Vincentians in the ·

-? C1l tf/l~~ (Ifk by: Rolando Dela Goza, C.Ni. and Jesus Ma. Cavanna, C.M. rI.rr--f / r&-C

Manila 1985 Imprimi Potest Rolando Dela Goza, C.M. Visitator Provincialis

Nihil Obstat Maximino Temprado, C.M. Censor Deputatus

IMPRIMATUR t JAIME Cardinal L. SIN, D. D. Archiepiscopus Manilensis

Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from and the Marian Center, Inc., , Philippines Typeset by VERA REYES, INC., Quezon City, M.M. Printed at SALESIANA PUBLISHERS, , M.M.

© Copyright 1985 by CONGREGACION DE LA MISION EN FlLlPINAS, INC. All rights reserved IN NOMINE DOMINI

To the Immaculate Vir!?in "Mother of Christ and our Mother" MARY ASSUMED INTO HEAVEN Patroness of the Congregation of the Mission this modest work is offered as a token of gratitude for her "assistance and the protection of God" she promised to the Vincentian Communities 011 July 19, 1830

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1985 This Marian Year of the Bimillenium Anniversary of the Blessed Virgin's Nativity Saint VINCENT DE PAUL April 5, 1580; -+September 27,1660 Founded Congregation of the Mission: April 17, 1625 Founded Daughters of Charity: November 29,1633

(Painting made by Simon Francois during the life of the Saint. It was the property of Queen Anna ofAustria . It is preserved today in Paris.) CONTENTS Page FOREWORD

PART ONE VINCENTIANS DURING THE SPANISH REGIME

Chapter One HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS (1847-1851) ...... 3 Apostle of the poor ...... 3 The Congregation of the Mission ...... 4 The Daughters of Charity ...... 5 Spain in the 19th century ...... 7 The Vincenti an Province ...... 9 Solution to an unsavory problem ...... 10 Final arrangements ...... 11

Chapter Two FIRST VINCENTIAN MISSION (1852-1862) 15 -Royal Patronage for the Vincentian Mission ...... 15 Internal Schism ...... 17 Selecting the personnel ...... 20 Three months across the sea 24

Chapter Three A PROBLEM TO BE FACED 29 The Filipino Native Clergy ...... 29 Factors that explain the problem ...... 31 1) Early mission ideas ...... 31 2) Royal Patronage ...... 35 3) Paternalism of Spanish colonial system ...... 48 4) Extension of the missionary enterprise ...... 30 5) Missionary policies in Spanish America ...... 53 Insistent efforts to solve the problem ...... 61 11 Contents

Chapter Four TAKING OVER THE MANILA SEMINARY (1862-1865) 69 New setup in """" """"""""""" " " " " " " " " " 69 Evaluation from Madrid " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 72 More missionaries """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" "" 74 Contract made with the Archdiocese of Manila "" """"""""" " "" 75 The 1863 earthquake """"" """"" " "" """""""" """" """"" "" """" 77 After the trial, life as usual" " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 78

Chapter Five FIRST EXPANSION: NAGA AND CEBU (1865-1870) " " " " " " 81 The Bicol Region " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 81 Preparation for the Naga Seminary """"""""" "" "" " "" "" "" """" 81 ~ Running the N aga Seminary """ "" """" "" """""""" "" . """"""". 85 j Cebu at the coming of the Vincentians " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 87 Period of waiting """" """"" """"" """""""""""""""""" """ """"" 88 Inconspicuous beginnings """""""""""""""""" " "" ". """""""" "" 90 Early Vincentians in the Philippines " "" " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 93 ! Chapter Six NEW FRONTIERS: lARO AND VIGAN (1865-1876) 94 A new Philippine diocese: laro """""""""""""""""""""""""""" 94 Community organization """""""" """""""""" "" "" """""""" "" 98 The Vincenti an Mission becomes a Vice-Province" " " " " " " " " " " " 98 The diocese of Nueva Segovia """"""""""""" """"""""""" " " " " 99 The Seminary of Vigan """""""" . "" """" . """"" . """""" """"" " 99 Preparations and contract """"""""""""""""""" """"""" """""" 100 Vigan Seminary under the Vincentiaris """ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 101 New policies and improvements """""""""""" """"""""""" """ 102 Academic life """""" """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" " "" 105 Methods of teaching in the Philippine Seminaries """"" ."""""" 106 The Vincentians leave Vigan """ " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 107

