priests tend to strike a stronger balance with the Traditional Approach.

    (by JP Mercado, Jr... updated 4/23/2000)

    This chapel was built in the early sixties.



    The buildings were finally occupied as new in 1958.