ANGELES CITY – If the Archdiocese of San Fernando would prevail based on the ‘Roman Rota Decision’ from the Vatican, the Chevalier School will close its doors on June 30, 2021.
The MSC Fathers running the Chevalier School Inc. would have until December 31, 2025 or five years more to operate the school but a case filed by the Alumni Association, Employees, Students, and PTA before the Regional Trial Court Branch 58 apparently scuttled the 10-year lease contract.
In a letter dated February 18, 2021 sent to the Angeles City Councilor Joseph Alfie Bonifacio, an alumni of Chevalier, Archbishop Florentino Lavarias revealed the Archbishop and the Provincial of the MSC Fathers “have been collaboratively planning in formulating and executing the exit plan of the MSC Fathers.”
No less than Fr. Ruben Roquero, current Rector of the Chevalier School, already “discussed to the Archbishop the initial plans for the exit of the MSC Fathers.”
Lavarias said the “MSC Fathers cannot continue to operate Chevalier School in the present venue because there is a Roman Rota Decision nullifying the contract of lease between the Sacred Heart Mission Seminary, Inc. and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando (RCASF).”
Both the MSC Fathers and the RCASF “voluntarily submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the Roman Rosa.
“The RCASF already agreed with the MSC Fathers to sign a new 10-year lease contract from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2025” but the case filed in court negated the Chevalier School’s extension.
On December 26, 2019, the RTC Branch 58 issued a decision prohibiting the MSC Fathers from signing a lease contract.
“Gagawa po ako ng paraan na walang magiging legal impediment,” according to Councilor Bonifacio. “Kawawa naman po ang mga estudyante.”
There are reportedly some 2,300 students at the Chevalier School.
“The Association, Employees, Students, and PTA should reestablish relationship with the Archdiocese of San Fernando,” said Bonifacio.
Bonifacio sees another 4 to 5 year extension of Chevalier once the legal impediment will be removed. The Angeles City Council will talk again with the Archdiocese on March 1, 2021.