 |
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
San Agustin Center of Studies is a seminary located in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. It was founded in 1984.
The stated vision of the Center is “oneness of all in Christ through friendship and brotherhood.”[ citation needed ]
 | This section needs additional citations for verification .(December 2013) |
The stated mission of the Center is:
Two years before the birth of the Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu, it was intended to establish a seminary. Upon the completion of the plans, Fr. Eduardo Perez wrote to Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila seeking approval to erect the seminary, which was granted. The site was chosen. in Diliman, Quezon City, following criteria set by the Council: accessibility and peacefulness. The site is on Fisheries St. in Visayas Avenue, a kilometer away from Quezon City Circle. Rising on slightly elevated two hectare area, it is bounded on the northwest by Culiat River opposite Sanville Subdivision and the University of the Philippines Arboretum.
Following the ground-breaking rites in December 1983, the plan was to complete construction in June 1984, but this was not achieved due to rising prices and conflicts with squatters on the proposed site.
On May 21, 1984, Fr. Martin Nolan, Father General, officially approved the erection of the institution and canonically declared it as a religious residence. The concept and architectural design was patterned after colonial types.
In July 1984 the name San Agustin Center of Studies (SACS) came up in a conversation among the original members of the seminary community together with the first Prior Provincial at the San Agustin Monastery in Intramuros. It was adopted as the institution’s name.
On November 13, 1984 the Seminary was dedicated following a Eucharistic celebration at its new chapel, with Jaime Cardinal Sin as the main celebrant.
The new colonial-type seminary was composed of two edifices. The main structure on the left was three-storey seminary while on the other side was another three-storey building which serves as the residence of the friars. This building boasts of an open terrace protruding from the second floor. Behind them is a separate building housing the refectory, kitchen and chapel. A covered walk joins the latter to the residence.
The seminary is a square-like structure which encloses an inner garden at the center part. It houses 48 individual bedroom, study rooms, chapel and archives, among others. The friars’ residence is equipped with four bedrooms, a living room, library and conference room. Both buildings hold receiving rooms at the ground floor. At the back of the chapel is the laundry room and garage that served as storeroom and stock room during the construction stage.
Additional features were added later including a basketball and tennis court completed in 1985 along with the first layer of the concrete fencing. Two years later, the river crossing bridge connecting Fisheries Street and the Seminary compound was completed. In front was constructed the seminary building.
Many young men were trained in the seminary.
On Aug. 5, 1984 the first students arrived at the still unfinished Seminary. The six novices were joined by formators Fr. Arsenio Pioquinto and Fr. Rosalio Paderog. Several weeks later, Fr. Rogelio Obja-an and Fr. Melchor Mirador joined the group. During this initial period there was not even a kitchen or a prayer room for use.
A week after the blessing in November of the same year, the rest of the community including priests and seminarians transferred from San Agustin in Intramuros to the new home led by the Prior Provincial.
The first rector of the seminary’s community was Fr. Mamerto Alfeche with Fr. Paderog as vice rector. Occupying the Fathers’ residence was the first Provincialate community composed by Fr. Eusebio Berdon, Prior Provincial; Fr. Melchor Mirador, Provincial Secretary, and Fr. Rogelio Objaan, Provincial Treasurer.
Others came. By the end of April 1985 the Rector left for Iloilo, leaving temporary management to the Vice Rector.
Before the opening of the school year in 1985, Fr. Rodolfo Manaloto and Bro. Efren Obja-an, who were on study leave, arrived as working guests.
On July 26, 1988, Fr. Paderog was appointed member of the ad hoc committee overseeing the construction of the novitiate house in Cebu; he eventually decided to be freed of his responsibilities as prior as he had too much to do. Fr. Manaloto was appointed acting Prior until the end of school year 1988-89, and on April 10, 1989 became full Prior, continuing to be Master of professed and house treasurer. This left the community with only four members.
To effect the resolution approved during the second Provincial Chapter which called for the transfer of the Provincialate to Cebu, the Provincialate Community was temporarily dissolved. The Prior Provincial and the Provincial Secretary were absorbed by the Basilica Community, and the Provincial Treasurer integrated himself with the seminary community.
For most of the period from 1988 to 1992, formation work in the SACS was handled by a single person.
