Pontifical Filipino College
{{Short description|Roman Catholic seminary in Rome, Italy}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Pontifical Filipino College
| image_name = Coat of arms of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino.svg
| image_size = 250px
| latin_name = Seminarii Sanctae Mariae de Pace, et in Collegio s. Bon Voyage{{citation needed|reason=A source should be provided showing that the provided Latin phrase is in actual use. Word-by-word translation is not enough because of concerns about due weight and the difficulties inherent in translation.|date=August 2024}}
| native_name = {{ublist|Pontificio Collegio Filippino|Dalubhasaang Pilipinong Pontipikal}}
| motto = Sacerdotes Domini Vocabimini
| mottoeng = "...(ye) shall be named the Priests of the LORD..." (Isaiah 61:6)
| established = {{start date and age|1961|6|29}}
| type = Roman Catholic Seminary; Continuing Formation Institute; Residence
| rector = Rev. Fr. Gregory Ramon D. Gaston, S.Th.D.
| city = 490 Via Aurelia, Rome
| country = {{ITA}} (on property subject in part to Holy See extraterritorial jurisdiction)
| affiliations = Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
| website = {{URL|www.pcfroma.org}}
}}
The Pontifical Filipino College, officially named Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Italian, Dalubhasaang Pilipinong Pontipikal in Filipino and Pontificio Collegio Seminario de Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje in Spanish (English: Pontifical College Seminary of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage; Latin: Seminarii Sanctae Mariae de Pace, et in Collegio s. Bon Voyage), is a college for diocesan priests from the Philippines studying at pontifical universities in Rome, Italy.
It was formally established as an institution with pontifical rights by Pope John XXIII on June 29, 1961, through the papal bull Sancta Mater Ecclesia.Pope John XXIII, Apostolic Letter Establishing the Pontifical Filipino College [https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-53-1961-ocr.pdf#page=608 Sancta Mater Ecclesia] (29 June 1961), Acta Apostolicae Sedis 53 (1961), 608-609. De Pontificio Collegio pro sacrorum alumnis Philippinis in Urbe condendo sub titulo « de Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje », cuius Statuta approbantur.
The current rector is the Rev. Fr. Gregory Ramon D. Gaston, S.Th.D, a priest of the Archdiocese of Manila.
History
In response to the tense conflict on the Catholic Church in the Philippines, in 1903, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the Apostolic Constitution Quae Mari Sinico. This document, apart from recommending the establishment of new dioceses in the Philippines, also encouraged the increase of the numbers of Filipino priests and alignment of seminary formation to the intents of the Council of Trent. It likewise envisioned the establishment of a formation house for Filipino priests and seminarians who would go to Rome for advanced studies.{{cite journal |last1=Pilario |first1=Daniel Franklin |editor1-last=Pilario |editor1-first=Daniel Franklin |editor2-last=Vibar |editor2-first=Gerardo |title=Quae Mari Sinico and the Church in Disarray |journal=Philippine Local Churches After the Spanish Regime: Quae Mari Sinico and Beyond |date=2015 |pages=1–16 |publisher=St. Vincent School of Theology |location=Quezon City}}
Decades later, during the meeting of the Philippine bishops on January 26–31, 1959, Rufino Cardinal Santos proposed a resolution that establishes a Pontifical Philippine College in Rome. His plan was supported by the Philippine bishops and approved by the Vatican.{{cite journal |last1=Santos |first1=Ruperto |title=A Short History of the Pontifico Collegio Fillippino, 1961-2001 |journal=Philippinana Sacra |date=January–April 2002 |volume=XXXVII |issue=109 |pages=121–156 |url=https://philsacra.ust.edu.ph/admin/downloadarticle?id=1E6EEBF27E36D099C4D5A5085D4984B3}}
After obtaining the permission of the Vatican authorities, the Catholic Hierarchy of the Phiilippines selected a site at Via Aurelia, of which with the chosen lot was owned by the Generalate of the De La Salle Brothers. After negotiations with the LaSallian Superior General, the Catholic Hierarchy of the Philippines bought the property for 120,000 Italian lire.{{cite journal |last1=Santos |first1=Ruperto |title=A Short History of the Pontifico Collegio Fillippino, 1961-2001 |journal=Philippinana Sacra |date=January–April 2002 |volume=XXXVII |issue=109 |pages=121–156 |url=https://philsacra.ust.edu.ph/admin/downloadarticle?id=1E6EEBF27E36D099C4D5A5085D4984B3}}