Chapter Seven TIME TO GROW (1870-1890) """" """"""""""""""" """ """"" " 113 The Philippine Vice-Province becomes a Province" " " " " " " " " " " " 113 Fr" Diego Salmeron " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 118 A new Provincial """"" . """ """"""""" . """"" "."""""""""""" "" 119 Fr. Manuel Orriols "" """ " "" ". """"" ". """""" """" """"""""" . " 120 A place of their own """ " "" """""""""""""""""""""""""""" . " 120 The San Marcelino "Casa de Campo", a Retreat House """""" 122 Personnel reinforcement in 1871-1890 """"""" "" """"""""""""" 124 Faithful servants recalled """"" """"" """""" ." """ "" . """" """" 124 Contents iii

Fr. Gregorio Velasco ...... 125 Fr. Julian Illera ...... 128 Fr. Ildefonso Moral ...... 129 Fr. Aquilino Valdivielso ...... 135 Fr. Jose Casarramona ...... 135 Other missionaries ...... 136 The Fathers General and the Philippine Province ...... 139

Chapter Eight TOW ARDS THE GOAL 141 The Seminary of Manila ...... 141 Manila Seminary transferred to San Marcelino ...... 146 New Rules for the Manila Seminary ...... 147 Fr. Jose Lopez de Goicoechea ...... 152 Students trained in the Manila Seminary ...... 154 Fr. Antonio Santonja of Naga Seminary ...... 156 Further progress after Fr. Santonja ...... 160 The Seminary of Cebu; Fr. Antonio Farre ...... 161 Brother Antonio del RIo, and "Escuela del Hermano" ...... 163 Fr. Fernando de la Canal and "Casa de Caridad" ...... 165 Fr. La Canal and the "Inmaculada" of Cebu ...... 166 Fr. Francisco Jarero ...... 171 Fr. Pedro Julia ...... 172 The Seminary of Jaro ...... 175 Fr. Santiago Serrallonga ...... ; ...... 176 Vicissitudes after Fr. Serrallonga ...... 178

Chapter Nine STUDIES AND DISCIPLINE ...... 180 Vincentian Conciliar Seminaries ...... 183 Academic Program in the Seminaries ...... 184 State recognition of Seminary studies ...... 185 Course of studies in the Minor Seminaries ...... 188 Course of studies in the Major Seminaries ...... 190 Administration, methods of teaching, textbooks ...... 192 Ecclesiastical training and clerical discipline ...... 194 Need and importance of spiritual direction ...... 196 "The tree is known by its fruits" ...... 209 Filipino priests, Rectors of parishes ...... 211 First Filip-ino Bishops of the 20th century: Most Reverend Jorge Badin ...... 214 Most Reverend Juan Bautista Gorordo ...... 214 Most Reverend Pablo Singzon de la Anunciacion ...... 215 Most Reverend Santiago Sancho ...... 216 IV Contents

Chapter Ten A PERIOD OF TURMOIL (1890-1900) ...... 218 Effervescence and turmoil ...... 218 a) Opening of international trade ...... 218 b) Rise of the middle class ...... 218 c) Impact of continental liberalism ...... 219 d) Rise of Filipino nationalism ...... 220 e) Prejudices and racial discrimination ...... 221 f) Secularization controversy ...... 222 g) Liberal regime of Governor De la Torre ...... 222 h) mutiny and Fathers Burgos, Gomez and Zamora .. 223 i) Propaganda movement ...... 223 The Revolution ...... 225 War for independence ...... 226 Provincial House of San Marcelino ...... 227 " Province of the Philippines" ...... 229 To Manila with generosity ...... 229 Celebrations with the Dominicans ...... 230 Personnel reinforcement 232 Personnel who accomplished their mission ...... 232 Fr. Francisco J arero ...... 233 Fr. Miguel Perez Anton ...... 233 Fr. Gabino Lopez ...... 235 Fr. Fernando de la Canal ...... 236 Fr. Francisco Potellas, the Retreat Master ...... 236 Fr. Juan Miralda ...... 239 The Seminary of Manila during the troubled decade ...... 242 Students of the Manila Seminary ...... 243 Vincentians during the revolution ...... 244 Vicissitudes of Vincentians in Manila ...... 244 Vicissitudes of Vincentians in Cebu ...... 246 Vicissitudes of Vincentians in Naga ...... 247 Vicissitudes of Vincentians in Jaro ...... 248 Augustinian Sisters saved by the Vincentian family ...... 248 Aglipayanism and the Panay schism ...... 250 The Filipino clergy and AgJipayanism ...... 253 Balance sheet of the Vincentians ...... 256 In defense of the Filipino clergy ...... 257 Vincentians during the Spanish regime ...... 258 Contents v PART TWO VINCENTIANS DURING THE 20th CENTURY

