4

 

THE EVANGELIZATION OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL & BUKIDNON

IN MID-PART OF THE 19^th CENTURY

A Backgrounder: The Expulsion of the Jesuits[i]    

In the earlier chapter, we know that the Jesuits left Mindanao at the close of the 16^th and at the onset of the 17^th century, because new mission areas were charged to them in the Visayas particularly Samar, Leyte, Bohol and other islands. Their mission areas in Butuan, Zamboanga and in other parts of Mindanao were taken charge by the Recollects.

As we go back, almost three decades since they left Mindanao - their Butuan Mission, they, returned to Mindanao in 1624 during the time of Governor General Fernando Tello. From then on, Mindanao was imaginarily divided between the two religious orders in that year. The Recollects occupied the East areas, from Punta Sulawan in Misamis Oriental down to the southern tip of Cape San Agustin, now part of the town of Governor Generoso; and once under the vast district of Caraga.

To the Jesuits, was the other half of Mindanao from similar imaginary boundary going to the West. They fared well in these occupied mission areas, and likewise in the other areas of the archipelago, like in some islands of the Visayas, and in Luzon.

In 1758 while Don Pedro Manuel de Arandia, President of the Royal Audencia and Captain General; he issued an edict ordering the Jesuits to take over the Agustinian Recollects’ Parish of Cagayan, and their other mission stations of Misamis Oriental. Although, the Recollects had been here for so long, like their predecessors the Jesuits; they too were unable to bring in more missionaries simply because of lack of priests.

 But before the Jesuits were able to assume the parishes; a new Governor General was installed because of de Arandia’s death. The new Governor General was less sympathetic with them, unlike de Arandia.  So, the order of de Arandia was not executed, which later was nullified.  

Making matters worst, in 1767, King Carlos III of Spain ordered the expulsion of the Society of Jesus from all his dominions in the world. It took a year for the edict to arrive in the Philippines, thus it was only in 1768 when the implementation was executed.  So, the Jesuits in the Visayan Islands were relieved of their exclusive charge of the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Cebu, parts of Panay, Negros, and Marinduque. In Luzon, they too were ousted from the province of Cavite and some areas of Manila such as those in the areas of Antipolo, Cainta, Taytay, Marikina, and Bosoboso. In Mindanao, all their mission areas in Dapitan, Zamboanga, Dipolog, Misamis [today’s Ozamis], Iligan which comprised until the area of Initao in today’s Misamis Oriental, were of course, taken over by the Augustinian Recollects. Mindanao, therefore, was solely taken charge by the Recollects.  

The Jesuit Philippine Mission began in 1581 when they arrived; it was raised into the status as a Vice-Province, and later in 1605 was made into a regular province until 1768.[ii] Their missionary endeavors existed for almost two centuries, since they first arrived in 1581 together with the First Bishop, Domingo Salazar ceased.[iii] But because of their expulsion, the Jesuit Philippine Mission ceased to officially exist. The Society of Jesus was founded by St. Ignatius de Loyola with St. Francis Xavier and five other young men; Pierre Favre, Lainez, Salmeron, Rodriguez and Bobadilla. They congregated themselves into a community and made the famous vow of Montmarte in France on 15 August 1534.[iv]

St. Francis Xavier:

Among the original charter members of the Jesuit Society when it was organized in 1534 in France, was St. Francis Xavier, who reached the East – Asia. He grew up in the Basque region (northern Spain) in a Spanish noble family. It was in Paris when he met Pierre Favre and later, these young men came to know Ignatius Loyola in 1529, who resided in the college of Sainte-Barbe, where they studied. From such friendship, the vow of Montmarte emanates. Xavier and Loyola were ordained as priests on 24 June 1537. In the spring of 1539, Loyola and Xavier together with other brothers prepared the definitive foundation of the Society of Jesus in Rome. It took a year later before they got the written approval.[v]

King John III of Portugal appointed Francis Xavier to evangelize East Indies; from Rome he went to Lisbon, Portugal and arrived there sometime in June 1540.[vi] He sailed to Mozambique [northeast Africa] on 7 April 1541 and stayed there waiting for the favorable monsoons to come; and crossed the Indian Ocean to the Portuguese settlement in western coast of Goa, India. Staying shortly in Goa, he went to the pearl-fishing community in Paravas, present-day Tamil Nadu located on the southeastern coast of India.[vii]

