History
Bishop Alfredo Versoza of Lipa invited the Jesuits to establish a school in San Pablo, at the time under his diocese's jurisdiction. Progress was significantly delayed, however, by the Second World War and the destruction of the seminary buildings that the Jesuits were supposed to occupy. Only by 1946 were the first Jesuit priests—Fathers John McCarron, Paul Finster, and Francis Reilly—able to arrive. By July 1947, when the Ateneo first opened its doors, its premises had five classrooms, a library of about 2000 books, offices, a basketball court, and three living rooms, as well as 69 first-year students.
Fr. McCarron was appointed as the rector of the Ateneo for a few months, until he was succeeded by Fr. Finster following the former's transfer to another appointment. It was under Fr. Finster that rebuilding of the war-torn premises was begun in earnest, with the assistance of an architect named Carlos Dychangco.
1951 saw the first 36 graduates of the Ateneo complete their secondary studies.
Fr. Finster was succeeded as rector by Fr. Eusebio Salvador in September 1954. The school's auditorium-gymnasium was built during Fr. Salvador's time, as were the chapel and the Jesuit Residence. The grade school was opened in 1962. In 1976, the Ateneo was accredited by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU).
In 1967 the Diocese of San Pablo was erected, encompassing the entirety of Laguna province. The Jesuit administrators decided to return the Ateneo's buildings to the diocese after a request from the new bishop, Pedro Bantigue. However, following major protests against the act by faculty, students, and sympathizers, the deed of redonation was delayed. It took an order from the Apostolic Signatura, dated February 26, 1977, for the redonation to be enforced. As recompense, the diocese paid ₱850,000 for the continued improvement of the premises.
The redonation was formally agreed upon on June 15, 1977. The last graduates of the Ateneo received their diplomas on March 31, 1978, and the school was then reopened as the diocesan Liceo de San Pablo.
The Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan, also known simply as the Ateneo de Cagayan or Xavier is a private, Catholic, coeducational, basic and higher education institution. It is operated by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Founded in 1933 as the Ateneo de Cagayan, it became the first higher education institution in Mindanao to receive a university status a year before its sister school Ateneo de Manila. It was given its present name in honor of the Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier.
San Pedro, officially the City of San Pedro, is a 3rd class component city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 326,001 people.
Ateneo de Davao University is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution, run by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. It was established in 1948 when the Jesuits took over the administration of the diocesan school, St. Peter's Parochial School. The Jesuits renamed the school to "Ateneo de Davao" after taking control. At that time, the Jesuits named all the schools that they were opening "Ateneo." Ateneo de Davao is the seventh school in the country to be named as Ateneo by the Jesuits. The university has five undergraduate schools, namely; the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business and Governance, School of Engineering and Architecture, School of Education and the School of Nursing. The graduate programs are under these units as well. The College of Law is a separate unit within the university. The university also runs a grade school and high school, both Junior High and Senior High.
Xavier School is a private, Catholic, college preparatory school run by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus. Its main campus is at 64 Xavier Street, Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines. It has a southern satellite campus along West Conservation Avenue in Nuvali, Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna mainly aimed to serve financially challenged students. It is a K-12 school with a curriculum that includes a mandatory Chinese language program. It also offers an optional International Baccalaureate program in grades 11 and 12 to interested students.
The Archdiocese of Manila is the archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in Metro Manila, Philippines, encompassing the cities of Manila, Makati, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pasay, Taguig, and Quezon City. Its cathedral is the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Manila Cathedral, located in Intramuros, which comprises the old city of Manila. The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title Immaculate Conception, is the principal patroness of the archdiocese.
The Ateneo de Zamboanga University, also referred to by its acronym AdZU, is a private, Catholic, co-educational, basic and higher education institution in Zamboanga City, Philippines. Founded in 1912 by Jesuits as Escuela Catolica, an all-boys parochial school of the Immaculate Conception parish, it is the second oldest Jesuit-administered institution in the Philippines.
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private research university in Quezon City, Philippines. Founded in 1859 by the Society of Jesus, the Ateneo is the third-oldest university in the Philippines.
