The Divine Word Seminary Tagaytay (DWST) is a Roman Catholic mission seminary located in Tagaytay City, Philippines. Established in 1933, the seminary is owned and administered by the Society of the Divine Word (Latin: Societas Verbi Divini, or SVD). The primary purpose of the seminary is to prepare missionaries for both the Philippine and foreign missions. Its students are mostly seminarians preparing for the priesthood, and come from a cluster of around 14 autonomous affiliated houses of formation.

History In 1933, the Divine Word Missionaries, with the assistance of Tuguegarao Bishop Constant Jurgens, established the Christ the King Mission Seminary in España Extension (now E.Rodriguez Avenue). The eventual growth of the seminary population prompted the SVD Fathers in the 1950s to plan for the acquisition of a property in Tagaytay City. This was further reinforced by the instructions of Father General Alois Grosse-Kappenberg to separate their minor and the major seminaries located in Quezon City.

During the 1957 Provincial Chapter, it was resolved that the Major Department shall leave the Christ the King Mission Seminary. It was also resolved that the Major Department shall relocate near Manila, although Provincial Superior Fr. Franz Kutscher preferred to transfer the major seminary to Tagaytay because of its mild climate. The SVD Fathers, who previously acquired a 65-hectare property in Alfonso, Cavite, sold it and bought a property in Tagaytay in 1962. Eventually, during the 1963 Provincial Chapter presided by Superior General Johannes Schutte, the SVD scholasticate and the novitiate shall be the ones who will transfer to Tagaytay. The SVD Theologate shall remain in Quezon City.

On September 12, 1963, the first occupants of the Divine Word Seminary arrived in Tagaytay. They were composed of two professed brothers, 12 brother-novices, the Novice Master, and the Procurator. Two months later, they were followed by 44 clerical-novices accompanied by Frs. Vicente Braganza and Joseph Bette. The following year, Fr. Alois Lehberger, SVD was appointed as the first Seminary Rector with Fr. Alphonse Mildner, SVD serving as the Novice Master. In June 1964, it was decided that the entire SVD Scholasticate shall transfer to Tagaytay, which happened a month after. The seminary offered a government-recognized degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts in Philosophy, while the theologians availed the four-year ecclesiastical course in theology.

The seminary population grew further because of the enrollment of seminarians from other congregations. In 1966, seminarians from the Capuchins joined the SVD classes, followed by the Franciscans and major seminarians from the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan in 1968. The Franciscans and the SVD Fathers have planned to establish a common seminary, but it did not push through. Meanwhile, Calapan Apostolic Vicar and SVD member Wilhelm Duschak established their Saint Augustine Major Seminary nearby and affiliated it with DWST. This was followed by other neighboring formation houses. In 1967, the Pope John XXIII Training Center was inaugurated by Imus Bishop Artemio Casas and Federation of Free Farmers co-founder Jeremias Montemayor. This became the center of the scholastics' involvement in social action.

By School Year 1976-1977, the Master of Arts in Theology was offered by the seminary. A year after, the Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical Urban University visited the seminary for the affiliation of its theology program, which took effect in 1982 under the auspices of the Congregation for Catholic Education. This enabled the seminary to offer the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology for its students. In 2005, the seminary started to offer a government-recognized Bachelor of Arts in Theology, and started to accept lay students and consecrated persons to its theological school. As its incorporation was renewed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, it is now known in its new name, the Divine Word Seminary Tagaytay.

Academic programs DWST offers the following degrees:

a four-year Theology course; Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus or S.T.B. – diploma comes from Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome; M. A. in Theology; A.B. in Theology; and Certificate in Theological Studies directed mainly to the laity.

DWST also hosts a house of formation for the SVD-Philippines—the SVD Arnold Janssen Formation Center and the Divine Word Institute of Mission Studies (DWIMS).

Included in its academic programs are the following courses/subjects: Ecclesiastical Course (course for candidates for the priesthood) Licentiate in Mission Theology (run by the Divine Word Institute of Mission Studies) Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (degree conferred by the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome) AB Theology Degree (recognized by CHED) M.A. in Theology, Major in Moral Theology M.A. in Theology, Major in Missiology M.A. in Theology, Major in Sacred Scriptures M.A. in Theology Major in Systematic Theology M. A. in Theology: Major in Pastoral Ministry (non-thesis) M. A. in Theology Major in Mission Studies (Non-thesis) Certificate in Theological Studies (CTS) SVD-Alternative Learning System (SVD-ALS)