The Paravas areas some six years earlier were baptized en masse, Xavier’s mission approach was more on charismatic evangelization, teaching prayers with young people, which were translated in the dialect and set to music. The Apostle’s Creed and Ten Commandments were preached that way to the people, so, they easily knew the prayers through songs; and in turn they taught it to others.[viii]

Sensing that sufficient Jesuit missionaries and catechists were now in India, in 1545, he moved father southwest to the Malay Peninsula in Malacca, to Indonesia - Moluccas Islands, where the Portuguese had settlements in Ternate, Amboyna, Baranura and other islands nearby in 1546. Closer to two years, he evangelized the islands of Indonesia; and eager to spread the gospels to the Far East,  together with a Japanese convert named Pablo de Santa Fe, Fr. Cosme de Torres and Coadjutor Brother Juan Fernandez, they sailed to Japan. They arrived on 15 August 1549 at the Kagoshima, a place beyond the protection of the Portuguese monarchy.[ix] Before Xavier left Goa for Japan, he had established a novitiate and was able to send missionaries to other important places in India.

In the meanwhile, Japan’s political structure was feudal; different lords or daimyo ruled the cities. Fr. Xavier’s missionary works, full of charisma had immensely impressed daimyo Yoshitaka of Yamaguchi; and a temple – an old abandoned Buddhist place of worship was given to them as their residence in Yamaguchi. Staying for more than two years in Japan, traveling important places and employing similar missionary approach, Japanese were converted to the Christian Faith. About one thousand Japanese were baptized.[x]

He left Japan for Goa in 1552, leaving Fr. Cosme de Torres and Pablo de Santa Fe as the Mission In-charge. After settling some domestic disagreements between the Mission Superior and the Rector of the College in Goa, which ignited while he was away, Fr. Xavier envisioned to begin the evangelization of China because he heard various stories about the great Celestial Empire. Leaving Goa in April 1552 for China, acting likely as an ambassador from the commissioned he received from the Viceroy of India, he departed via Malacca. The Portuguese authorities in Malacca refused him clearance to leave, but it was his destiny, on board a Portuguese ship he headed to the island of Sancian.[xi]

Unfortunately however, during the voyage he was seriously ill, but had managed to reach Sancian. On 2 December 1552, his dreams died with him in Sancian, off the coast of mainland China. Nevertheless, other Jesuit missionaries like Fr. Valignano, Michele Ruggieri, Mateo Ricci and countless more had concretized such dreams to reality. China was evangelized later.

From the countries of Paraguay, India, China, Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines, the Jesuits served with devout zeal; nevertheless, they were expelled from the dominions of Spain.

Below is one of the countless reasons contributing to their expulsion.

Rites Controversy[xii]

The Jesuit expulsion was a consequence of complex political, economic, theological, ecclesiastical and social factor, and events. One of the immediate reasons was concerning the Rites Controversy in Asia and China.[xiii] This controversy is quite a long story; it involved a kind of missionary approach used by Fr. Mateo Ricci, S.J., the missionary priest of China in 1583, and another Jesuit in Tamil Nadu, India, Fr. Robert de Nobili.

Fr. Bevans and Schroeder say:

De Nobili allowed Indian Christians to continue with their customs and habits of dress, like the use of the tuft of hair and the sacred cotton thread. Furthermore, he accepted the ancient caste system, with its social discrimination and strict separation.[xiv]

Fr. De Nobili viewed this as a cultural practice rather than religious, so he respected it and allowed to be practiced by the Indian Christians. On the other hand, Fr. Ricci, S.J., whom the Chinese regarded as the “wise man from the West” – he can speak their language fluently, knows Confucianism, or in short, was accepted by the Chinese Society as a “literati” – [the intellectuals], allowed the practice among the Christian Chinese the ancestral veneration.[xv]

            Fr. Bevans and Schroeder further say:

Central to Chinese society and Confucianism is the fundamental importance of obedience and respect for one’s parents, that is, filial piety, which developed into a system of ancestral rites and is considered the foundation of Chinese morality and identity. After long and serious study with the literati, Ricci judged the rites to be cultural and social rather than religious, and therefore not idolatrous. He [Fr. Ricci] decided that Christians could participate in the majority of these rites with some slight modification.[xvi]

