The International Spiritual Year in Silang, near Manila in Philippines.
The SMA ISY Center is situated in Silang, about 1½ hours drive north of Manila – far enough out of the city but still convenient to it. It is on the road to Tagaytay near the famous Taal Volcano. The house is surrounded by beautiful gardens which are not only conducive to peace and contemplation but which also provide many opportunities for manual work for the staff and students. The fruits of their work (mangoes, pineapples and coconuts) are not only for the table but also to supplement the income of the Center.

SPIRITUAL YEAR PROGRAM
All SMA students do a “Spiritual Year” as part of their formation program. The Silang SMA house is one of these centers – especially, but not exclusively, for SMA students from Asia (mostly Philippines and India). Fr John Denvir SMA (from Ireland) is the present Superior of this house. As well as being a year of prayer and liturgical formation the one-year program also covers the life of the Founder of the SMA (Mgr de Marion Brésillac) and the 19 th century mission spirituality that he was a product of. It also reflects on other topics relevant to missionaries today (missionary spirituality, the African Synod, the Church document Redemptorist Missio, culture shock, major mission projects, Islam, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, African Traditional Religions, History of Africa etc.) The students also have a ‘mini-cultural exposure' in their work in the SMA Parish in Manila and in nearby barrios. We are known locally as “the African Fathers”.

Added to this is a full program of retreats, days of recollection, housework, gardening, spiritual reading, meditation, spiritual direction, house meetings, peer evaluations, French studies etc., The ISY program provides SMA students with a valuable experience and a good foundation for the remainder of their studies. It also provides an excellent opportunity for them to discern their vocation to missionary priesthood in Africa.