Administration Rectors of the Divine Word Seminary Fr. Alois Lehberger, SVD, 1964–1969 Fr. Wenceslao Fernan, SVD, 1965–1966 Fr. Amante Castillo, SVD, 1968–1970 Msgr. Miguel Cinches, SVD, 1970–1973 Fr. Florante Camacho, SVD, 1973–1974 Fr. Herminio Ricafort, SVD, 1974–1979 Fr. Antolin Uy, SVD, 1979–1987 Fr. Herman Mueller, SVD, 1979–1980 Fr. Florencio Lagura, SVD, 1987–1990 Fr. Robert Orig, SVD, 1990–1993 Fr. Herbert Scholz, SVD, 1993–1995 Fr. Lino Nicasio, SVD, 1995–1996 Fr. Dionisio Miranda, SVD, 1996–1999 Fr. Antolin Uy, SVD, 1999–2002 Fr. Joseph Miras, SVD, 2002–2005 Fr. Wilfredo Saniel, SVD, 2005 – 2014 Fr. Michael Layugan SVD, 2014 – 2020 Fr. Samuel Agcaracar, SVD, 2020–2025 Fr. Severo Biton, Jr. SVD, 2025 - 2026Fr. Sherwin Tristan Aromin, SVD, 2026 - Present

Affiliated houses of formation Arnold Janssen Formation Center (SVD) - Rector, Fr. Sherwin Tristan Aromin SVD Mission Society of the Philippines (MSP) - Rector, Fr. Reginaldo Lavilla, MSP Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS)- Rector, Fr. Anishmon Kamukuthottathil, MSFS Oblates of Saint Joseph House of the Junior Professed (OSJ) - Rector, Fr. Edwin Tolentino, OSJ Religious Tertiary Capuchins of Our Lady of Sorrows (Amigonians) - Rector, Fr. Ildefonso Diente, TC Saint Augustine Major Seminary (SASMA)- Rector, Fr. Simplicio Bonquin Saint Lawrence of Brindisi House of Studies (OFM Capuchins) - Rector, Fr. Roberto Peralta, OFMCap Saint Paul Seminary Foundation (SSP)- Rector, Fr. Norman Melchor Peña Jr., SSP San Pablo Theological Formation House - Rector, Fr. Edwin Lusterio Servants of the Paraclete (sP)- Rector, Fr. Peter Khan, sP Somascan Major Seminary (Somascans)- Rector, Fr. Gabriele Scotti, CRS Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol (TMP) - Rector, Fr. Michael Cron Two Hearts (OATH and SMITH) - Rector, Fr. Jeremy Abon, OATH Fraternidad Misionera Verbum Dei (FMVD) - Superior, Sr. Lorna Mendoza, FMVD Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) - Superior, Sr. Josephine Buencamino, FMM

Deans The School of Theology had graduates already from the school years 1964–1969, but there was no official appointment of a dean for the school. The school's entity was closely associated with the rector, thus there was no official appointment for a dean until the start of the school-year 1969. Fr. Dante Barril, SVD, STL 2024-Present Fr. Michael G. Layugan, SVD, PhD, SThD 2023-2024 Fr. Antonio Pernia, SVD, STD 2020–2023 Fr. Guilberto Marqueses, SVD, STL 2017-2020 Fr. Randolf Flores, SVD, SSL, PhD and STD – 2014–2017 Fr. Felix Ferrer, SVD, STD – 2013–2014 Fr. Alexander Muaña, SVD, STL – 2008–2013 Fr. Michael Layugan, SVD, PhD and STD – 2004–2008 Fr. Felix Ferrer, SVD, STD- 1999–2004 Fr. Lino Nicasio, SVD, PhD – 1996–1999 Fr. Antolin Uy, SVD, PhD – 1995–1996 Fr. Lino Nicasio, SVD, PhD – 1992–1995 Fr. Guillermo Villegas, SVD, SSL, STD – 1990–1992 Fr. Constante Floresca, SVD, MA – 1988 Fr. Antolin Uy, SVD, PhD – 1987–1990 Fr. Florencio Lagura, SVD, STD – 1985–1987 Fr. Herbert Scholz, SVD, STD – 1981–1985 Fr. Reiner Franke, SVD, SSL – 1975–1981 Fr. Macario Magboo, SVD, STL – 1972–1975 Fr. Frederick Scharpf, SVD, SSL – 1969–1972

References

Antolin Uy, "Divine Word Seminary: History, Perspective and Orientation Towards New Evangelization," Diwa: Studies in Philosophy and Theology 39 (2014): 69–77. Deans of the Divine Word Seminary Rectors of the Divine Word Seminary Houses of the Divine Word Seminary School History Administration Vision

External links Divine Word Seminary Societas Verbi Divini The Divine Word Seminary – video presentation created by the fourth year Scholastics 2006; music by Fr. Raul Caga, SVD