On August 8, 1959, Pope John XXIII personally blessed the cornerstone for the building in the private study of his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. Cardinal Santos and Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See, José María Delgado, witnessed the event. The following day, August 9, 1959, Cardinal Giuseppe Pizzardo laid the cornerstone on the site of the edifice in the presence of 70 cardinals, diplomats, superiors general, seminary and university rectors and other distinguished personalities.A document deposited in the cornerstone testifies that His Eminence, Giuseppe Cardinal Pizzardo, suburban Bishop of Albano and prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Seminaries and Universities, solemnly laid the cornerstone of the new College-Seminary, dedicated to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, destined to welcome the Filipino young men who, endowed with science and strong faith, under the shadows of Peter and the tombs of the Martyrs, will one day go back to their country to diffuse this treasury of faith to those under their care.Cf. [http://www.rc.net/rome/pcf/ Pontificio Collegio Filippino] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050910002222/http://www.rc.net/rome/pcf/ |date=2005-09-10 }}, www.rc.net Pope John XXIII blessed and inaugurated the modern edifice on October 7, 1961, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.Pope John XXIII spoke of the mission of Pontificio Collegio Filippino during the inauguration saying: This Pontifical Seminary therefore is both a Roman and Philippine College; for here, that is, near the Chair of Peter and the summit of the Church, your young ones divinely called to take on sacred functions, will draw faith and science from the genuine and rich font. Fully imbued with this they shall return to their people as beloved heralds of truth. That is why these buildings destined for the formation of your students of sacred sciences will be like channels by which the catholic life will be promoted among you and the bond by which the Philippines, a Nation so very dear to us, will more intensely be linked with the supreme magisterium of the Church. Cf. Ibid. The Philippine bishops then solicited funds for the construction of the College. Two years later, on October 7, 1961, Pope John XXIII inaugurated the College, of which at its culmination, he gave a white stole, the insignia of the Office of the Rector, and three commemorative coins in gold, silver, and bronze of his pontificate, all of which are displayed in the Rector's Office.{{cite journal |last1=Santos |first1=Ruperto |title=A Short History of the Pontifico Collegio Fillippino, 1961-2001 |journal=Philippinana Sacra |date=January–April 2002 |volume=XXXVII |issue=109 |pages=121–156 |url=https://philsacra.ust.edu.ph/admin/downloadarticle?id=1E6EEBF27E36D099C4D5A5085D4984B3}}
In its inauguration, it accommodated 18 student-priests and four seminarians.The student-priests are: Rev. Frs. Ruben Abaya (Diocese of Laoag), Patricio Alo (Archdiocese of Cebu), Cecilio Acasio (Prelature of Davao), Benjamin Almoneda (Archdiocese of Caceres), Teodoro Buhain (Archdiocese of Manila), Achilles Dakay (Archdiocese of Cebu), Angel Hobayan (Diocese of Borongan), Rafael Lim (Diocese of Lucena), Benjamin Paredes (Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia), Cornelio Parado (Diocese of Palo), Alberto Jover Piamonte (Archdiocese of Jaro), Miguel Purugganan (Diocese of Tuguegarao), Vicente Quintia (Diocese of Capiz), Apolinario Saligumba (Prelature of Ozamiz), Edmundo Surban (Diocese of Dumaguete), Nemesio Tan (Diocese of Laoag), Antonio Unson (Archdiocese of Manila), Toribio Villacastin Jr. (Diocese of Tagbilaran). The seminarians were Daniel Fuentespin (Prelature of Cotabato), Reynaldo Masiglat, Constantino Nieva (Diocese of Lucena), and Gabriel Reyes (Archdiocese of Manila). Cf. Ibid. Rev. Fr. Reginald Arliss, CP served as the first Rector, with Rev. Fr. Alfredo Rodriguez of the Archdiocese of Manila serving as its first Vice-Rector and Prefect of Discipline. Rev. Fr. Jesus Ma. Cavanna, CM served as their Spiritual Director, and Rev. Fr. Carmelo Morelos became the Collegio's first Economus. The Servants of Mary Sisters sent a number of their sisters to handle the upkeep, the food and the clothes of the Collegio community.{{cite journal |last1=Santos |first1=Ruperto |title=A Short History of the Pontifico Collegio Fillippino, 1961-2001 |journal=Philippinana Sacra |date=January–April 2002 |volume=XXXVII |issue=109 |pages=121–156 |url=https://philsacra.ust.edu.ph/admin/downloadarticle?id=1E6EEBF27E36D099C4D5A5085D4984B3}}
In 1967, following the recommendation of the Collegio staff, the Filipino bishops decided to stop the sending of seminarians to Rome, and to only send there Filipino priests for higher studies. Due to manpower shortage, in 1973, the Servants of Mary Sisters terminated their services to the Collegio and were replaced by the Dominican Missionary Sisters, who then assigned Filipino sisters in their new mission.{{cite journal |last1=Santos |first1=Ruperto |title=A Short History of the Pontifico Collegio Fillippino, 1961-2001 |journal=Philippinana Sacra |date=January–April 2002 |volume=XXXVII |issue=109 |pages=121–156 |url=https://philsacra.ust.edu.ph/admin/downloadarticle?id=1E6EEBF27E36D099C4D5A5085D4984B3}}
Since its establishment, some of the priest-alumni of the Collegio became bishops of the Philippines.{{cite journal |last1=Santos |first1=Ruperto |title=A Short History of the Pontifico Collegio Fillippino, 1961-2001 |journal=Philippinana Sacra |date=January–April 2002 |volume=XXXVII |issue=109 |pages=121–156 |url=https://philsacra.ust.edu.ph/admin/downloadarticle?id=1E6EEBF27E36D099C4D5A5085D4984B3}}
List of Rectors
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" | No.
