Rector’s Welcome

Welcome dear friends to the Pontificio Collegio Filippino (PCF)!

For our newcomer friends, PCF was blessed and opened by Pope John XXIII in 1961 to be a training ground in Rome for our priests who lead our seminaries and other specialized diocesan ministries back home. They have been selected by their bishops and sent to Rome for ongoing formation and stay at the Collegio during their additional training and formation while doing further studies.

Upon their return to the Philippines most of the graduates educate and train more priests, sisters, nuns and lay ministers, who in turn are sent out into the cities, barrios and barangays to minister and “preach the gospel to all peoples”.

Many of these people being ministered to eventually find jobs as OFWs to earn money to be sent back home to the Philippines to help their families financially. These OFWs invariably become “lay missionaries” to the world and become instrumental in bringing “all the world to Christ” (Universus Christo Mundus).

It is imperative that we support and build up our Collegio so that we can continue to mold and train priests to evangelize and bring Christ to the world.

All Filipino Cardinals — from Cardinals Santos (Manila), Rosales (Cebu), Sin (Manila), Sanchez (Vatican) and Vidal (Cebu) who have gone ahead of us, and those currently serving the Church namely, Cardinals Rosales (Manila, retired), Tagle (Vatican), Quevedo (Cotabato, retired), Advincula (Manila), and David (Kalookan) – have used the Collegio whenever they came to Rome to visit the Pope or have meetings at the Vatican.  The 90 active bishops in the Philippines usually stay with us during their trips to Rome, some 30 of whom are Collegio alumni.  All five Filipino Papal Nuncios (Archbishops who are the Pope’s Ambassadors to different countries) are Collegio alumni as well.

In practically all seminaries in the Philippines you will find formators and professors who were Collegio residents.

Please continue to pray for us as we allow ourselves to be formed and shaped into better shepherds for Christ. Rest assured of our prayers for you as well.

Fr. Gregory Ramon D. GASTON, SThD, DComm
Rector