SVD Laudato Si' Farm—Tagaytay

Tagaytay City —The Ecospirituality Center of the SVD Laudato Si' Farm became the venue for the annual Asia-Pacific (ASPAC) Zonal Meeting last September 25 to 30, 2023, bringing together the mission secretaries of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) from across the ASPAC Zone. This gathering, hosted by the SVD Farm, brought to the forefront critical discussions on mission work, sustainability, and the ongoing challenges faced by the region.

Tagaytay City —The SVD Laudato Si' Farm welcomed a group of enthusiastic students and facilitators from the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). The visit, which took place last September 25, 2023, provided an opportunity for participants from various Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Germany, Rwanda, and the Philippines, to explore the SVD Farm's sustainable farming practices.

Tagaytay City —The stunning backdrop of the SVD Laudato Si' Farm was the setting for a video shoot last September 19, 2023 by Ms. Trishia Doncillo-Lanuzo, Cavite's representative in the prestigious Hiyas ng Pilipinas 2023 pageant. Through the pageant, Ms. Trishia said that she aims to showcase the “historical and natural” beauty of the province.

Tagaytay City —The SVD Laudato Si' Farm had the distinct privilege of hosting the Most Rev. Bartolome G. Santos, Jr, D.D., the Bishop of the Diocese of Iba, last September 17, 2023.  The pinnacle of Bishop Santos' visit was his celebration of the Holy Mass at the Chapel of the Virgin of the Poor, at 3:00 PM.

Tagaytay City —The SVD Laudato Si’ Farm was featured by CNN Philippines last September 16, 2023, at 8:00 PM, on the show "Building Bridges." The SVD Farm was hailed as one of the region's "best-kept secrets" during the Tagaytay-centric episode, which featured an insightful interview with Rev. Fr. Samuel “Sam” Naceno-Agcaracar, SVD, Executive Director of the SVD Farm and Rector of the SVD-Tagaytay Community. The CNN Philippines show "Building Bridges" features a new location in the country every episode. During its Tagaytay City episode, viewers were given a beautiful glimpse into the agricultural and spiritual sanctuary known as the SVD Farm. In its introduction to the SVD Farm, CNN Philippines described the Farm as a “spiritual haven” and a good place to go “if you're seeking to commune with nature and renew your faith.” The SVD Farm, which began “in response to” the COVID-19 pandemic, was initially conceived as a response to the challenges posed ...

Tagaytay City —The Arnold Janssen Catholic Mission Foundation, Inc. (AJCMFI) and the AJCMFI-ALS (Alternative Learning System) community, conducted a celebration last September 14, 2023 at the SVD Laudato Si’ Farm in order to honor the foundation’s dedicated learning facilitators. The event brought together educators from the ALS-Cavite and ALS-NCR Clusters, as well as other educators from various ALS Centers supported by AJCMFI across the Philippines who joined the festivities via Zoom.

Tagaytay City —Delegates from the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo, also known as the Scalabrinian Missionaries, visited the SVD Laudato Si' Farm. In the morning of September 14, 2023, the Scalabrinian delegates went on a tour of the SVD Farm, accompanied by Rev. Fr. Samuel “Sam” Naceno-Agcaracar, SVD, Executive Director of the SVD Farm and Rector of the SVD-Tagaytay Community.

Tagaytay City —As one of the esteemed five institutions of the SVD Tagaytay Community, the SVD Laudato Si’ Farm participated in this year’s Family Feast celebration last September 7 to 9, 2023. During this three-day event, members of the SVD Tagaytay Community united and renewed their shared commitment to mission as one family. The SVD Farm, as one of the institutions of the community, was blessed to be part of the celebration. Each day of the event was marked by unique activities and meaningful messages delivered by prominent figures in the community.

Tagaytay City— In honor of the feast day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Mass was celebrated last September 8, 2023, at the Chapel of the Virgin of the Poor of the SVD Laudato Si’ Farm. The Holy Mass, which was held at 10:00 AM, was also celebrated in honor of the 148th foundation day of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). Rev. Fr. Samuel “Sam” Naceno-Agcaracar, SVD, Executive Director of the SVD Farm and Rector of the SVD-Tagaytay Community, presided over the Mass. (On the same day, the SVD Tagaytay Community also celebrated the second day of this year’s Family Feast, the annual event during which members of the community unite and renew their shared commitment to mission as one family. The SVD Farm, as one of the institutions of the community, was blessed to be part of the celebration.)

One of the pioneer volunteers of the SVD Laudato Si' Farm, Bro. Mark N. Paglicawan, SVD, vividly remembered the early days of the project. As the de facto leader of the SVD seminarians who volunteered at the Farm during that period, their journey began with clearing the land inside the seminary, removing unnecessary trees, grass, and plants.

On January 29, 2021, the SVD Laudato Si’ Farm welcomed its first public visitors, marking the culmination of months of hard work, dedication, and faith by the priests and seminarians from the SVD Tagaytay Community. Nonetheless, the journey to this momentous occasion began five months earlier. On September 5, 2020, the SVD priests and seminarians embarked on their first day of weekend apostolate at the Farm. Their work became the foundation for the land that would eventually become the SVD Farm. Read on to learn more about the first five months of the SVD Farm and the farmer priests and seminarians whose dedication made it possible.

Tagaytay City— The Ecospirituality Center of the SVD Laudato Si' Farm was the picturesque setting for the "Genesis to Jesus Seminar" organized by the NCR Biblical Apostolate and spearheaded by Ms. Marifel Sedano-Castriciones last September 2 to 3, 2023. During the event, facilitators from the SVD Farm led the group in celebrating the Season of Creation and learning more about the Farm.