The Ateneo de Tuguegarao, also referred to by its acronym AdT, was a private Catholic college ran by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Philippines. It was established in 1945 when the Jesuits took over the administration of the diocesan secondary school, Cagayan Valley Atheneum. The Jesuits renamed the school Ateneo de Tuguegarao after taking control. The Jesuits were naming all the schools that they were opening at that time Ateneo. Ateneo de Tuguegarao was the fifth school in the Philippines that the Jesuits named Ateneo. Ateneo de Tuguegarao had a high school and college departments. In 1962, the school was closed when the Jesuits left Tuguegarao.
The Ateneo de Naga University, also referred to by its acronym AdNU, is a private Catholic Jesuit basic and higher education institution run by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines. It was established in 1940 when the Jesuits took over the administration of the diocesan school, Camarines Sur Catholic Academy. The Jesuits renamed the school Ateneo de Naga after taking control. The Jesuits were naming all the schools that they were opening at that time Ateneo. Ateneo de Naga was the fourth school named Ateneo by the Jesuits. Typical of universities in the Philippines, AdNU has primary and secondary departments, which are both coeducational.
The Ateneo de Iloilo – Santa Maria Catholic School (AdI–SMCS), is a private, Jesuit, Catholic, Chinese-Filipino Basic Education school run by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in Iloilo City, Philippines. It is a non-stock and non-profit institution duly accredited by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC). It is also recognized by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) with Level 2 accreditation. Ateneo de Iloilo began in 1958 as a parochial school named Santa Maria Catholic School. In 2004, the school was officially recognized as a Jesuit school separate from the Santa Maria Parish and was renamed Ateneo de Iloilo - Santa Maria Catholic School. It is the eighth Jesuit school in the Philippines to be named Ateneo. Ateneo de Iloilo is a K-12 school and its curriculum includes Chinese language, Christian Living Education, and Ignatian Spirituality programs.
Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC), formerly known as Sacred Heart School for Boys (SHS-B), is a private, Catholic, Chinese-Filipino college-preparatory, K-12 school run by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in Mandaue City, Philippines. It was established in 1955 with a curriculum that includes a Chinese language course.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
Federico O. Escaler, S.J. was a Filipino Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the founding Prelate of Kidapawan (1976–1980) and Ipil (1980–1997), and President of Ateneo de Davao University (1962–1966) and Xavier University (1973–1976).
The Colegio de San Ildefonso was an educational institution run by the Society of Jesus in Cebu City, Philippines in the then Spanish Captaincy General of the Philippines. It was established by the Jesuits in 1595 thus making it the first European-founded educational institution in Asia. In Mexico City, the Jesuits had founded a college with the same name in 1588. The Cebu City college was established by Fr. Antonio Sedeño, Fr. Pedro Chirino, and Antonio Pereira of the Society of Jesus in August 1595. After the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spanish territories in 1767, the buildings and facilities were taken over by the Diocese of Cebu, then by the Congregation of the Mission, and later by the Society of the Divine Word.
Liceo de San Pablo (LSP), formerly Ateneo de San Pablo, is a private, Catholic basic education institution run by the Catholic Diocese of San Pablo in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines
The Universidad de San Ignacio was a university in the city of Manila which existed during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. It was founded in 1590 and is one of the earliest educational institutions built by Europeans in East Asia when it was established by Spanish Jesuits headed by Fr. Antonio Sedeño, S.J. The school ceased its existence following the expulsion of the Jesuits in the archipelago in 1768.
William Francis Masterson, SJ was an American Jesuit priest who became an educational leader in the Philippines.
Joel Eduque Tabora, is a Filipino Jesuit priest and was the fourth president of Ateneo de Davao University from 2011 to 2023. He served as the president of PAASCU from 2012 to 2021. He also served as the second president of Ateneo de Naga University from 1999 to 2011. He is currently taking his sabbatical leave in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Philippines.
Timoteo Jose "Tim" M. Ofrasio S.J., S.L.D. was a Filipino Jesuit priest and liturgist from Alaminos, Laguna and Manila.
