The Vatican dicastery considered the request for affiliation submitted by Very Rev. Arturo Sosa Abascal, S.J., Superior General of the Society of Jesus and Grand Chancellor of Loyola School of Theology and has ascertained that the Four-Year Theological Program at St. Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate of the Society of Jesus located in Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh is in conformity with canonical norms, is diligently promoted and thereby the Vatican dicastery willingly accepts the request of the aforementioned Most Reverend Grand Chancellor.
Earlier on 21 September 2017, the Faculty and Student Representatives Assembly (FASRA) of LST unanimously endorsed the petitio of Saint Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate to affiliate with Loyola School of Theology. The Conventio ad affiliandum and Normae servandae ad affiliationem theologicam exsequendam were signed by the Provincial of the Vietnamese Province of the Society of Jesus Fr. Vincent Pham Van Mam S.J. and LST President Fr. Jose V.C. Quilongquilong, S.J. The historic event was witnessed by Fr. Antonio F. Moreno S.J., Vice-Chancellor of LST and Provincial of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus, Rev. Fr. Rogel Anecito Abais S.J., Vice President for Academic Affairs of LST, Fr. Joseph Pham Tuan Nghia, S.J., Rector and Dean of Saint Joseph Jesuit Scholasticate and LST faculty and members of the Student Council’s Executive Board. The agreement was then submitted to Rome for approval.
The relationship of affiliation, approved for an experimental period of five years, grants LST "the power to confer the academic degree of Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology on those students who, after having favorably completed the prescribed program of study (can. 250), have properly passed the special examinations under the guidance and authority of the same Faculty; the legal requirements will be observed, anything to the contrary notwithstanding" (Text of the Decree).
The Holy See has also recently approved on 9 November 2017 the affiliation of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines with LST.
Source: http://www.lst.edu/community/news-a-features/1107-holy-see-approves-the-affiliation-of-st-joseph-jesuit-scholasticate-ho-chi-minh-with-lst