What Fr. Ricci and Fr. De Nobili used in their respective missionary endeavors in China and India, were referred to as the “accommodational approach” rather than the so called “tabula rasa”[xvii], where most missionary orders usually observed. Ricci’s approach was favored by the first Dominican missionary who came from the Philippines for China assignment; however other Spanish missionaries who came later were against.[xviii] Foremost was Fr. Juan Bautista de Morales representing the latter groups, went to Rome to present the “twelve doubts” to SCPF[xix]. They believed Ricci’s and de Nobili’s styles the “accommodational approach” was in contrary to established missiology or Christian doctrines of the time. In 1645, Fr. Ricci’s method was condemned by the SCPF. The Jesuits responded, Fr. Martino Martini presented their viewpoints to Vatican’s Holy Office; and the Jesuit position was approved in 1656, as well.[xx]

In 1667-68, most of the missionaries in China were imprisoned in Canton due to some political and religious factors in the Imperial Court. Eventually, all the missionary orders in China found out the Riccian method workable with the Imperial Court in Peking. Henceforth, others adopted it, while some did not.  

Pope Clement X,[xxi] therefore, in 1669 declared that both rulings of the SCPF and the Holy Office were to be upheld because each of the rulings was really true in reality. If the presentation of Juan Bautista de Morales was true, then the ruling of SCPF was to be observed. In similar manner, if Martino Martini’s case was right, the Holy Office decision was to be observed also. The missionaries of Asia were to judge it by themselves, as they knew what appropriately apply. With this arrangement, the Catholic Church in China prospered over the next twenty years.[xxii]

But the indifference between the Dominicans and Jesuits did not end there; it even escalated, when Domingo de Navarette, OP [Dominican] on his return to Europe published the first of his two-volume works against the Jesuits in 1676. The controversy became hotter in Asia in 1693, Bishop Maigrot, Vicar Aposotolic of Fujian, China condemned the Ricci approach. Emperor Kangxi of China intervened, he declared in 1700 that the ancestral rituals were civil, and not religious; of course, he sided with the Riccian Method – the accommodational approach. Pope Clement XI [succeeded Inocentus XI who died in 1700], sent Bishop Maillard de Tournon, as Papal Legate to Asia to investigate. He condemned the accommodational approach in India in 1704. The Pope did the same for China in similar year.

Invalidating the issuances of the Papal Legate, the Chinese Emperor declared that only missionaries who would follow the Riccian Method could remain in China. For this, despite it was in contrary to Bishop Tournon’s issuance, four bishops and a number of missionaries in China followed the Emperor’s order. Probably for them, it did not matter most so long as they do not go completely astray from the Christian Doctrines. They viewed the ancestral rituals as merely cultural.

Bishop Tournon died in China in 1710 under house arrest in Macao. Pope Clement XI in 1715 finally published his official support of Bishop Tournon, and in 1717 the Chinese Emperor issued an order forbidding Christianity in China, thus all missionaries regardless what order they belong were expelled, and churches were closed. 

In 1685, the first Chinese Catholic Bishop was consecrated, and there were approximately 200,000 Catholics in China in 1700, in the year when the Emperor declared that ancestral rituals were civil, and not religious.[xxiii] Had it not been questioned by other group of missionaries, Christianity would have prospered. As Philip Jenkins puts it, “The Catholic missions in China can be regarded as one of the greatest “might-have-beens” in the world history.”[xxiv]

After all, the Catholic missionaries were out in China, and following the  expulsion of the Jesuits from all the Bourbon Kings dominions in the world, a Suppression Order was issued by Pope Pius II [succeeded Pope Clement XIII in 1769] in 1773 due to tremendous pressures exerted by the Bourbons [Kingdom of Spain, France, Naples and Pharma].  The Jesuit Order was officially dissolved.[xxv] It was only in 1814 when Pope Pius VII revoked the Suppression Order of 1773, it gave back all the rights and privileges the Jesuit enjoyed before the suppression.[xxvi] 

The Jesuit Philippine Vice Province Mission at the Time of Expulsion

           

With the departure of the Jesuits, the Recollects took charge of Mindanao, including Bohol. The order was implemented with firmness, and at the time of their expulsion, the Jesuit Philippine Province was composed of 154 members either priests or coadjutor brothers. From their respective houses in the mission areas, they were arrested and in humiliating situation, were brought to Manila with armed guards. In their house at Padre Faura Street, they were kept in house arrest or restricted to exercise their ministries, while waiting the next available ship that would carry them back to Europe – Spain. But a few of them were fortunate not to experience those humiliations, and no longer felt the pains of being unceremoniously sent away from the lands, where they shed sweat and tears. One was Fr. Juan Esandi, the missionary charge of the island of Capul near Samar, he died during the Moro raid, probably directing its defense and hugging his people to his last gasped of breath.

