Chapter 1: The Humble Beginnings

They say that the seminary is the heart of the diocese. True. But we add “the seminary is in the heart of God.” From 1975 to 2024, we witnessed 49 years of God’s unending goodness to our seminary.

This is the story of Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol.

The 70’s was a decade of renewal for the universal Church. This was brought about by the reforms of the Second Vatican Council which made the Church ready to face the modern world with more openness and steadfast faith. However, in our country, this decade was dubbed as the angry 70’s. For this was a time of political turmoil and national instability. The dictatorship of Marcos caused so much violence and hatred. There are abductions and imprisonments to those who speak out against the government. So, demonstrations of students are rampant. And revolutionary movements like the NPA were organized to resist the government. Hence, this decade is marked with tension for love of country and freedom! And it was in this decade that Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol was born.

Because of some troubles, in the school year of 1973-1974, many theology students left San Carlos seminary. And in accordance with the direction of Rome, twenty five of them went to the Diocese of Imus under the care of Bp. Felix Perez. These seminarians were guided by Fr. Inocencio Poblete and Fr. Jose ‘Chito’ Bernardo. In that year, they continued their studies in Divine Word School of Theology in Tagaytay. While they temporarily reside in the then John XXIII Training center owned by SVD Fathers, which is now the SVD Postulancy.

This situation convinced Bp. Perez of the immediacy to build a seminary for his seminarians. So the diocese built a seminary just in front of SVD. On July 15, 1974, seminarians residing in John XXIII transferred to the new though not yet furnished seminary; this event is what we now call ‘exodus’. In that year there were 36 seminarians, 17 from the Diocese of Imus, the rest were from the dioceses of Lipa, Legazpi, Lucena, Malolos, and Infanta under the rectorship of Fr. Jose Bernardo. That was the first Tahanan community, the John XXIII community.

Seminary policies were formulated through the joined efforts of formators and the seminarians. A more appropriate spirituality for diocesan clergy was promoted. The seminarians attended their academic classes at the Divine Word Seminary, and they have their apostolic formation during weekends and summer break in the different parishes of Cavite. At present, there are around 80 secular priests mostly native born Caviteños in the diocese. There are still a small number of older non-Caviteño priests who chose to remain in Cavite after its separation from Manila. A significant number of non-Caviteño priests, who were formed in Tahanan, have decided to serve the Diocese. This is a very good development for Cavite, since there has also been a large migration of people from other provinces, and these people have decided to settle in Cavite for good. The presence of these priests has facilitated the ministry to the migrants.

In December 1, 1975 the new seminary was formally inaugurated by the apostolic nuncio Msgr. Bruno Torpigliani. It was supposed to be named after Nuestra Señora de Porta Vaga, but Bp. Perez opted to name it TAHANAN NG MABUTING PASTOL.

Bp. Perez had a vision when he named the seminary Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol. He dreams of a seminary which would be a real home for seminarians, where they are formed in an environment of freedom, respect, nurturance, and love. So they might serve the people of God in the same way when they become priests. He believes that priests must be good shepherds, just like Jesus Christ.

Sr. Lourdes of the Religious of the Good Shepherd testified that the newly founded Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol did not start alone. Just like a newborn infant, it was fed and assisted by numerous kindred spirits. By the request of Bp. Perez, RGS provided Tahanan with food, kitchen utensils, even their own personnel. Hotel Intercontinental Manila donated plates and chinaware. SVD Fathers donated a generator and a car for the seminary.

In the early years of the seminary it was really struggling financially. In fact, this note records that Tahanan received another notice of disconnection from an electric company for unpaid bills. But donations augmented the seminary’s financial need. From German missionaries like Fr. Peschke, SVD; parishes of the Diocese; Charitable Funding Institutions; stipends of formators and Bp. Perez himself.

In the early years of Tahanan, it did not only struggle financially. It also found itself groping in the dark in terms of seminary formation.

