Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
On May 13, 1886, the first 11 Capuchins arrived at Manila from Spain aboard the vessel “Isla de Panay”. The real destination of these first missionaries was not the Philippines but the Pacific Islands of the Carolines and Palaos. Owing to the peculiar Church-State relationship in Spain, the Spanish government requested for missionaries to the islands of Carolines and Palaos to preserve them from German expansion.
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
The Capuchins came to the Philippines just when other missionaries were leaving because of the gathering socio-political storm that culminated in the Philippine revolution. The first missionaries stayed with the Franciscans at the convent adjacent to the Church of the V.O.T. (Venerable Orden Tercera). After staying for some time with the Franciscans, six of them continued their journey to their destination: the Carolines and the Palaos. The other five remained in the Philippines.
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
In 1887 when Fr. Llevaneras came for a canonical visit to Manila, the Carolines and Palaos, he became convinced of the necessity of establishing a permanent central office or a “procura house” based in Manila in order to attend to the needs of the missionaries scattered among these islands.
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
On August 7, 1896, a Royal Decree coming from the Spanish crown arrived authorizing the installation of the Capuchins declaring them missionaries with equal status as the others, possessing all rights and obligations. At this time, there were only five religious groups allowed to do missionary work in the country: Augustinians, Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits and Recollects.
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
On June 27, 1901, another group of Capuchins arrived in Manila. This was the first group of Capuchin missionaries expressly destined to work in the Philippines. (Therefore, on the year 2001, we celebrated the centennial of the coming of the first Capuchins expressly sent to work in the Philippines).
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
Slowly, the missionary endeavor progressed but not without difficulty. On April 30, 1937, the Philippines was made into a Custody.
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
And became a Vice- Province on June 17, 1970. On April 23, 1985, the Philippines became a Province under the patronage of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
It is important to note that the first seminary was built in Tagaytay on November 1, 1957 and was blessed on February 5, 1958.
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
The novitiate, also situated in Tagaytay, opened its doors to the first batch of novices on May 25, 1959. The efforts and sacrifices of our Capuchin brothers from the Province of Navarra-Cantabria and Aragón to implant the Order in the Philippines were amply rewarded as the present statistics show.
Brief History of the Capuchins in the Philippines
Martyrs:
The Capuchins lost nine (9) friars during the World War II. There were many victims and among them were the six (6) Capuchins in Intramuros, who were killed on February 19, 1945: Fr. Florencio de Lezaun, superior, Fr. Felix de Iguzquiza, first assistant; Fr. Ladislao de Busturia; Br. Valentin de Azcoitia; Br. Elzeario de Sarasate and Br. Ignacio de Vidania.
In Singalong three (3) friars were killed by the Japanese on February 6, 1945 namely, Fr. Raimundo de Labiano, Fr. Pacifico de Villatuerta and Fr. Santiago de Ibiricu.