 Only 143 Jesuits returned to Spain, the rests were unaccounted, and may have similar fates. Obviously, those Jesuits who came earlier were dead either by natural causes or as casualties of war, like Jesuit Father Juan de las Missas in 1626 who was ambushed and beheaded while retuning home to his residence during the Camucones raid at high seas off Marinduque. Fr. Alejandro Lopez, S.J. and Fr. Juan Montiel, S.J. were killed by the Moros on 13 December 1655, in an attempt to negotiate peace with them in pursuance to the order of Governor General Santiago Manrique de Lara.[xxvii]

The above are few instances of documented stories, how early missionaries died in obedience to their sacred vows, and order of the Spanish King before the turn of the second half of the 15^th century, when the Pope began to regain the Patronatus context. But what about those unrecorded martyrdoms as there were certainly some who heroically died for the Faith they wished to spread? Though their deaths are unremembered, yet they faced deaths, truly brave as witnesses to the Divinity of Christ.

The Mission of Misamis Oriental:

Without any intervention such as the imaginary division of Mindanao in 1624, between the Jesuits and Recollects; the latter would have worked zealously in the evangelization of all the areas of Mindanao, after the Jesuits left. As said in the earlier chapter, the Recollects founded and evangelized the towns of Cagayan de Misamis, Catadman in Camiguin in the 1620’s, including the coastal villages of Misamis Oriental, Agusan, and Caraga.

In Misamis Oriental, the Recollects built churches and convents in Cagayan de Misamis, Iponan, Opol, El Salvador, and in Camiguin; Catarman, Mambajao, Sagay and Mahinog. Everything they built were however destroyed either by force of nature, or man-made incidents such as those happening during Moro raids. The church of Cagayan was razed by fire in 1831, nevertheless Fr. Luscos, a Recollect constructed a new one in 1845. But again, it was partly destroyed in World War II.[xxviii]

Before the creation of the Diocese of Jaro in Panay in 1865, the whole of Mindanao was under the diocese of Cebu. Beginning 1870, the western parts of Mindanao including Cotabato was under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Jaro.[xxix]

The Parish of the Immaculate Conception of Jasaan

In 1830, Jasaan was separated from the Mission of Cagayan, and was established as a parish. The visitas or rancherias of Sumilao, Linabo, and Bugcaon in the hinterlands of Bukidnon were evangelized by the Recollects from the said parish.[xxx]

           

Likewise, Iponan near Cagayan was separated from the Parish of San Agustin of Cagayan on April 1, 1833.[xxxi] But Gompot or Balingasag, a visita of the Recollects in Cagayan de Misamis since 1749, was still attached to the new parish of Immaculate Conception. One apparent reason why such a densely populated place like Gompot remained as a visita and was not converted into a regular parish was simply due to the lack of missionary priests.

Despite seminaries already existed in Manila, Cebu and Ilocos for the formation of local clergy, still vocation was slow. Priestly vocation was not that alluring during those times, as well as it is now, because of the longer formative years in training, and rigor sacrifices.The coming of the Vincentians or Paules, or otherwise known as the Congregation of Mission (C.M.), founded by St. Vincent de Paul arrived in the Philippines in the mid-part of the 19^th century. Their arrival, rationalized the operations of seminaries.[xxxii]

With Jasaan as the Recollects missionary base in the eastern part of todays Misamis Oriental, they tried to reach the frontiers of the Tagoloan River Valley through Sta. Ana in Tagoloan, where Malitbog and Sumilao are located in the highlands.

In the coastal areas of Misamis Oriental, they, too, took charge of the visitas of San Juan de Bautista of Lagonglong; San Jose de Binuangan, which later on in 1844 turned also as the Patron Saint of a nearby progressive village of Salay; and Sto. Nino de Bagacay of Kinoguitan, including the Birhen de la Purisima of Tagoloan. Based from the available church records of Jasaan, the following Recollect Friars were assigned in the Immaculate Conception Parish, namely: Fr. Jose de la Santisima Trinidad, Order of the Augustinian Recollects or OAR from 1835-1836; Fr. Manuel de Santa Rita, OAR from 1837-43; Fr. Vicente Dolores Estanislao de San Pascual, OAR in 1843 [assigned shortly in Jasaan], Fr. Gregorio Logronio del Dulcessimo Nombre de Maria, OAR from 1844-1847; and Fr. Miguel de San Crispin, OAR from October 1847 to September 1849.[xxxiii] 

Occurring on these given periods, the Augustinian Recollects evangelized the coastal areas [East of Jasaan covering from Balingasag and going farther east]. They performed their ministries: offered Holy Masses, heard confessions, administered baptism to children and adults, solemnized marriages, and taught catechism and Christian tenets to both baptized and unbaptized pagans.