“ In December 1, 1975 the new seminary was formally inaugurated by the apostolic nuncio Msgr. Bruno Torpigliani. It was supposed to be named after Nuestra Señora de Porta Vaga, but Bp. Perez opted to name it TAHANAN NG MABUTING PASTOL. Bp. Perez had a vision when he named the seminary Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol. He dreams of a seminary which would be a real home for seminarians, where they are formed in an environment of freedom, respect, nurturance, and love. So they might serve the people of God in the same way when they become priests. He believes that priests must be good shepherds, just like Jesus Christ."

Chapter 2: Forming for the Future

The First community found themselves in a seminary with minimum structures. Going out is left to the discretion or whim of each seminarian. There is daily mass but communal morning and evening prayers were not practiced. Study period and apostolate are optional. And other formations depend only when the seminarian feels the need or not. So in that year end’s evaluation, the community realized that minimum structures lead to indifference and selfishness making community building difficult.

That situation led to the first community thrust: VALUE FORMATION. The catchword will direct the formation of the whole community. After sometime, this becomes a Tahanan tradition, to always find value behind the things we do. In the summer of 1976 Fr.Chito and Fr. Danilo Tiong made a 30-day retreat. From there they gained more insights as to how to guide seminarians in their priestly formation. Consequently spiritual direction, one-day monthly recollection, contemplation were introduced. The formators emphasized the spiritual formation of future priests. Gradually, the community fits values into their proper places, and so structures began to take shape.

After some half-day recollections in early 1976 the community conceived the seminary seal. It contains the values of POVERTY, HUMILITY, and JUSTICE after the example of Christ the Good shepherd. Since the onset of Tahanan, its priestly formation is enriched by Marian devotion. In fact, the chapel is dedicated to the patronage of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, Patroness of the city of Cavite in 1975. The chapel is graced with the presence of an antique estampa of the Virgin, which was a gift to Bp. Perez from his Jesuit friends. She guided the formation of seminarians for the following years.

As early as 1978, the three-year old community of Tahanan, through its rector Fr. Chito Bernardo, is already thinking about itself and its future. It finds itself as evolutionary in character. Seminarians formed in Tahanan are trained to have a sincere openness to find new areas for growth. That is why evaluation is very important in Tahanan.

Another trademark of Tahanan is genuine love for God and his People. And this has been its reason for existing and motivation; only for the love of God and his people. And these two happen in the context of value formation and deep prayer life. These two trademarks of Tahanan, being evolutionary and a lover of God and his people, will be a constant in the following years of its existence. Being evolutionary in character, priestly formation in Tahanan developed as the years passed by.

“Since the onset of Tahanan, its priestly formation is enriched by Marian devotion. In fact, the chapel is dedicated to the patronage of Nuestra Senora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, Patroness of the city of Cavite in 1975. The chapel is graced with the presence of an antique estampa of the Virgin, which was a gift to Bp. Perez from his Jesuit friends. She guided the formation of seminarians for the following years. As early as 1978, the three-year old community of Tahanan, through its rector Fr. Chito Bernardo, is already thinking about itself and its future."

Chapter 3: Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol

Are you curious about reason behind the name Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol? Two words: Tahanan and Mabuting Pastol.

Tahanan. The seminary intends that seminarians be formed in an atmosphere of a home, where they live and grow in a community. Learn the process of community building and witness this to the larger community of the people of God.

Mabuting Pastol. A priest formed in Tahanan is expected to share the Spirit of Jesus the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep; who knows his own flock, and his flock listens to his voice. Shepherds from Tahanan are called to be immersed with the real life of his people. From these words we can draw the seminary vision of Tahanan.

“Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol, be a real Tahanan forming good and holy priests, living out the spirituality of Christ, the Mabuting Pastol, and becoming authentic witnesses of and in loving service to the Kingdom of God.”

In 1983, Fr. Chito Bernardo left for the United States and underwent a by-pass operation. He was succeeded by his assistant parish priest and co-formator, another Chito, Fr. Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle who was then a very young priest. In 1990, the then rector Fr. Sharkey Brown introduced a new phase in seminary formation, the spirituality year. It is a pre-theology program focused on psycho-spiritual formation of seminarians. So that their spiritual and psychological wellbeing is opened up in preparation for their theological studies.

In Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol, priestly formation is a 6-year program: Spirituality Year, Theology 1, Theology 2, Pastoral Year, Theology 3 and Theology 4. It is holistic which revolves in the areas of community, academic, spiritual, and apostolate life.

Here in Tahanan we start every formation year with a retreat from where we draw our core graces, a gift from the Spirit to guide our personal formation. Then we discern for the community thrust, a propelling theme or catchword that will guide the formation of the whole community for the whole year.

We live according to our Tipanan, our promises on how to live our lives in the different areas of formation. Then we have our monthly, mid-year, and year-end evaluation to constantly check ourselves and how we are responding to the call of priestly formation.

As Tahanan matures along the years, it lost someone precious in the process. On February 29, 1992 Bp. Felix Perez, the man whose vision made Tahanan a reality, returned to his creator. That unfortunate event saddened the hearts of many faithful in Cavite. What burdens Tahanan more is the question: How will Tahanan continue without the wisdom and guidance of its founder?

Chapter 4: Year 2000, Tahanan at 25: Ang Mabuting Pastol

While still grappling with the loss of a loving father Bp. Perez, Tahanan is approaching the Year 2000 which is marked with anxiety as history entered a new age. During that time a financial crisis hit the world. Technological advances pose threats just like the Y2k virus. No one knows what will happen. But on the contrary, Pope John Paul II ushered the Church to welcome this new age with hope, as a great Jubilee!

In the midst of these overwhelming changes, Tahanan celebrated its 25th year of existence holding the theme: Ang Mabuting Pastol. But in this year, seminarians took seriously the Vision of Tahanan and so they are questioning themselves: Totoo pa ba ang vision ng Tahanan, tama ba ang vision, kailan natin masasabi na natutupad natin ang vision, anu-ano ang dapat tugunan sa vision?

Quo Vadis? Where will Tahanan go in the new millennium?

But the then rector of the seminary, Fr. Chito Tagle, reminded the Tahanan community that despite the ambiguities and challenges of the millennium for the vision of Tahanan, God never forsake it. He gave someone, Christ himself the Mabuting Pastol. He invited Tahanan to allow itself to be led by the Good Shepherd. For on the occasion of the silver anniversary of Tahanan, the Shepherd is reclaiming his Tahanan once again, which brings hope and joy to the community.

In December 1, 2000, Silver Anniversary of Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila, addressed the congregation saying: “This seminary is not just a home. It is the home of the good shepherd. It aims at producing good pastors of the Church. Not scholars, not social workers, not mystics. What you aspire for is to become good shepherds.” That silver anniversary of Tahanan is even made more special because of a blessing from the Pope. Monsignor Pedro Lopez Quintana relays:

“The Holy Father invokes upon you and the seminary community the salvation and peace proclaimed by the Angels in Bethlehem … he cordially imparts his apostolic blessing.” In the dawn of the new millennium, Tahanan faced challenges, and the Good Shepherd never abandoned it. So Tahanan continued its journey. But new challenges await it.

Chapter 5: 49 Taong Tipanan: Katarungan, Kababaan, at Payak na Pamumuhay

Parang kailan lang forty-nine years have gone so past. Tahanan is not young anymore, it is maturing, growing.

Those forty-nine years were never easy but in those forty years we were not alone. The people of God and the good shepherd have been with us. We reached forty because they sustained us in their love. Our founder Bp. Perez is right, Caritas Omnia Sustinet, love sustains everything.

On the occasion of the 49th year of Tahanan, and in the years to come, we will hold on to our covenant with God. 49 taong tipanan: katarungan, kababaan, at payak na pamumuhay! This is Tahanan’s humble gift for the church, to form priests and laity after the heart of the good shepherd who bears the marks of humility, poverty, and justice.

Maraming salamat! Mabuti ang Pastol!

In memory of Bp. Felix Paz Perez The Man whose vision made Tahanan a reality

“My reason for dying is for Jesus and the People … therefore, my reason for living is for the same Jesus and the people whom I have loved.”