! scope="col" style="border-right:none;" | ! scope="col" style="border-left:none;" | Name ! scope="col" style="width:20%;" | From ! scope="col" style="width:20%;" | Until |
|---|
| scope="row" | 1
| Rev. Fr. Reginald Edward Vincent Arliss, CP | 1961 | 1969 |
| scope="row" | 2
| | Rev. Msgr. Alfredo Rodriguez | 1970 | 1978 |
| scope="row" | 3
| | Rev Fr. Godofredo Pedernal | 1978 | 1980 |
| scope="row" | 4
| | Rev. Fr. Ciceron Tumbocon | 1980 | 1982 |
| scope="row" | 5
| | Rev. Fr. Benjamin Almoneda | 1982 | 1990 |
| scope="row" | 6
| File:Archbishop Ramon Argüelles.jpg | Rev. Fr. Ramon Arguelles | 1990 | 1994 |
| scope="row" | 7
| Rev. Msgr. Jesse Mercado | 1994 | 1997 |
| scope="row" | 8
| File:Bishop Honesto Ongtioco.jpg | Rev. Fr. Honesto Ongtioco | 1997 | 1998 |
| scope="row" | 9
| | Rev. Msgr. Romulo Vergara | 1998 | 1999 |
| scope="row" | 10
| File:Ruperto Santos Augustine Baliwag Shrine1.jpg | Rev. Msgr. Ruperto Santos | 1999 | 2010 |
| scope="row" | 11
| File:Fr.-Gregory-Ramon-Gaston-Italian-bishops-appoint-new.jpg | Rev. Fr. Gregory Ramon Gaston | 2010 | Present |
Building
The Collegio is located at 490 Via Aurelia on a {{convert|23,893.44|m2|sqyd}} lot between the Collegio Pio-Brasiliano and the Villa Pacelli, in a suburb of Rome. The four-story building was designed by Edoardo Cherubini in a 1960s contemporary design.
=Design of the crypt chapel altar=
In celebration of the canonization of Pedro Calungsod, the second Filipino saint, on October 21, 2012, a commemorative retablo was made by Filipino sculptor Wilfredo Layug from Betis, Guagua, Pampanga{{Cite web|url=http://calungsod.cdn.ph/rome-tableau-shows-images-of-filipino-saints.html|title = Rome tableau shows images of Filipino saints}} for the chapel at the crypt of the Collegio. It depicts both Calungsod and the first Filipino saint, Lorenzo Ruiz.
Ruiz was executed in Nagasaki, Japan in 1637, while Calungsod was killed together with Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores in 1672 in Tumhon, Guam. In the mural of Calungsod, Layug carved the image of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, Patroness of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino.
Both relleba (relief murals) of the retablo depict both saints being tortured by pagans to force them to renounce their faith.
The angels are Filipina women garbed in baro and saya (native Filipino blouse and skirt), done in estofado, a detailed carving style that gives the image the look of real clothes. Bamboo is a constant motif in the retablo.
Older coats of arms
File:PCF Coat of Arms 2015 version.jpg
File:Pontificio Collegio Filippino.svg
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://pcfroma.org/ Official website]
{{Roman Catholicism in the Philippines}}
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Category:Universities and colleges established in 1961
Category:Catholic Church in the Philippines
Category:Seminaries and theological colleges in the Philippines