As we approach any anniversary of the founding of Dominguez Seminary it is important to remember the benefactors that made this possible.
    Fr. Emeterio de Diego was the first Claretian to offer Mass in the Dominguez family chapel on December 26, 1910. After that Claretians come every week from the old Plaza church to offer mass for the family and worker of rancho. Twelve years later in 1922 the Dominguez family makes a promise to the Claretians that the Dominguez Ranch would one day be transferred to them to be used as a seminary. This promise was kept two years later in 1924 with the death of Dona Dolores Dominguez de Watson. On October 23, 1924 the keys to Rancho Dominguez are handed to the Claretians and the next day on the anniversary of the death of our founder, our postulants are installed and Fr. Zaldivar, former superior of San Gabriel Mission, becomes the Superior of Dominguez Seminary, Compton, California.
    A few years later the Superior General, Fr. Nicolas Garcia approves the creation of a U.S. Novitiate specifying that it be at the yet unfinished Dominguez Memorial Seminary. On August 27, 1927 our first group of postulants received the habit and began their novitiate. The whole community accompanied them in procession to the Dominguez Ranch House, set aside for the novitiate. The formal ceremony of the blessing of the new Dominguez Seminary building took place on November 17, 1927. In attendance were the principal donors Dr. Gregorio Del Amo and his wife Dona Susana Dominguez. Bishop John J. Cantwell, Ordinary of Los Angeles and Monterey-Fresno, officiated. He praised the generosity of the donors and the Congregation to which the seminary had been entrusted. On July 25, 1929 the first ordinations at Dominguez Seminary took place when Bishop John Maiztegui ordained three priests who had come from Spain as students to finish their studies in Washington, D.C.
    A few years later on January 18 1931, our great benefactress, Dona Susana Dominguez de Del Amo, died. She was attended by our missionaries in her last illness A virtuous and charitable woman, she had given us Dominguez Ranch, built a Seminary there and left a fund to maintain our students there. She was declared an outstanding benefactress of the Congregation, which still remembers her in its Masses and prayers. She was buried in the crypt of the seminary chapel. Ten years later, she was joined by her husband Dr. Gregorio Del Amo, who asked to be buried in the habit of the Claretians.
Of special significance were the great earthquakes of 1933. The rancho and the seminary were seriously damaged and one student was injured by falling debris. For the next four months all our students had to take shelter at San Gabriel Mission. The novitiate was moved to San Marcos, Texas and did not return to the rancho until 1936 when all repairs to the structures were completed.
    And the history goes on and continues to this day. Dominguez Seminary is now home to our retired Claretians who continue in their final phase of formation preparing that last exam!
    Dominguez Seminary was made possible because of the generosity of the Dominguez and Del Amo families. Over the years their descendants, the Watson, Carson and many other people of good will have supported the work of the Claretians and made our ministry in the United States and around the world possible.
    From this property missionaries have gone to Nigeria, Cameroon, Philippines, Guatemala, Panama and many other countries bringing with them the lessons they have learned here to with others and to return with lessons learned from the people they have e served. We will continue to remember all our benefactors as we prepare the next generation of missionaries.
    A seminary is a place of discernment and many decide toserve the Lord in other ways. We give thanks to God for their vocation as committed men of faith in whatever path the Lord guides the and look forward to hearing their stories when the come home to Dominguez at our annual gatherings of Claretian Alumni.