Chapter Eleven UNDER THE AMERICAN FLAG (1900-1925) ...... 263 A new era for the Church: QUAE MARl SlNlCO ...... 263 The problem of vocations in the begmning of the century ...... 267 First Provincial Council of Manila ...... 269 50th anniversary of the Coming of Vincentians ...... 275 First Provincial of the century: Fr. Rafael de la Iglesia ...... 277 Growth of the Provincia ...... 278 Facing new horizons ...... 280 New foundations during the American regime ...... 285 College-Seminary of Calbayog ...... 287 Elementary School in J agna ...... 288 College-Seminary of San Pablo ...... 290 Former Seminaries reopened: San Carlos Seminary of Manila ...... 292 Seminaries of Naga, Cebti, and Jato...... 294 The Manila Seminary in Mandaluyong ...... 296 Course of studies in the Vincentian Seminaries ...... 300 Vincentian contribution to the rise of Philippine nationalism .. 303 Other ministries ...... 305

Chapter Twelve BLOOMING OF SPRINGTIME (1925-1941) ...... 307 Historical antecedents of College-Seminaries ...... 307 The case of College-Seminaries in the Philippines ...... 319 Resurgence of Minors Seminaries in the Philippines ...... 326 Rising dedication to the work in Seminaries ...... 327 Bishops' concern for their future clergy ...... 329 Vincentian magazine for Seminaries ...... 330 Guidelines on Seminarians' formation redefined ...... 331 The moot question of Government recognition ...... 332 Major Seminary Rules ...... 336 Major Seminary of Lipa ...... 338 Pastoral training in the Seminaries ...... 339 Second Diocesan Synod of Manila ...... 341 Dawn of a new era ...... 341 Consolidation of the Philippine Province ...... 342 VI Contents

Opening of the Vincenti an Internal Seminary ...... 342 Spiritual Retreats for the clergy ...... 345 Church efflorescence during this period ...... 346

Chapter Thirteen DARK HOURS OF THE NIGHT'(1941-1945) ...... 349 The tragedy of war ...... 349 Vincentian victims of the war ...... 350 Fr. Alfonso Saldana ...... 351 Fr. Aniano Gonzalez ...... 352 The Vincentians of the Manila Seminary ...... 353 Fr. Prisciano Gonzalez ...... 357 Fr. Crispin Gomez ...... 357 Bro. Rafael Martinez ...... 358 Sem. Gumersindo Novero ...... 358 Catastrophe of the Vincentian Central House ...... 358 Very Rev. Fr. Jose Tejada...... 361 Fr. Luis Ejeda ...... 362 Fr: Adolfo Soto ...... 362 Fr. Julio Ruiz ...... 363 Fr. Jose Fernandez ...... 363 Fr. Jose Aguirreche ...... 364 Bro. Antolin Marcos ...... 364 Bro. Valentin Santidrian ...... 365 Bro. Gregorio Indurain ...... 365 Bro. Alejandro Garcia ...... 365 Epilogue of the catastrophe of San Marcelino ...... 365 Other Vincenti an Victims of the Central House: Fr. Elias Gonzalez ...... 366 Fr. Jeronimo Pampliega ...... 367 Fr. Anselmo Andres ...... 370

Chapter Fourteen DAWN OF A NEW DAY (1945-1962) ...... 373 Period of reconstruction ...... 373 General view of the Philippine Province ...... 377 Solutions to financial problems ...... 380 Seminary policies in the postwar period ...... 382 Seminarians under the Vincentians ...... 383 The Manila San Carlos Seminary after the war ...... 385 The postwar Seminary of Naga ...... 388 The Seminary of Cebu reorganized ...... 391 The Seminary of J aro after the war ...... 395 Contents Vll

The Sacred Heart Seminary of Bacolod ...... 398 The Seminary of St. Vincent de Paul in Calbayog ...... 399 The Seminary of Lipa after the war ...... -. . . .. 401 First Plenary Council of the Philippines ...... 401 New hopes, new horizons ...... 402

