Pontifical Filipino College

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.

Pontifical Filipino College

Pontificio Collegio Filippino Dalubhasaang Pilipinong Pontipikal
Latin: Seminarii Sanctae Mariae de Pace, et in Collegio s. Bon Voyage[citation needed]
Motto	Sacerdotes Domini Vocabimini
Motto in English	"...(ye) shall be named the Priests of the LORD..." (Isaiah 61:6)
Type	Roman Catholic Seminary; Continuing Formation Institute; Residence
Established	June 29, 1961; 64 years ago (1961-06-29)
Rector	Rev. Fr. Gregory Ramon D. Gaston, S.Th.D.
Location	490 Via Aurelia, Rome ,  Italy (on property subject in part to Holy See extraterritorial jurisdiction)
Affiliations	Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
Website	www.pcfroma.org

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.^[1]

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.^[2]

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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.^[5] Pope John XXIII blessed and inaugurated the modern edifice on October 7, 1961, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.^[6] 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.^[7]

In its inauguration, it accommodated 18 student-priests and four seminarians^[8] 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.^[9]

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.^[10]

Since its establishment, some of the priest-alumni of the Collegio became bishops of the Philippines.^[11]

List of Rectors

No.		Name	From	Until
1		Rev. Fr. Reginald Edward Vincent Arliss, CP	1961	1969
2		Rev. Msgr. Alfredo Rodriguez	1970	1978
3		Rev Fr. Godofredo Pedernal	1978	1980
4		Rev. Fr. Ciceron Tumbocon	1980	1982
5		Rev. Fr. Benjamin Almoneda	1982	1990
6		Rev. Fr. Ramon Arguelles	1990	1994
7		Rev. Msgr. Jesse Mercado	1994	1997
8		Rev. Fr. Honesto Ongtioco	1997	1998
9		Rev. Msgr. Romulo Vergara	1998	1999
10		Rev. Msgr. Ruperto Santos	1999	2010
11		Rev. Fr. Gregory Ramon Gaston	2010	Present

Building

The Collegio is located at 490 Via Aurelia on a 23,893.44 square metres (28,576.32 sq yd) 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^[12] 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.^[12] 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.^[12] Bamboo is a constant motif in the retablo.^[12]

Older coats of arms

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