Upcoming DIVAS Learning Conversations via Zoom
September 7, 2026 (Monday)
2:00–4:00 PM
Topic: The Eucharist at the Heart of Religious and Seminary Formation
Speaker: Fr. Thomas Sherman, S.J.
Loyola School of Theology
Fr. Tom is an American Jesuit priest, philosopher, and educator with extensive experience in the formation of Jesuit students and in teaching philosophy, theology, and spirituality. For many years, he served as part of the formation team for Jesuit students of Philosophy at Arrupe Jesuit University in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he also taught Philosophy. He later moved to Rome to teach Philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
He has a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Toronto and an STL in Spirituality from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
In 2025, his Provincial assigned Fr. Sherman to the Philippines, where he now teaches Theology and Spirituality at LST. His ministry brings together his experience in Jesuit formation, philosophical and theological education, and spiritual accompaniment.
September 21 and October 5, 2026 (Monday)
2:00–4:00 PM
Topic: Trauma, Healing, and Formation
Speaker: Fr. Rogie Castellano, C.P.
St. Paul of the Cross Theologate Community
Emmaus Center and Loyola School of Theology
Fr. Rogie is a Filipino Passionist priest whose ministry focuses particularly on pastoral counseling, vocation formation, and the accompaniment of seminarians and young people. He pursued graduate studies at the Jesuit Fordham University in New York, earning a Master’s in Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Care, and eventually a Doctor of Ministry degree. His formation at Fordham strengthened his interest in integrating spirituality, pastoral care, and mental health counseling in the service of individuals and communities.
Fr. Castellano has also served in pastoral ministry in the United States and has held leadership responsibilities within the Passionists in the Philippines. He currently serves on the faculty of LST and is an Associate at the Emmaus Center for Psycho-Spiritual Formation and Accompaniment.
Interested in joining the DIVAS Program?
The Diploma is open to members of institutes of consecrated life, priests, and lay persons who are currently engaged—or preparing to be engaged—in religious or seminary formation.
Learn more about the Diploma in Integral Vocational Accompaniment Towards a Synodal Church (DIVAS):
https://lst.edu/.../diploma-in-integral-vocational.../
For inquiries: divas@lst.edu
Loyola School of Theology

From the Lectern
“Okay lang, Jesus; I will go”: Homily from the 2026 Vow Mass
“The vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience are not promises that you can keep without a struggle. They are not declarations that you are already holy. They are expressions of trust. You are saying: “Lord, Ikaw na bahala; I place my future in Your hands,” because you do not know what awaits you after this…

After the Heart of Christ: A Novice’s Experiences of Community, Mission, and Conversion in the Sacred Heart Novitiate
The Sacred Heart Novitiate, also known as the womb and the tomb of Jesuits in the Philippines, is a place of profound and life-changing encounters with the Lord. Encounters embodied in simple and honest interactions with co-novices and formators, in the ordinary tasks of manual work, in simple gestures of appreciation and encouragement, in fraternal correction that genuinely cares, in…

A Pilgrimage of Becoming: A Student from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan Shares His Magis Journey in Taipei
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To a Young Man Who Wants to Be a Jesuit
In these fast-changing and sometimes tough times, I feel a deep need to reach out to young people like you, who are thoughtfully considering your future and spiritual journey. As a Jesuit, I have been blessed to experience a profound journey of conversion and an ongoing call to live authentically, all grounded in God’s unconditional love and the mission of the Church. Today, I want to share some thoughts and experiences that might resonate with your own search for meaning and purpose.
COMMON HOME
Laudato Si’ and Integral Ecology 10 Years Later
How did we spend the last 10 years of living Laudato Si’ and integral ecology? Were we trying to listen, trying to learn perhaps, but remaining indecisive for periods, with increased distraction, division, and denial? The main challenge is not a project design—or a technology—but good will in seeking collaboration across silos. Where have we come from? The encyclical Laudato…
THE WINDHOVER

Year XXVIII (2026) Vol 2
Religious formation is a radical reorientation of the whole person - where life is continually shaped in deeper encounter with God, honest awareness of self,…




Universal Apostolic Preferences
The Universal Apostolic Preferences provide a guiding vision for the entire Society of Jesus. They ignite our aspirations and stir our ambitions, fostering unity in our shared mission. These new Preferences encompass four crucial focal points for addressing contemporary global needs. Over the next decade, the Society of Jesus will prioritize these areas, and we extend an invitation for you to delve deeper into them and join us in making a meaningful impact rooted in the Gospel.
Read MorePHI Apostolic Plan 2026-2031
Philippine Jesuits Apostolic Plan 2026–2031 charts the Province’s shared mission for the next five years, rooted in the Spiritual Exercises, the Universal Apostolic Preferences, and the call of the Church to renewed missionary discipleship. Emerging from a Province-wide process of prayer, discernment, and spiritual conversation, the plan identifies four key mission thrusts. More than a strategic framework, it is a tool for ongoing discernment and action, and an invitation to personal and communal renewal, challenging every member, community, and institution to respond creatively to the signs of the times. Grounded in hope and inspired by the Gospel, the plan calls the entire apostolic body to journey together with courage, discernment, and generosity as companions of Jesus in service of the Church and the world.










