Fr. Dionisio M. Miranda, SVD
Fr. Dionisio M. Miranda, SVD Arnoldus Library Director, Divine Word Seminary
Personal Background
Fr. Dionisio M. Miranda, SVD is a professor at the Divine Word Seminary and the Divine Word Institute of Mission Studies in Tagaytay. He is a religious missionary of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and was ordained a priest on June 23, 1973.
After minor seminary at Christ the King (Quezon City), he received a Master of Arts in Philosophy (magna cum laude) at the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay. Fr. Miranda earned units in guidance and counseling before further studies at the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome resulted in Licentiate (S.Th.L.) and Doctorate (S.Th.D) degrees in Sacred Theology, both of which he earned with the highest distinction (summa cum laude). He also completed several language studies in Italy, Germany and Belgium, as well as bioethics courses from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, USA.
His training in moral theology served him well in various teaching positions at seminaries and schools both in the Philippines and abroad including Divine Word Seminary (Tagaytay), Don Bosco Center for Studies (Parañaque), East Asian Pastoral Institute (Quezon City), Immaculate Conception Major Seminary (ICMS, Vigan), Loyola School of Theology (Quezon City), Maryhill School of Theology (Manila), University of San Carlos (Cebu), and at the Catholic Theological Union (Chicago), Fatuoaiga Pastoral Center (Samoa), Fetuolemoana Center (American Samoa), and Seminario de San Rafael (Asuncion, Paraguay).
Fr. Miranda also served in several pastoral positions, helping in the formation of catechists in Mindoro and Vigan, as well as serving as a parish priest in Hernandarias, Alto Parana, Paraguay (1980–1982). Within the Philippine SVD, he served as Prefect of Students, Program Director, Provincial Councilor, Seminary Rector, Planning Officer, Vice Provincial Superior, and Provincial Superior.
His administrative service in academe began in ICMS Vigan until he become a trustees of Divine Word Colleges in Legazpi, Calapan, San Jose, and finally at USC. He served as Presidential Assistant for Planning and Development at USC in 2007 before serving an unprecedented four terms as University President from 2008 until 2020. He was also named President of the Cebu Schools Athletics Foundation, Inc. and was a trustee of Holy Spirit School (Tagbilaran) and of the Association of Catholic Universities in the Philippines. Fr. Miranda was awarded as the 2012 Executive of the Year by the Philippine Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals.
Fr. Miranda has written numerous scholarly articles on conscience, moral theology, ethics, and inculturation, as well as six books. His book, “Kaloob ni Kristo: A Filipino Christian Account of Conscience,” published in 2003 won the Gintong Aklat award in 2004 given by the National Book Development Association of the Philippines. After stepping down as USC President in 2021, he has already written two books. Published in 2021, “Dapat Lamang: Reconstruing Natural Law from a Filipino Christian Perspective” won the 16th Cardinal Sin Catholic Book Awards as Best Book in Theology, awarded by Asian Catholic Communicators. His second book is “Paninindigang Banal: Theological Virtues in the Philippine Setting” was published earlier this year.