AUGUST 31, 1951: The formal visit to baguio city of the Vicar Provincial, Fr., Rafael M.

Garcia, OAR and

Procuratie General, Fr. Simeon S. Asensio, OAR with Ar. Arturo Manalac and the Vicariate's legal
counsel, Atty. Ayala to inquire about lands up for sale. The American Jesuits' Mirador Hill caught their
attention.

Afterward, the two Recollect superiors met with Bishop William Brasseur, CICM and expressed their
wish to set up a retreat house, to be named Casiciaco, in his ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

1952: Fr. Alonso S. Bernal, OAR was named superior of the first.
Augustinian Recollect commUnity of Baguio City. Other members of the community were Fr. Cipriano
Q. Zubiri, OAR and Fr. Simeón S.
Asensio, OAR. Msgr. Leandro B. Nieto (1893-1960) who had resigned as prefect apostolic of Palawan
due to failing heath, joined them the following year. In the meantime, the religious resided at Villa Sta.
Rosa in Quezon Hill.

1953: The newly-elected Prior Provincial, Fr. Manuel G. Carceller, AL granted approval to the
undertaking. (August) The second floor of he right wing of Casiciaco was ready for occupancy. The
four priests descended from Villa Sta. Rosa to occupy the new rooms.

1954: (March 19) Prior General Fr. Eugenio Ayape, OAR

consecrated the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Pillar.

1956 (58?): (February 2) Fr. Esteban M. Tepdo, OAR. the new superior, put up a stone statue of the
Virgen del Pilar in the garden fronting the seminary edifice.

1965: (June 4) The Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda Fide approved the petition of Prior
Provincial Fr. Candelas M. Moriones, OAR (1912-1982) for the canonical erection of Casiciaco as a
"House of Philosophical Studies" for Filipino aspirants. The name given was Seminario Mayor-
Recoletos.
(June 22) Fr. Blas J. Montenegro, OAR was appointed as its
Rector and house prior.

1966: (June) The Bureau of Private Schools granted Casiciaco- (SM-R) the official government
recognition for offering
A.B. Classical Philosophy. (July) Forty-one (41)
formands commenced their philosophical studies.

1967: (April 17) The first Commencement Exercises (Transitio et

Formatio). The first graduates were Fr. Delfin A. Castillo, OAR, Cosme D. Berdon, Romeo B. Escalona,
Manuel S. Libo-on,
Raymundo E. Piccio, and Felix C. Sumortin.

1994: (April 11-15) The seminary hosted the First Vicarial Congress of the Recollect Vicariate of the
Philippines and China. Fr.
Joseph Trayvilla, OAR, the seminary rector, declared in his position paper that SM-R was "still a minor
seminary in spite of its name, since postulancy or pre-novitiate formation is undertaken here.

1995: (July 16) Under the rectorship of Fr. Lauro V. Larlar, OAR, the seminary was re-named to
Casiciaco Recoletos Seminary, CaReS.

2001: (May 21) A gigantic fire gutted the east wing of the seminary original building. Damage on
properties was estimated at Php 20M.

2003: (October 10-12) CaRes celebrated the Colden Jubilee o: its foundation. A grand alumni
homecoming highlighted the three-day affair with the theme, "Committed to a Relevant and Integral
Formation of Future Recollects."
(FROM: Casiciaco Recoletos Since 1953, 10-21.)s