Sta. Rita de Cascia Parish of Balingasag

Evangelization works always have important significant impacts on the lives of lay people they served; on 3 November 1849, the visita of Balingasag was finally created into a parish with the titular as the Parish of Sta. Rita de Cascia.[xxxiv]After a lengthy span of time since it became a visita of Recollects from Cagayan de Misamis in 1749, at last; it was made into a parish during the instance of Bishop Romualdo de Gimeno,[xxxv] Bishop of Cebu. Fr. Estanislao Severo, OAR was the first Parish Priest, as recorded.

Henceforth, there was never a time when Gompot or Balingasag was under the Augustinian, or the Order of St. Augustine [OSA], or the Hermit Order of St. Augustine, or shortly the Augustinians. Another group of Augustinians called Recollects evangelized the area.  

Since its creation as a Parish under the Recollects, three priests were assigned from 1849 to 1877. Fr. Estanislao Severo was assigned from 3 November 1849 to May 1850, followed by Fr. Angel Martinez del Carmen, 1850-1875; and Fr. Francisco Arcaya, 1875-1877.[xxxvi] Their mission areas covered all the visitas from San Juan de Bautista in Lagonglong and beyond.

In 1843, during the time of Governor and Captain General Narciso Claveria, four more barrios in Balingasag were created because of the reduction activities.[xxxvii] These barrios were Cezar, the present day Barangay San Isidro; Claveria, today’s Talusan and parts of Rosario; Blanco; and Canal in Lagonglong. Canal is Umagos.[xxxviii] It is a progressive hinter barangay located some three kilometers away from Lagonglong Poblacion. Previously, balete trees were plenty along the way from Lagonglong to Canal, and north from Canal are the mountains of Kibahug and Kapatagan. On the opposite side or to the southeast, is Mt. Nababag that towers like a sentinel over the rivers of Sumolao and Balatukan, emanating from Balatukan Mountain Range. Another river from the Dodiongan Mountain feeds the Balatukan River, the former’s name is derived from its origin, thus called as Dodiongan River.[xxxix]

In the Kamansi Mountains, [part of the Balatukan Mountain Ranges], a vent exists about a quarter of a hectare; and called by the natives as Bukal-bukal or Lambuan, or Mt. Panalsalan by the dumagats[xl]. - [Maybe someday the vent can be harnessed into geothermal power an alternative to fossil fuels, but let us leave it to time when it comes. We included this information, because probably the missionaries may have reached the cited areas, as they mentioned in their writings, Mt. Kibahug, Mt. Obulan and beyond. In fact, the Father Provincial of the Jesuits had visited Canal in 1889.[xli] We will come to that later.

Early Catholic Churches in Balingasag:

Remnants of the tabique-pampango church in Gompot or Galas for that matter are still visible today. [Why Gompot? Fr. Licinio Ruiz insisted in calling the said Christian settlement in his writings as Gompot, not Galas because as early as 1571, we knew it was allotted as an encomienda to Don Jose Griego.] The church at Gompot near the Balatukan and Manuyog Rivers was the second church in the early native settlements, local scholars are certain about it. A structure of light materials was firstly made, before the missionary and the natives constructed the tabique-pampango structure. Obviously, the relationship between the natives and the missionaries was closer. Despite, it was only a visita; the introduction of the tabique pampango technology was a new thing during the time, which certainly unknown by the natives. The Spaniards had introduced it to them, thus we say there had been a closer work relationship between the colonials and colonized.  

To the nearby barangay of Baliwagan and Waterfall today, a ruin believed to be that of a church and commonly referred to as “pader” or wall could be seen. The structural dimension and geometric shape could not be visualized anymore; remnants are only blocks that had been buried in the sandy ground due to erosions. Maybe the structure was razed to the ground during Moro raids sometime from 1749 to 1765, for Gompot was raided by the Moros.