Chapter Fifteen SERVING THE SERVANTS OF THE POOR The Hospital Militar of Manila ...... 405 The Escuela Municipal of Manila ...... 406 Colegio de Santa Isabel of Manila ...... 406 Hospicio de San Jose ...... 407 ...... 408 Colegio de Santa Isabel of N aga ...... 410 Concordia College ...... 411 Hospital de San Juan de Dios, Manila ...... San Jose College, Jaro ...... 414 Hospital de la Marina, Canacao, Cavite ...... 415 San Juan de Dios Hospital and annexed School, Cavite 415 Asilo-Colegio de San Vicente de Paul, Looban, Manila ...... 416 Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Cebu ...... 417 Escuela Catolica de la Ermita, Manila ...... 418 Colegio de la Milagrosa, Calbayog ...... 419 Asilo de Santa Luisa de Marillac, Molo, Iloilo ...... 419 Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Iloilo City ...... 420 Asilo de la Milagrosa, Cebu ...... 420 Beneficencia de la Sagrada Familia and Holy Family Academy, Bogo, Cebu ...... 421 Sacred Heart College, Lucena City ...... 422 Colegio de la Milagrosa , Sorsogon Sorsogon ...... 424 White Cross - Quezon Preventorium, San Juan del Monte. . .. 424 University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila ...... 425 Immaculate Heart of Mary College, Quezon City ...... 426 St. Anthony Academy, Gubat, Sorsogon ...... 427 Catholic Central School, Tabaco, Albay ...... 428 St. Anthony's Hospital, R0xas City ...... 428 Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Bulan, Sorsogon ...... 428 Doctors' Hospital, Bacolod City ...... 429 Colegio de Santa Luisa de Marillac , Libon, Albay ...... 429 Marian General Hospital, Isaac Peral, Manila ...... 430 Serving the Servants of the Poor ...... 430 viii Contents

Chapter Sixteen OUR APOSTOLATE TODAY 432 Houses of Formation: S1. Vincent's Seminary ...... 432 Vincentian Hills Seminary, Angono ...... 433 Schools under the Vincentians: Adamson University ...... 434 De Paul College ...... 436 Vincentian Parishes: San Vicente de Paul Parish San Marcelino, Manila ...... 437 San Roque Parish, Subangdaku, Cebu ...... 450 Miraculous Medal Parish, Calumpang, Iloilo City ...... 450 Christ the King Parish, Cadlan, Naga City ...... 451 Miraculous Medal Parish (National Shrine) Paraiiaque . . .. 451 Vincentian Devotion to the Blessed Virgin: Association of Children of Mary Immaculate ...... 452 Association of the Miraculous Medal ...... 453 Miraculous Medal Apostolate ...... 453 National Marian Magazine ...... 454 Marian Center ...... 456 Popular Missions Vincenti an Mission Team ...... 457 Mission Goal Achieved Filipino Vincentians at the helm ...... 459 Epilogue ...... 464

APPENDICES

1) Summary Table of the Vincentian Mission in the Philip- pines, ...... 465 2) Priests trained under the Vincentians, Illustrious Lay Alumni of College-Seminaries, ...... 469 3) Tables of Enrolments and Statistics, ...... 500 4) Vincentian Missions from Spain to the Philippines, ...... 512 5) Carta del P. Moral at P. General, Etienne, ...... 522 6) Royal Order of Queen Isabel II, in 1852, ...... 526 7) Archbishop Aranguren to Fr. Armengol, Letter, 1855, ..... 529 8) Royal Order of Queen Isabel II, in 1862, ...... 531 9) Letter of Bishops of Cebu and Nueva Caceres to the Vincen- tian Provincial, 1863, ...... ,...... 535 10) Contrato de la Archidiocesis de Manila con la Congrega- cion de la Misi6n, 1864, ...... 536 Contents ix

11) Exposicion del Rector del Seminario de Manila al Arzobis- po,1865, ...... 539 12) Respuesta del Arzobispo de Manila al Rector del Semina- rio, 1865, ...... 542 13) Extractos de la Exposicion del Arzobispo de Manila al Gobierno de Isabel II, 1866 ...... 544 14) Exposicion del Rector del Seminario al Arzobispo de Ma- nila, 1868; ...... 547 15) Breve EXPOSITUM NOBIS de Pio IX, 1873, ...... 549 16) Carta del Provincial Orriols al Obispo de Nueva Segovia, 1876 ...... 551 17) Carta Constitutiva de la Provincia de Filipinas, 1871 ...... 556 18) Presentacion y aprobacion del Reglamento del Seminario de Manila, 1878, ...... 559 19) Programs of Studies in the Vincenti an Seminaries at the beginning of the 20th century, ...... 561 20) The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Conferencias)-in the Philippines, ...... 570 21) Location of the Vincentian Central House, ...... 574 22) First Filipino Vincenti an and Bishop, Most Rev. Teotimo C. Pacis, C.M., D.D. (1913-1984) ...... 577

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 590 NOTES 605 INDEX 636 Foreword

