Humble beginnings

St. Anthony Mary Claret College (SAMCC), formerly Claret Formation Center, has been operating since June 17, 1985. Through the efforts of Fr. Angel Ochagavia, cmf, and Dr. Beulah D. Nuval and under the leadership of Fr. Domingo Moraleda, cmf, as the then superior of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines and the Chairman of the Graduate Department of SAMCC and Director of the Institute of Consecrated Life in Asia (ICLA), the school started and evolved into a center of higher education.

Located originally in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, SAMCC transferred to its present site in Sanville Subdivision, Culiat, Quezon City on November 30, 1988. Recognized then by the Ministry of Education Culture and Sports and currently regulated by the Commission on Higher Education, it has an Undergraduate Department that offers Bachelor of Arts degree major in Philosophy and Psychology units equivalent to a major degree.

SAMCC aims to provide a sound and adequate Catholic Education and promote intellectual and holistic formation toward missionary life enabling the students to be attuned and responsive to whatever is urgent and timely in an effective manner. This kind of education imparts on the students a keen power of judgment by which they can objectively face and critically analyze the various philosophical and theological systems and acquire a solid and coherent understanding of the human person, the world and God.

This institution hopes to contribute to the Philippine educational system and to the Church since it trains and educates students as future missionaries. During the four-year period, SAMCC lays the necessary foundation in preparation for their ministry. Through a Memorandum of Agreement, the faculty members are mainly composed of professors from the University of the Philippines (UP). Currently, though, graduates coming from Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University and other local and international educational institutions also help in the intellectual formation of the students. Originally established exclusively for young Claretian seminarians, SAMCC is accepting student-seminarians from other religious congregations. At present, students coming from the Alagad ni Maria (AM), the Passionists (CP), Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJ), Servants of Charity (SC), Xaverians (SX), and Eucharistic Healers (EHM) are enrolled.

In collaboration with the Institute of Consecrated Life in Asia (ICLA), St. Anthony Mary Claret College offers eight (8) Master of Arts degrees, namely, Master of Arts in Theology of Consecrated Life, Master of Arts in Consecrated Life major in Spirituality, Master of Arts in Missiology and Master of Arts in Missiology major in Biblical Studies. Each is offered with or without thesis. Also in collaboration with the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, the Institute offers Licentiate and Doctoral Degrees in Consecrated Life and Missiology. Faculty members are from various Religious congregations, orders and institutes like the CICM, the Claretians (CMF), CMT, MST, Order of the Franciscan Missionaries (OFM), Order of Preachers (OP), Religious of the Cenacle Sisters (RC), RSC, PIME, SFIC, and Divine Word Missionaries (SVD), among others. It intends to undertake a serious study on the biblical, theological and historical basis of Consecrated Life clarifying its identity and mission in the church and in the world especially in the context of Asia.

The college provides avenue for its students to study, reflect and engage in a "dialogue of life" with peoples, especially the poor, various cultures, and religious traditions of Asia in an attitude of accompaniment, witnessing and considering seriously the reflections of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) and of the Local Churches of Asia. The students come from the Philippines, Indonesia, Italy, India, Argentina, Poland, Portugal, Sri Lanka, Burma, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand and the Pacific region.

The Board of Trustees of St. Anthony Mary Claret College is composed of Fr. Victor Sadaya, cmf (Vice-Chairman), Fr. Santiago Gonzales, cmf (Treasurer-Secretary), Dr. Beulah D. Nuval (Assistant Secretary), Fr. Domingo Moraleda, cmf (Member), Fr. Agapito Ferrero, cmf (Member) and Fr. Eduardo Apungan, cmf (Member). The Provincial Superior of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines, Fr. Renato B. Manubag, cmf, serves as the Chairman of the Board. The President of the College is Fr. Victor Sadaya, cmf (AB, STB, MAPAM, doctoral student). Dr. Beulah D. Nuval (BSE, M.Ed., Ed.S., Ed.D., Diploma in I.R.) serves as the Dean and Registrar and Fr. Domingo Moraleda, cmf (AB, STL, STD, Ph.D.), as the Chairman of the Graduate Department and the Director of the Institute for Consecrated Life in Asia (ICLA).

Together, they work hard so that the aims for which this Institution is established will indeed come into a reality not just for the Claretian Missionaries here in the Philippines but also for the people who will be served by their students and graduates here and abroad following the footsteps of St. Anthony Mary Claret, the founder of the Claretian Missionaries.

Present times

Twenty-two years and counting, St. Anthony Mary Claret College has produced persons who, formed with the Claretian spirit, are now actively involved in the government, various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), private companies, educational institutions, and religious organizations here and abroad. In these various contexts, they enflesh in their works, endeavors, and interactions the ideals of the Institution and St. Anthony Claret, the founder of the Claretian Missionaries. Indeed, SAMCC takes pride in them.

The College, however, is very conscious of the fact that she exists because of the need to form persons who shall serve God and his people in the mission frontiers. It is her responsibility to help in providing a holistic formation to those who chose to embrace the life of a Claretian Missionary whether as a priest or a religious brother. Many of these Claretians are now sent to various missions in Basilan, Zamboanga, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Ormoc, though some are assigned in Claretian insitutions in Quezon City.

They indeed crossed boarders.

They reach out and empower the often times neglected Bajaus of Basilan. They continue to work for peace, dialogue of people, cultures and religions despite the fact that there were attempts and threats against their lives, and some were kidnapped kidnapped, and even killed. Remember Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, cmf? Their concern for the people of the missions continually inspire them to get involved in any way possible trying to discern what is urgent, timely and effective. Thus, one can see them helping the street children, urban poor and Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), assisting in the creation of cooperatives, housing projects, publications, women and human rights advocacies, among others.

Though constantly praying and recruiting for more people to work in the Lord’s vineyard in the Claretian way, they know that they need to form constantly new leaders who will continue the mission in their own particular way of life. Thus, they educate and train people from different age brackets, from diverse walks of life and various religious affiliations through their educational institutions.

As missionaries, though they are involved in various secular endeavors, they are primarily persons who vowed to live their lives for God as servants of the Word. They have to develop, nurture and enrich their relationship with God, and together with them, the people of the missions to whom they are called to serve. It is, therefore, not a surprise to see them work in parishes, recollection and retreat giving and assisting in the spiritual needs of their brothers and sisters. Their presence and endeavors in the Philippines is written in a book entitled, "The Claretians in the Philippines 1948-1988," by Leonardo and Beulah Nuval.

St. Anthony Mary Claret College may be a small institution but her students in both the Undergraduate Department and the Graduate Department are reaching out and touching the lives of many people not just here in the Philippines but also in various countries using variety of means and languages penetratring through the different contexts and strata of life. The readers may wonder what made them involved in all these endeavors. The answer is no other than the love of Christ. Indeed, it is this love of Christ that impels them.

For more information on the SAMCC, visit the following websites: (St. Anthony Mary Claret College) www.cmfph.claret.org (Institute of Consecrated Life in Asia) icla.claret.org or email the Claret Vocation Office at cmfvocpro@yahoo.com.