The community has been involved in: outreach programs in depressed areas of Quezon City and at the home for the aged; participation in social movements meant to help alleviate the plight of the less fortunate, specially the victims of recent calamities such as fire, Mt. Pinatubo eruption, and similar among others; holding of retreat and recollections for the different lay groups; assisting the neighboring parishes of Project 6, San Francisco del Monte and San Lorenzo Ruiz; organizing the youth of the area and holding of daily masses where neighboring residents can attend.
In 1987 St. Monica's Guild with Fr. Rudy Manaloto OSA as Spiritual Director was formed and affiliated with the Order of St. Augustine. St. Monica's Guild was composed of lay women who attended the community prayers and mass every day. The St. Monica's Guild became a part of the community and would join the outreach programs.
In 1998 with Fr. Boy Galindez OSA the Cofradia del Sto. Niño de Cebu-SACS Chapter was established. In March 2014 to March 2016, the Pilgrim Snr. Sto. Niño de Cebu from Cebu was brought to 29 Parishes in Metro Manila and Luzon headed by Fr. Jun Nohara OSA, Fr. John Paul Mabanta OSA, Myrna Garrido, National President of the Cofradia del Sto. Niño de Cebu and the members of the Cofradia.
The San Agustin Center of Studies is composed of three communities or institutions, namely, Simply Professed Friars Community (Professorium), College Seminarians Community (Collegium)and St. Thomas of Villanova Institute.
Technically, the community is composed of theology students of the Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu. It is a formation community who had taken their temporal vows after the novitiate. It is not a theological school, however, seminarians study in different theological schools in Metro Manila, some have studied in ICLA, Recoletos School of Theology (RST), MaryHill School of Theology (LST), and Loyola School of Theology (LST).
Collegium community is the pre-novitiate stage of formation for Augustinians. Most of the students accepted here are graduates from high school and college undergraduates. Formation for Professionals is not housed in SACS bu in Guadalupe Monastery, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati.
The pre-novitiate or postulancy is understood in a general sense as a preparatory time for the novitiate. Its chief purpose is to help the young man who is experiencing the possibility of a vocation, to recognize this possibility and to be able to respond (Cf. RS 11). At the same time, it is the context in which to determine whether a candidate to the novitiate has achieved sufficient maturity. This probationary is designed to reach a tentative judgment concerning the talents and vocation of the candidate, and also to ascertain his knowledge of religious subjects and, where necessary, deepen them to the degree judged necessary; and lastly, to permit a gradual transition from lay life to a life proper to the novitiate. [2] (Cf. RC 11)
St. Thomas of Villanova Institute is a philosophy school affiliated to the University of San Agustin - Iloilo that is run by the Filipino Augustinian Friars in the Philippines. It has been training seminarians since 1996. Some extern seminarians also study in the institute. It is not an exclusive school for augustinian seminarians but not to lay students.
The University of San Agustin, also referred to by its acronym USA or as San Ag, is a private, Roman Catholic, research, coeducational, non-profit basic and higher education institution run by the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu, Philippines of the Order of Saint Augustine in Iloilo City, Philippines. It was founded by the Augustinians in July 1904. The Spanish Augustinians with the help of their American confreres established in 1904 a school for boys. It had initially an enrollment of 40 students. In 1917, it was incorporated and became Colegio de San Agustin de Iloilo. In March 1953, San Agustin attained university status making it as the first university in Western Visayas. San Agustin is likewise the first Augustinian university in the Asia-Pacific region.
Baliuag, officially the Municipality of Baliuag, and alternatively spelled Baliwag, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 168,470 people.
The Colegio de Santo Tomas – Recoletos is the first formal Recollect school in the Philippines. It used to be known as the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Institute. Colegio de Sto. Tomas - Recoletos is a private college. It also provides Secondary education for young men and women.
The Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus of the Philippines(Spanish: Provincia Agustiniana del Santísimo Nombre de Jesús de Filipinas) was a geographical and administrative subdivision of the religious Order of St. Augustine that was formally affiliated to the Order on March 7, 1575 to originally cater the needs of the growing Augustinian presence in Philippines who were serving Filipinos in more than 300 towns in the 16th century. The Province later on expanded its presence in East Asia, Africa and the Americas in the 20th century to help build and serve more communities. It was considered to be the largest province in the whole Augustinian Order, with more than 300 affiliated Augustinian friars working in The Philippines, Spain, Tanzania, India, Venezuela, Peru, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and China, according to a 2018 statistic from the Province.
