Somascan Fathers Major Seminary - Tagaytay City

A Gymnasium Of
The Kingdom Of God
by. +Bro Allan Encinas

Old folks in this place often relate that in the past days people were used to sleep early at 6: o'clock in the evening because it was the best thing to do, and the best choice they had. There facilities offered except such those that one can see and, in fact, the house has now. And they also remembered with delight the beautiful scenery, the serenity, the coolness and freshness of the florae, and the abundance of fruits which were then available. They could never forget it...then, they stopped their story with pride.
Tagaytay was and is really beautiful, and natural and serene. Without any doubt it could have been the reason why on the seventies and eighties many religious families attracted to set their novitiate and formation houses in this place. Some religious structures that could be seen already from their age is the Parish Church in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes; it is managed by the Franciscan Capuchins; the Divine Word School of Theology run by the SVD, and some convents of the Sisters. Later, in 1987 the Somascan Fathers transferred their Novitiate and Major Seminary to the new building in Tagaytay.
Long before the settling down of the Novitiate house and the Major Seminary into this place, the Fathers had scouted on the highlands of Cavite and secured the authorization for the purchase of the land that was issued on 1984. Thereafter, by the year 1986, they were authorized to pursue the construction of the building of the new seminary. And before the end of the same year the actual construction was done under the supervision of Fr. Ernesto, whose untiring commitment we should always remember as he joins now our Lord in his peace.
On October 16, 1988, the official opening and the blessing of the house were done. The late Bishop Felix Perez of Imus presided the rites and consecrated the altar of the chapel. The ribbon cutting was officiated by Mrs. Teena Sarino and Sec. Fidel Ramos of National Defense, who became later the President of the Philippines. Many people attended the celebration, the most of them coming from our St. Jerome Parish in Alabang.
For years, until now, and we hope, for the coming more decades, Tagaytay will attract young youth desirous to consecrate their life on the footsteps of St. Jerome Emiliani. According to the ancient tradition of the Somascan Congregation, the chosen place could satisfy the prerequisites of salubrity and amenity. Every year at the end of May or at the beginning of June in Tagaytay, the most beautiful event is celebrated: the first Religious Profession that is sometimes in good number, sometimes only one, but always does it give great joy to the Congregation. The brothers who commit their lives to the great demands of perpetual vows and Diaconal Ministry also do their profession and ordination here in Tagaytay. Priestly ordinations, on the other hand, are professed to be done in bigger churches, especially St. Jerome Emiliani Parish in Alabang.
Indeed, all the present Filipino young religious spent some years of formation in Tagaytay. It is for this kind of service that our community became that palaestra-gymnasium mentioned in the old Somascan Constitutions, where not only novices are trained for the future life, but also where confreres come back to strengthen, review their journey and to prepare for the next steps. It is by this time spirit that it has become a tradition that a brother comes to Tagaytay for a longer preparation for the perpetual profession, diaconate, and priesthood.
Truly it is nice to trace back and remember the past experience in the providence and grace of our Lord, and also worthy to reminisce those many people and confreres who worked, are presently working, in these 13 years of existence of our Tagaytay Community. To them we extend our gratitude and constant prayer: to Fr. Adriano Lomazzi, whose zeal and energies brought to realization this project; to Fr. Grato Germanetto, then the first superior of the Tagaytay community, whose diligence enriched our field with abundance of trees, gardens, and built the Catechetical Center with many sport facilities; to Fr. Valerio Fenoglio, Somascan pioneer to the Philippines; he was assigned as superior in Tagaytay on 1995, whose enterprise brought forth the novitiate building; Fr. Luigi Cucci, our present superior and novice master,whose patience and prayer guide and direct our community life; Fr. Cesare, whose generosity and insights boost and enrich our spiritual formation; to Fr. Gabriele Scotti, the Major Superior of the Somascan Fathers in the Philippines,who generously, among the many duties, gives his time and availability for this Somascan Community of Tagaytay; and to all the religious who in few or many years put their talents at the service of the formation of our new generations. Some confreres might be in or out the of the country , but still it will be our raising of hands together in prayer that will testify that we are one and bounded though from a distance.
Now, we are very few, but we hope that all the thirty-two rooms of the Seminary and the nine rooms of the novitiate will be filled with generous young people eager to continue in our country the spirit and the work of charity of St. Jerome. But, meanwhile as a community we put our trust in the Lord who is very merciful and have true hope in him alone and we shall never be disenchanted.

The Major seminary is under the paternity of Fr. Gabriele Scotti, crs, superior.
Members of the community Formation Team are:

Fr. Luigi Cucci, crs
Fr. John Carino, crs
Fr. Manuel Enguerra, crs - Novice Master