ST. FRANCIS XAVIER REGIONAL MAJOR SEMINARY OF MINDANAO (SFX-REMASE) TIMELINE

June 15, 1953                -When the St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary was opened in Matina St. Davao City under the supervision of Fr. Louis Charles

Sabourin, PME

1960-1961                     -St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary had its first Apostolic Visitation

November 27, 1961       -Announcement to the Mindanao Bishops and Bishop Clovis Thibault, PME (Bishop of Davao) that the Sacred Congregation

for Seminaries was planning to constitute a Major Seminary for the whole region of Mindanao-Sulu.

December, 1963            -A property adjacent to the St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary was bought from Mr. Ramon Roces.

The construction of the Major Seminary began.

July 11, 1964                 -The St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary started to operate with 34 seminarians (9 theologians and 25 philosophers) under Fr. Paul-Emile Lahaye, PME as Rector

September 12, 1972      -It was the official Canonical Establishment of St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary by the Sacred Congregation for Seminaries as a Regional Major Seminary for Mindanao-Sulu.

1974                             -The PME Fathers informed the Bishops of Mindanao-Sulu that they were planning to hand over to them the Administration of the Regional Major Seminary. The date of the possible turn-over was May 1, 1976.

1974-1975         -It marked the beginning of a new era at REMASE.  It began to offer Master’s Degree in Theology in conjunction with Ateneo de Davao University.

-In response to the changes brought by the II Vatican Council the REMASE Administration established the Spiritual-Pastoral Formation Year (SPFY) which was offered at the last year of the seminarians’ stay at REMASE.

January 7, 1975            -Some Mindanao Bishops (Archbishops Mabutas, Smith, Cronin, Cruces, and Bishops Mongeau, Claver) together with Fr. Roland Denis, PME Regional Superior of the PME Fathers in the Philippines and Fr. Generoso Camiňa, PME met with the SVD Provincial Council of the Manila province to discuss the possibility of taking-over the Administration of REMASE.

February 25, 1976 -The SVD Superior General, Fr. John Musinsky signed the document agreeing to administer REMASE for a period of five (5) years.

May 1,  1976                 -The SVD Manila Province started to send SVD priests to take over the

administration of REMASE.  Fr. Vicente Braganza, SVD (Rector), Fr. Anselmo Bustos, SVD (Procurator) and Fr. Guillermo Villegas, SVD (Dean of Seminarians).

-There were other Religious Congregations which were invited to help as professors like the PME Fathers, Redemptorists, Maryknoll Fathers, Blessed Sacrament Fathers, Benedictine Fathers, Carmelite Fathers Maryknoll Sisters, PM Sisters Benedictine Sisters etc.

1978-1979                     -The Spiritual Deepening and Integration became a reality in the formation program.  It was placed now between 2nd year and 3rd year theology.  A separate building was constructed.

March 16, 1988             -The Episcopal Ordination of Fr. Romulo T. dela Cruz as the Apostolic Prelate of Basilan.  He was the first REMASE alumnus to become a Bishop.

1980 -1981                    -The Spiritual-Pastoral Formation Year was transferred to right after College (before Theology 1).  It was now called as Spiritual Formation Year (SFY).

September, 1987          -The harmonious relationship between the formators and seminarians was threatened leading to the decision of the Bishops to suspend the operation of the seminary.

August 25, 1992            -REMASE received the approval from Department of Education to conduct courses of Master of Arts in Systematic Theology and Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry.

March 19, 1993             -The time was ripe when the REMASE alumni had to handle the REMASE Administration as approved by the REMASE Bishops’ Commission.

-Fr. Antonio Pernia, SVD handed over to his Vice-Rector Fr. Romulo G. Valles the responsibility as Rector of REMASE.

-The moving and solemn celebration was attended by Archbishops Antonio Ll. Mabutas, Philip Smith, DD OMI (Cotabato), Bishops Juan de Dios Pueblos, DD (Kidapawan), Wilfredo Manlapaz, DD (Tagum), and retired Bishop Joseph Regan, DD MM (Tagum).

1996                             -Archbishop Mabutas retired as Archbishop of Davao and was replaced by Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla, DD

August 6, 1997             -It marked another important event in the life of REMASE when the Rector Fr. Romulo G. Valles was ordained as Bishop of Kidapawan.  He was the second Alumnus of REMASE elevated to the Episcopacy.

-Fr. Julius S. Tonel took over as the new Rector.

2001-2002                     -The beginning of the implementation of the newly approved formation program.  The SFY was now called Pre-Theology Year (PTY).

July 12, 2001                -Another REMASE alumnus, Fr. Guillermo V. Afable, was named as Auxiliary Bishop of Davao.  He was the third Bishop who came from REMASE.

August 2, 2001             -Fr. Sofronio Bancud, SSS another alumnus of REMASE was named as  Auxiliary Bishop of Nueva Ecija.

January 10, 2002          -Fr. Martin Jumoad REMASE Batch 1983 was made successor of Bishop dela Cruz in Basilan.

January, 2002               -The REMASE Bishops’ Commission appointed Fr. Santiago Agoo as the new Rector replacing Fr. Julius S. Tonel who was transferred to the parish.

2003                             -New Congregations came to REMASE in order to pursue their Theological studies–Order of St. Benedict (OSB), Society of Mary (SM), Capuchins (OFM Cap), Society of Divine Vocations (SDV).  Many others came later like the Apostles of Jesus Crucified (AJC), Missionaries of Jesus (MJ).

February, 2006             -The REMASE Bishops’ Commission announced the election of Fr. Abel C. Apigo as the new Rector of REMASE starting June, 2006.  He replaced Fr. Santiago Agoo who was recalled back to Basilan.

April 25, 2006               -Fr. Jose Colins Bagaforo was elevated as Auxiliary Bishop of Cotabato.

September 8, 2006        -Another REMASE alumnus was elevated to the episcopacy – Fr. Elenito Galido.  He was named as Bishop of Iligan.

August 20, 2007            -The former Rector of REMASE Fr. Julius S. Tonel, an Alumnus of UST, was named as Bishop of Ipil.  His heart beats for REMASE.

March 9, 2010               -The lay support group “FRIENDS OF REMASE” was established with the approval of the REMASE Bishops’ Commission headed by Archbishop Capalla.

March, 2011                  -The REMASE Bishops’ Commission announced the second of the term of Msgr. Abel C. Apigo  as Rector of REMASE.

February 11, 2012          -The Holy Father accepted the retirement of Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla, DD.  He was succeeded by Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, DD

–an alumnus of REMASE who was then the Archbishop of Zamboanga.

July 11, 2013                -Launching of the SFX-REMASE Golden Jubilee

July 11, 2014                        -GOLDEN JUBILEE OF REMASE