Thomas of Villanova, born Tomás García y Martínez, was a Spanish friar of the Order of Saint Augustine who was a noted preacher, ascetic and religious writer of his day. He became an archbishop who was famous for the extent of his care for the poor of his see.
Colegio San Agustin – Biñan, is a private, Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu, Philippines of the Order of Saint Augustine in Biñan City Laguna, Philippines. It was founded by the Augustinians 1985.
A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Catholic priests. They are generally Catholic institutions, and designed to prepare boys both academically and spiritually for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. They emerged in cultures and societies where literacy was not universal, and the minor seminary was seen as a means to prepare younger boys in literacy for later entry into the major seminary.
The Order of Saint Augustine, abbreviated OSA, is a religious mendicant order of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1244 by bringing together several eremitical groups in the Tuscany region who were following the Rule of Saint Augustine, written by Saint Augustine of Hippo in the fifth century.
Colegio San Agustin – Bacolod, also referred to by its acronym CSA-B, is a private, Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu, Philippines of the Order of Saint Augustine in Bacolod City Negros Occidental, Philippines. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1962.
The Seminario de San Vicente Ferrer, also known as San Vicente Ferrer, Seminario or Saint Vincent, is a college-seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro located in Iloilo City. It was founded in 1869 and is the first institution of higher education in the Western Visayas. It is the fifth oldest and the last seminary that was established during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. The Seminarians serve the nearby Jaro Cathedral which houses the miraculous statue of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Jaro, the official roman catholic patron of Western Visayas.
The Augustinian Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu, based in the city of Cebu in the Philippines, is a geographical and administrative subdivision of the religious Order of St. Augustine. The Province is actively involved in education, parish administration, mission work and formation of candidates for religious life. It has worked on joint missions with other Augustinian provinces, namely, the Australian Province in South Korea, the Dutch Province in Indonesia, and the Provinces of Villanova, Ireland and England-Scotland in South Africa. In keeping with its goal to become a missionary Province, it has begun sending friars overseas to help in apostolic and pastoral ministries.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu is a Roman Rite archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines and one of the ecclesiastical provinces of the Catholic Church in the country. It is composed of the entire civil province of Cebu. It is the Mother Church of the Philippines. The jurisdiction, Cebu, is considered as the fount of Christianity in the Far East.
The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.
The Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church, also known as Guadalupe Church/Guadalupe Parish, is a Baroque Roman Catholic church in Makati City, Philippines. The parish church and its adjacent monastery are currently administered by the Augustinian friars of the Province of Santo Niño de Cebu. The territory of the parish covers San Carlos Seminary, the major seminary of the Archdiocese of Manila and Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary. The church also has an adjacent seminary, the Monasterio de Guadalupe, which admits young professionals for priestly and religious vocation. The current Parish Priest is Rev. Fr. Danilo M. Carido, OSA.
The Augustinian Recollect Province of Saint Ezequiél Moreno is a division of the Order of Augustinian Recollects that has jurisdiction over the Philippines, Taiwan and Sierra Leone. It officially separated from the Province of Saint Nicholas de Tolentine on 28 November 1998. Today, the Provincialate House is located at the San Nicolas De Tolentino Parish Church on Neptune Street, Congressional Subdivision, Project 6, Quezon City.
The Basílica Menor del Santo Niño de Cebú, commonly known as Santo Niño Basilica, is a basilica in Cebu City in the Philippines that was founded in 1565 by Fray Andrés de Urdaneta and Fray Diego de Herrera. It is the oldest Roman Catholic church in the country, allegedly built on the spot where the image of the Santo Niño de Cebú was found during the expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi.
The Salesians of Don Bosco in the Philippines is a Catholic religious congregation of pontifical right working in the Philippines under two jurisdictions: for Luzon, the Philippine North Province (FIN); for Visayas and Mindanao, the Philippine South Province (FIS). The Salesians started working in the Philippines in 1951. The FIN has 25 canonically erected communities while the FIS has 14 canonically erected communities.
Celestino Fernández-Villar was an Augustinian friar and botanist born in Asturias, Spain.