The greater part of this work is the fruit of long years of careful and painstaking research by our late historian and archivist, Fr. Manuel A. Gracia, C. M. Looking with avidity for information relative to the history of Philippine Seminaries and the work of the Vincentians here Fr. Gracia did extensive research in the Philippine archives of the Congregation of the Mission. In 1933, he had the opportunity to examine also the Manila Archdiocesan archives. Soon he became a frequent visitor there, where, he said, "to look for a document was somewhat like trying to find a needle in a hay stack." The late Archbishop of Manila, Michael J. O'Doherty, appointed him Archiv­ ist of the Archdiocese in April, 1935 . At" once Fr. Gracia began patiently to work on classifying and cataloguing voluminous precious documents amassed on top of each other. It was during the course of his research work in the Archives that on May 18, 1935, he unearthed a bundle of papers labelled "Ma­ soneria". The package contained 35 precious documents related to the abjuration of Masonry made in the personal handwriting of some 29 Filipino patriots and well known leaders of the revolution, among them our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. In the Manila Archdiocese Archives, Fr. Gracia worked from 1935 until 1948. There he found interesting data on Philippine Church history and particularly on Philippine Seminaries and the work of Vincentians in them. With these materials and others he found in other libraries, Fr. Gracia began working on the history of the Vincentians in the Philippines. He finished the first volume, which spanned the period from 1846 to 1902, in the Seminary of Jaro, in 1957. His untimely death in 1970 prevented him from writing the second volume and the English translation of the book he was planning. Our work is but the fulfillment of his dream. It is based on the original Spanish manuscript of Fr. Manuel A. Gracia, C. M. In Part One, Vincentians During the Spanish Regime, we have rearranged the material presented by Fr. Gracia, supplementing it at times with infor­ mation gathered from other sources. We have only added a chapter on the problem the Vincentians had to face at that period, namely, the development of the Filipino native clergy. In our Part Two, Vincentians in the 20th Century, we have tried to gather first-hand information found in the Vincentian archives of Manila and the provinces. In order to understand the reorganization of the former College-Seminaries after the first quarter of the century, we have included a detailed study on the mind of the Church regarding the necessary separation of seminarians from lay students. The research for this Second Part was done by Fr. Dela Goza for his Doctoral Thesis, "The Contribution of the Congregation of the Mission to Philippine Culture" (University of Santo Tomas, Graduate School, Manila, 1974). The two special studies on the rise of the Filipino native clergy and the passing of the College-Seminaries are the work of Fr. Cavanna. We ought to acknowledge our indebtedness to other authoritative sources, such as the Anales de la Congregacion de la Mision y de las Hijas de la Caridad (Garcia de Paredes, 49 - Madrid); the Breve Resena Historica - Los Padres Paules y Las Hijas de la Caridad en Filipinas (1862-1912), by a Vincentian Father (Fr. Bruno Saiz), Manila, 1912; and the Resena Historica Del Seminario-Colegio de San Carlos de Cebu (1867-1917), edited (by Fr. Nicolas de la Iglesia, C. M.) in Manila, 1917. As history, the Vincentians in the Philippines is far from exhaustive. It aims simply to provide a source of information on the obscure, silent, and rather unknown work of the missionaries of St. Vincent de Paul in our country. Their apostolate in the past was almost exclusively limited, due to circumstances of the moment, to the training and education of the Filipino native clergy in the diocesan Seminaries. Such apostolic endeavour does not have the glamour and attractive­ ness of other pastoral ministries in missions or parishes, in colleges or universities, in the pulpit or in the lecture hall. Yet the Vicar of Christ said to all the Bishops of the world:

Give the best of your clergy to your Seminaries; do not fear to take them from other pOSitions. These positions may seem of greater moment, but in reality their importance is not to be compared with that of Seminaries, which is capital and indispensable. Seek also from elsewhere, wherever you can find them, men really fitted for this noble task. (Pius XI, Ad Catholici Sacerdotii, Dec. 20, 1935)

As their very name implies, the Vincenti an Priests of the Mission, have as their first and principal work the giving of popular missions. But by their own Constitutions they are "almost equally obliged" (Common Rules, XI, 2) to "help in the formation of the clergy" (Constitutions C. M., 1980, Part I, 1,3°). We are happy to see that, having helped effectively in the past to establish the local Church in our country, the Vincentians are now free to devote themselves also to the giving of missions and other apostolic works proper to their Institute. May the noble examples of our predecessors inspire the Vincen­ tians of today and tomorrow to emulate their missionary zeal.

Rolando S. DelaGosa and Jesus Ma. Cavanna Priests of the Mission