The Seminario Metropolitano de San Vicente Ferrer is the fifth oldest and the last seminary to have been established during the Spanish colonial period. With the elevation of Jaro to a diocese in 1865, its first bishop, Fray Mariano Cuartero decided to put up this seminary.

In 1871 construction began in a new lot near the cathedral and in October of the following year classes were held for the first time in the new seminary.

During the Spanish times to the 1920’s, St. Vincent Ferrer was both a seminario and a colegio.  It offered subjects leading to a Bachelor degree (Bachelor of Arts).

Academic excellence at the Seminario Metropolitano de San Vicente Ferrer made it popular that it was the best alternative to studying in Manila. Even the great hero, Graciano Lopez Jaena earned his high school diploma here. Enrollment in the colegio surpassed that of the seminario by several folds.

The flourishing existence of this institution was cut short by the Revolution of 1898 when Filipino patriots rose in arms against the Spaniards. The seminary was then successively occupied by the military forces of three nationalities - the Spanish soldiers, the Ilonggo revolutionaries, and later the American forces.

With the Americans came the appointment of an American bishop to Jaro, Msgr. Frederick Rooker. Eventually, the Padre Paules who left during the Revolution, returned to the seminary and resumed their work.

Construction was soon begun and after one year (September 7, 1907), the second seminary was almost completed. However, all the jubilation was marred by the unexpected death of Bishop Rooker a day after the inauguration.

The new seminary was finished by Bishop Dennis Dougherty, successor of Bishop Rooker. Aside from finishing the construction of the seminary, Bishop Dougherty improved on the curriculum of the seminario-colegio.

The happy seminary life was again brought to a standstill with the advent of World War II. The seminarians and some of the seminary fathers dispersed to many places in the island. Liberation came but it brought along with it destruction. The second seminary building became a pile of ashes, rubble and twisted irons after American planes bombed the building on February 20, 1945.

On June 19, 1954, this present seminary was inaugurated amidst much rejoicing and thanksgiving.

Within a few years, the Seminario Metropolitano de San Vicente Ferrer became the “melting pot” of major seminarians as the bishops of suffragan dioceses of Bacolod, Capiz and Antique sent their seminarians to study at this seminary.

School year 1972-1973 witnessed the entrance of the secular-priest formators and lay faculty into the Seminario Metropolitano de San Vicente Ferrer. The first three secular priests to join the administration of the seminary were Fr. Jose M. Gamboa as procurator, Fr. Claudio Sale as liturgist and Fr. Esperidion Celis as Music Director. Fr. Gamboa (who later became a Monsignor) became the first Filipino diocesan Rector of the seminary in 1975.

Another structural addition to the St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary compound was the Pre-College building, a project of Archbishop Casas’ successor Msgr. Alberto J. Piamonte. Located parallel to the “Home Sweet Home”, this building houses seminary applicants who graduated from other secondary schools. It was inaugurated in February of 1989, when St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary celebrated her 120th anniversary.

With His Grace, Angel N. Lagdameo (2000 to February 2018), showing his all-out support for the updating of the seminary Program, upgrading of seminary facilities and the on-going formation of seminary personnel; the present program of the Seminary is built upon the modified CASA Formation Program, but this time aligned to the Updated Philippine Program of Priestly Formation which was approved for implementation in 2005 and the leads of the Third Diocesan Synod of Jaro (2004-2006). This Formation Program is anchored more solidly on Human Formation, thus it is now CASA/H.

Last November 2019, the seminary celebrated her 150th foundation anniversary. It was an experience of looking back with gratitude. This home of formation in the Archdiocese of Jaro is hopeful and ready to respond to the challenges in the formation of future priests under the patronage of St. Vincent Ferrer and the intercession of Our Lady of Candles.