Fr. Alphonse Lesage, SVD
Father Alphonse G. Lesage, SVD is given the credit as the Founder and First Director of
Holy Name College (formerly Divine Word College and now Holy Name University) in
1947. He took the cudgels of running a school which figuratively was suffering the pains
of growing and the problems of infancy.
Fr. Lesage was a tireless and fearless worker. His burning missionary zeal and pioneering
spirit saw him through the arduous task of establishing a Catholic college in Tagbilaran.
He was known for his discipline and austere disposition. He is best remembered for his
striking sense of fairness and justice, his sincere spirit of frugality-avoiding excesses and
sticking only to what is basic and essential.
He was born on February 17, 1905 and died on December 30, 1977.
