The Carmelite Order in the Philippines saw the need of developing a research institute for spirituality in Manila since there is no existing research institution for the scholarly study of spirituality in the country and in the Asian region. The study of spirituality belongs to the heart of Carmelite identity and mission. Hence, following the mandate of the First Congress of the Asian Carmelite Family in 1994 in Manila and the Letter of the Core Group on Spirituality presented in Lisieux, France in 1997, initiatives were undertaken to form and expand a working core group that would include other stakeholders in developing the institute.  Meanwhile, since 1995, the Titus Brandsma Center created two programs — Spirituality and  Media Education and started organizing and offering courses on the various forms and expressions of urban spirituality, inter-religious dialogue, liturgy, social communication and media education.  The Titus Brandsma Center – Manila was in-charged in the Spirituality courses in the MA program on Christian Spirituality of the Institute for Formation & Religious Studies (IFRS) from 1995 to 2006.

Seeing the need to strengthen the initiatives, a select group of Carmelites from the Philippine Commissariat led by Frs. Eduardo Albino and Anton Hoogland, O.Carm. and representatives from the Titus Brandsma Instituut in Nijmegen, The Netherlands led by Prof. Dr. Kees Waaijman, O.Carm. and Drs. Tjeu Timmermans, O.Carm. convened in Manila from August 2-5, 1999. As a result of the meeting, a concrete decision and plan to develop and establish an institute that would systematize the study of spirituality was made. Thus, the birth of the Center for Spirituality- Manila (CSM). It was warmly welcomed by the members of the Carmelite Family; subsequently, the institute’s Board of Trustees, the Directing Team, the International Academic Advisory Board were created. An annual spirituality forum and actual research works and projects were the main programs of the institute. This research-based institute, Center for Spirituality – Manila (CSM) was renamed in 2005, which is now known as the Institute of Spirituality in Asia (ISA).

In 2008, ISA has forged a Memorandum of Agreement with the Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute- School of Organization Development (SAIDI- School of OD) in Antipolo City and with SAIDI-ISA partnership, the academic programs and courses were developed both in the Graduate school studies and Certificate courses in Spirituality. Likewise, ISA publishes its research outputs, academic journal, spirituality forum manuscripts, among others, and became a founding member of the Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc. (ACCI) in 2007.

To date, ISA serves as a research and academic institute in the scientific study of Spirituality; and a publisher of researches, academic papers, manuscripts on Spirituality   and other related fields.

The purpose of the Institute of Spirituality in Asia (ISA) is to develop scientific studies (research) and teaching (academic courses) on Spirituality, and for the formation of people(s) and organizations in the field of spirituality in the Philippine and in the Asian region. Rooted in our Carmelite identity and mission, ISA serves also as the Carmelites’   concrete contribution for the development and growth of the Carmelite Family, in the renewal of the Church and in the transformation of societies.