Mumbai: St Pius X College, the major seminary of the Archdiocese of Bombay, October 5 celebrated its sixty years of existence.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, celebrated the thanksgiving Mass at the seminary located at Goregaon West.

The seminary has been instrumental in training ‘Ambassadors for Christ’ for Western India and beyond, the cardinal said.

He also thanked all associated with the establishment and growth of the seminary since 1960.

The cardinal prayed that the seminary continue to send forth messengers for Christ.

The seminary is named after Pope Pius X (1835–1914), who was known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting liturgical reforms and scholastic philosophy and theology.

Seminary training in Bombay Archdiocese had many beginnings starting as early as 1770.

Cardinal Valerian Gracias initiated the process of acquiring land in the suburbs to build a seminary large enough to accommodate the growing number of seminarians.

The archdiocese bought a 30-acre plot in Goregaon and built the magnificent edifice that now stands as a fitting tribute to vision, foresight and dynamism of the first Indian cardinal.

The seminary began functioning in July 1960, under the title of ‘St Pius X College.’ The official inauguration of the new seminary building was held on October 5, 1960.

the seminary has hosted many distinguished visitors over the years. Chief among them was Pope Paul VI who visited the seminary on December 5, 1964, when he came to Mumbai for the 38th International Eucharistic Congress.

Pope John Paul II stayed at the seminary February 9-10, 1986, on his first state and pastoral visit to India.

Pius X College trains around hundred seminarians for the archdiocese of Bombay and other Indian dioceses, members of religious congregations, candidates for the permanent diaconate as well as the laity.

The seminary is affiliated to the Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth (JDV), a pontifical institute of philosophy and religion based in Pune, western India, for the Bachelors in Theology.

St. Pius X College offers its students a holistic training that blends academics and pastoral involvement, the seminary officials claim.

The motto of the seminary is “We are Ambassadors for Christ.”