After three decades since they have arrived in the Philippines, the pioneer Oblates of St. Joseph saw the need of building a formation center where young men could be molded as their future successors in the great task of evangelizing.

But it was only after the Second World War, that a building was constructed in the town of San Jose beside the parish church to be the first OSJ seminary. It was first called as St. Joseph’s Mission Institute. It used to house both high school and college seminarians.

Several years after, due to scarcity of vocations, the high school department was closed. The remaining seminarians were sent to the different private schools in the Diocese of Lipa. But languages, institutional and congregational subjects were taught in the seminary.

As the number of applicants increased, the superiors of the Congregation deemed it wise to re-open the high school department in 1983.

The seminary since then is known as the Oblates of St. Joseph Minor Seminary.