THE PONTIFICAL AND ROYAL
UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
MISSION STATEMENT
The University of Santo Tomas, a Dominican institution of higher learning, the Catholic University of the Philippines, conscious of its destiny of having shared from the dawn of its history in the mission of the Church to spread Christ’s message, under the inspiration and patronage of its model, Thomas Aquinas, affirms and avows its commitment to the cause of truth; to impart and promote to its community knowledge of the arts and the sciences, both sacred and civil, spurred by enlightened reason for the purpose of contributing its share in the formation of a progressive and humane society and a responsible citizenry, in the service of the Church, the country and he whole world.
VISION OF THE UNIVERSITY
The University of Sto. Tomas envisions itself to be a truly educative and evangelizing Christian community, dedicated to teaching, research and community service, with a faculty and studentry enjoying global acceptability and a tradition of excellence, in the service even as it opens up and reaches out to the Asia-Pacific rim and the rest of the world.
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
During the evangelization of the West Indies, it was a matter of policy for the Order of Preachers to found, with the approval of the Popes, institutions of higher learning, to safeguard the faith of the neophytes to give information to the native clergy in the ecclesiastical sciences. Thus, at different times, universities were established by the Dominican Fathers in the Spanish Isle of Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic); in Lima, Peru; in Bogota, Colombia; in Quito, Ecuador; and in Havana, Cuba.
Similarly in the Philippine, through the last will of the illustrious Archbishop of Manila, the Most Rev. Miguel de Benavides, OP., the Colegio de Santo Tomas de Aquino was founded on April 28,1611, and entrusted to the Dominican Province of the Most Holy Rosary. From the very outset, degrees in Arts, Philosophy and Theology were already granted, by virtue of the papal briefs of Paul V and Urban VII. In the Bull "In supereminenti" of November 20, 1645, Pope Innocent X elevated the college to a University, with the power to confer the proper degrees in the aforementioned Faculties upon intellectually and morally qualified students. Too these faculties, Pope Innocent XI added the Faculty of Canon Law, by Brief "Insrutabili" of August 7, 1681. Pope Clement XII ratified its establishment in the Brief "Dudum emanarunt" of September 2, 1734. With the Constitution " Quae mare sinico" of September 1, 1902, Leo XXIII confirmed the privileges and honors conceded by his predecessors and further endowed the institution with the title of " Pontifical University". In 1906, Pious X, through the Decree of the Congregation on the Seminaries and University, on November 27, 1928, erected in this University an Interdiocesan Seminary (also called Central Seminary) for all the diocese in the Philippines so that the clergy could ore easily obtain academic degrees in the ecclesiastical faculties
Lastly, on April. 30, 1947, Pious XII, through the Decree " Sacrae Congregationis de Seminariis et Studiorum Universitatibus," declared that the University of Santo Tomas " be henceforth called the Catholic University of the Philippines." As such, it gives great importance to the Institute of Religion, which is in charge with the Christian students presently numbering 35,409.