The Sacred Heart Seminary is a seminary of the Archdiocese of Palo. It was founded in the year 1944 by the first bishop of Palo, His Excellency Manuel M. The chosen location was the Tacloban Catholic Institute Building in Tacloban. But shortly before its inauguration, the building was taken over by the Japanese Army. The opening went on as scheduled after being offered classrooms at the Holy Infan
t Academy in Tacloban on June 1, 1944, but the seminarians have to go home after class. Due to the very small number of diocesan clergy, Bishop Mascariรฑas asked the SVD Fathers to serve the seminary up until 1969. After the liberation from the Japanese regime, the seminarians on February 1945 transferred from Holy Infant Academy to the Tacloban Institute Building and stayed there until the end of March of 1945. On the 25th of June 1945 the seminarians occupied an old but big and spacious Convento at Tanauan, Leyte. The seminary was temporary called Regina Pacis. It was the Apostolic Delegate Msgr. Guglielmo Piani, SDB during his official visit on September 23, 1946 that he announced the official name of the seminary: Sacred Heart Seminary. The old convent would be the seat of the seminary until the year 1956. In Palo, Leyte, a new seminary was being constructed. Although the corner stone was laid sometime in 1945, the actual construction only began four years later on February 17, 1949. On May 26, 1956 the seminarians transferred to the newly constructed seminary. And with a despidida given by the good people of Tanauan on May 27, 1956, the seminary formators and seminarians formally left their home in Tanauan. By June 11, 1956 classes were held for the first time in Palo. The existing main Seminary Chapel was blessed by the Seminary Rector, Fr. Jose Vicente Braganza, SVD, and its marble altar was consecrated by Bishop Lino R. Gonzaga, D.D. on August 5, 1959. After the consecration, Msgr. Cipriano V. Urgel, P.A., the Vicar General, officiated the Solemn High Mass. Sources: Stella Maris 1955; Sacred Heart Seminary Chronicles I, II, III (1944-1960)
