Divine Word Seminary Arnoldus Library

Founded thirty-six years ago (in 1973) and designed by Architect Jesus M. Bondoc, then the dean of the Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts at the Far Eastern University, the Arnoldus Library, with a tower and a roof garden, stands today as one of the most artistic, ingenious and well-crafted library edifices in the country.

At one point it had housed a good collection of books in philosophy, social sciences, and theology — 76,000 volumes and a multi-purpose hall (Arnoldus Hall). Most of the non-theology books are now relocated to Christ the King Seminary—SVD’s school of philosophy in Quezon City. The Library—still with 36,277 books; around 15,000 bound periodicals/journals (615 titles); 2,164 duplicates; and 462 textbooks—is one of the best Catholic theological libraries in the country.

For its Web OPAC, please visit: www.arnolduslibrary.com
To read more about the Arnoldus Library, please click here.
For new acquisitions and review of new books, please click here.

Source: Divine Word Seminary Blog

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Fr. Bel San Luis Talks About DWST 50th Anniversary

SVD Seminary celebrates golden jubilee

by Fr. Bel R. San Luis, SVD
March 11, 2014 (Manila Bulletin)

The Divine Word Mission Seminary in Tagaytay City, where I did my noviciate and theological studies in the 1960s, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary on March 11-13, 2014.

* * *

On March 9, 1963 the SVD Superior General John Schuette erected canonically the mission house in Tagaytay, and on March 12 the novitiate Fr. Antolin Uy, SVD, who wrote a wide-ranging, intensive history of the seminary, said that the main reason for the transfer of the novices and scholastics to Tagaytay was the lack of space at the Christ the King Seminary compound on E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City.

Christ the King Seminary became the formation house of the high school and college departments, collectively called minor seminary. Eventually, the high school was phased out, leaving only the college seminary.

* * *

Since its inauguration, the Divine Word Seminary has produced SVD and diocesan bishops as well as diocesan and religious-missionary priests.

It was not unexpected that Divine Word Seminary, located in scenic and cool Tagaytay overlooking Taal Volcano, would evolve into something like a central seminary, forming a cluster of autonomous affiliated houses of formation, 14 of them: 11 congregations and three from the diocesan clergy.

* * *

In the last 50 years, Fr. Uy says, Divine Word Seminary produced 1,601 fourth year graduates. Of the 552 SVDs, 127 are now in foreign lands, e.g., 28 in the Americas, 25 in Africa and 25 in Asia. The 638 diocesan graduates is a sizeable addition to the country’s diocesan clergy. The religious congregations, some of them new in the country, still gained 411.

Later on new courses were offered like the Certification for Theological Studies which offers excellent courses in Scriptures and missiology and the Alternative Learning School (ALS) which enrols out-of-school youth.

* * *

This school year, the Divine Word Institute of Mission Studies (DWIMS) is expected to boost the missiological slant of the seminary.  With its courses designed to broaden and enrich insights of “new evangelization” and “interculturality,” the institute hopes to attract professors and students of Asia Pacific Region to the country as well as members from different religious, missionary congregations, both male and female.

Due to its interconnection with the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, DWIMS is scheduled to grant post graduate ecclesiastical and civil degrees in Missiology.

* * *

The Divine Word Seminary was from the very beginning always considered a mission seminary parallel with Christ the King Mission Seminary.

In 1981, Pope John Paul II stressed the missionary calling of the Philippines: “I wish to tell you of my special desire that the Filipinos will become the foremost missionaries of the Church in Asia.” This repeats what Paul VI said when he visited the Philippines in 1970.

* * *

The Divine Word Seminary with its new Institute of Mission Studies is a clear and concrete response to the wish of the past Popes.

“Fifty years is only a measure of time, but it is intimately connected with the missionary nature of Christ and his Church,” Fr. Uy concludes.