History of St. Anthony's Boy Village and Rogationist College
Like any family or community, Rogationist College (RC) shares a rich historical heritage, which every RC student should be proud of. To appreciate more deeply the roots of an RC community, an overview of the history of the congregation of the Rogationists, and more particularly that of RC, is presented here.
The Rogationist Congregation
The ROGATIONISTS of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RCI), is a religious congregation of priests and brothers founded by St. Hannibal Mary Di Francia in 1887 in Messina - Italy. Both the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus and its sister congregation, the daughters of Divine Zeal, are devoted to prayer and promotion of vocations in the Church, and to the education of young people, particularly the poor and disadvantaged. The legacy of St. Hannibal is kept alive by these congregations present today in Europe (Italy, Spain, Albania and Poland), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Paraguay), the USA, Africa (Rwanda and Cameroun) and Asia (Philippines, India, Korea, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia).
The Rogationist St. Matthew Province
The Rogationists established their first missionary activities in the Philippines in November 1976 to promote a culture of vocation and to assist the poor especially the children. Their long-term strategy was to prepare young Filipinos who are agents of social growth and transformation driven by the ideals of St. Hannibal Mary Di Francia.
Milestones in the development of the Rogationist Philippine Delegation:
October 1977, opening of the first Rogationist Formation Center in Merville Park (Parañaque);
November 1979, construction of a parish church in Multinational Village (Parañaque);
June 1980, the first three Filipino novices made their religious vows as Rogationists;
December 1981, opening of a second and larger Rogationist Formation Center in Merville Park;
June 1987, opening of St. Anthony's Boys Village and Rogationist Academy - High School -in Silang, Cavite;
April 1990, opening of the Rogationist Formation Center for the Visayan Region in Cebu City;
January 1999, start of the new mission in Toril, Davao City with the Fr. Hannibal Children's Home, a charitable institution for children;
December 1999, inauguration of the Fr. Di Francia Center of Studies for Religious Formation in Theology in Parañaque City;
January 2002, opening of the Oasis of Prayer and Retreat House in Silang, Cavite;
May 2002, acceptance of the Parish of Our Lady of Del Pilar in Zaragoza, Pangasinan;
June 2004, the beginning of the St. Hannibal Empowerment Center in Pasay; June 2005, establishment of another parish in Parang, Bagac, Bataan.
The Saint Anthony's Boys Village and Rogationist College
The Saint Anthony's Boys Village (SABV) in Cavite is the first "Anthonian Boys Village" of the Rogationists in the Philippines, a proof of St. Hannibal's love for children. This religious charitable institution serves as home to indigent boys who desire to pursue quality education. The village complex was acquired by Rev. Fr. Antonio Barbangelo, RCJ during the term of former Superior General Fr. Gaetano Ciranni, RCJ and was built under the supervision of Fr. Salvatore Ciranni, RCJ
Milestones in the history of St. Anthony's Boys Village and Rogationist College:
October 1977, opening of the first Rogationist Formation Center in Merville Park (Parañaque);
November 1979, construction of a parish church in Multinational Village (Parañaque);
June 1980, the first three Filipino novices made their religious vows as Rogationists;
December 1981, opening of a second and larger Rogationist Formation Center in Merville Park;
June 1987, opening of St. Anthony's Boys Village and Rogationist Academy - High School -in Silang, Cavite;
April 1990, opening of the Rogationist Formation Center for the Visayan Region in Cebu City;
January 1999, start of the new mission in Toril, Davao City with the Fr. Hannibal Children's Home, a charitable institution for children;
December 1999, inauguration of the Fr. Di Francia Center of Studies for Religious Formation in Theology in Parañaque City;
January 2002, opening of the Oasis of Prayer and Retreat House in Silang, Cavite;
May 2002, acceptance of the Parish of Our Lady of Del Pilar in Zaragoza, Pangasinan;
June 2004, the beginning of the St. Hannibal Empowerment Center in Pasay; June 2005, establishment of another parish in Parang, Bagac, Bataan.
Guiding Philosophy
Rogationist College (RC) in St. Anthony's Boys Village in Silang, Cavite is a Catholic co-educational community committed to the formation of the whole human person.
RC, in its mission to help the youth, bases its educative system on a philosophy of education which is attentive to the instances of human life. It is both personalistic and vocational in nature. RC forms its students to the proper understanding and dynamics of self. The process brings them to a serene enjoyment of life according to the dictum of responsible acting and sharing.
The vocational nature of the RC system facilitates its students in the acquisition of a realistic life perspective. It is a view which is sensitive to life's origin and destiny, RC believes and professes that every person is called not only to live but also to fulfill life as God's gift.
RC is convinced that real education is not just academic education. It espouses a style of forming that opens avenues to the proper exercise of love of God and neighbor, patriotism, integrity, and excellence.
The educative formation of RC is always considered an encounter between the teachers and their students. In doing the personalistic and vocational approach to education, RC individuates three interrelated moments of the meeting, which ends in the mature choices for the life orientation of its students.
The first moment is ORGANIZATION. Here, the organizing student is met by a teacher who is a guide. In this moment, the students are initiated to find and form the most important instances of their life and then cherish them.
The second moment is IDENTIFICATION. Here the teachers are models. St. Hannibal Mary di Francia, founder of the Rogationist, wants all institutions of the Rogationists to educate through good examples. RC believes that for students to grow in the right direction, the edifying life of teachers is very important.
The third moment is DECISION. Self-fulfillment is also self-determination. At the end of the formative process, students of RC should have already acquired a certain degree of independence. Knowing how to distinguish right from wrong, they should be capable of pursuing not just terrestrial but also personal and possibly celestial good.
RC's philosophy of education, following the teachings of St. Hannibal Mary di Francia and inspired by the Gospel of the Christ of the Rogate, goes therefore to the roots of the human person.
About RC
Rogationist College is a prime Catholic educational community dedicated to and inspired by the quality of education that St. Hannibal Mary di Francia possesses. It has a principle of “bridging boundaries” which encourages students to step out of their comfort zone and to attain effort to extremities. The institution is comprised of four departments namely Junior High School, Senior High School, College Department, and Technical Education Department.
Contact Info
Km. 52 Aguinaldo Highway, Lalaan II, Silang, Cavite
hrdm@rog.edu.ph