One remarkable feature of the Gompot ruins, the materials used are similarly alike with the church ruins in the hills of Cabituogan, located midway between Barangay Aplaya and Solana, areas of Jasaan today. Some local writers insisted that the place was the old Jasaan settlement. Be as it may; it is something worthy of consideration, but there are no documentary evidences to prove such assumption as correct. What if Solano or Aplaya were already densely populated and structured as a town ahead of a place called Jasaan during that time, wherein a church and its tower were built? Would it be still alright to call the place as old Jasaan settlement, despite the place could not be Jasaan, but could likely be either Solana or Aplaya, or whatever it is called during those days? It seems unfair for Solana and Aplaya, or particularly Cabituogan [the place where the ruins can be seen].

Perhaps, it might be even better to say that the old native settlement in Jasaan was either in Solana or Aplaya, rather than call it the settlement of old Jasaan.

Going back to Balingasag, it is said that the alleged transfer to the new settlement of Balingasag was delayed, because a church was constructed first.

A line says, “The transfer could have been done earlier in 1793, but because they had to build a church yet, it was delayed and completed in 1810.”[xlii]

Furthermore from another local history book, it states differently; “When the settlers of Galas transferred to Gompot Kitagtag, the inhabitants agreed to build a new church, which was then built in 1816.”[xliii]

Apparently from these two schools of thoughts, there exists some ambiguity in ascertaining when the church in the new town site was indeed constructed, if it was in 1810 or 1816? Probably, the Time Line Scale, which we presented in Chapter 2, may assist us in giving hints to near probabilities when the construction indeed took place, based on the premise that the church was constructed first before the transfer.

Leaving the ambiguity on dates, we will go ahead and agree that precisely a church of light materials was constructed in the new town site at a place near the coastline, and a bit farther away from the present brick church.

The first brick-church the Jesuits constructed in Misamis Oriental was made at the start of the last decade of the 19^th century. Their first church was constructed in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental. Fr. Ramon Pamies, SJ[xliv] constructed it nearby the town’s coastline.

Cartas 9:156-162 written by Fr. Jose Maria Clotet, S.J.[xlv] dated 30 April 1889, says:

It must have been around 10:00 in the morning when we arrived at the village of Tagnipa, which means a place abundant in nipa, also known by the name “El Salvador.”… Old Fr. Pamies went out to the seashore to meet us, eagerly welcoming us. … Fr. Pamies showed us the church with its three naves, which, facing the sea, he was supervising to raise, with correct lines and much energy. It is built on sturdy walls of mortar and stone one meter thick, on which rest thick and smoothed posts so well interconnected that, the guarantee safety. They were just beginning to put up the lateral walls. The Church measures about 45 meters long, 20 wide, the central nave is about 13 meters high, nine on the sides. If these correct measures are followed by tasty decoration, I do not hesitate to say it will be one of the better churches our missionaries shall have built in Mindanao.[xlvi]

            From Cartas 10:522-524 written in Balingasag dated 29 December 1892 by Fr. Jose Vilaclara[xlvii] to Fr. Jacinto Juanmarti,[xlviii]  hereunder is what he said:

Quite enthusiastic work on the churches is going on in this region. In Balingasag, Bro. Riera[xlix] has now laid the foundations, the small pillars, and 30 posts. Each barangay has a lime kiln for the church and an oven for bricks is always used. They also have stones close by. Omitting for the time when they are harvesting the rice, the inhabitants of the town volunteer for work. The church in Tagoloan is a bit more delayed, but work continues. With constancy, the same things as in Balingasag will be finished. Furthermore, they are working to build the church in Jasaan and the one in Alubijid. The one in El Salvador is almost finished. Everywhere, one sees the work of Bro. Costa[l] who has now set up ovens in all these places and trained brick makers who in his absence do the work very well.[li]

            Evidently, therefore, the church of El Salvador was constructed ahead than Balingasag. The church of Tagoloan was constructed a bit delayed than Balingasag, or probably it was constructed on similar time with Balingasag, but progress was slow. Jasaan and Alubijid churches have to be built yet, as it did not have any progress report, or update, had the construction been going on already.[lii]

           

It is true that Francisco Riera, a Jesuit Coadjutor Brother had supervised the construction, as it says, “In Balingasag, Bro. Riera has now laid the foundations, the small pillars, and 30 posts.” It is neither right nor close to any established fact that the church of Balingasag, the one made of brick; was constructed on 17 September 1842, or on 18 September 1872 with Riera serving as one of the key men of the project. [Please see Endnote 38 below].

The Jesuits took the Parish of Balingasag from the Recollects in 1877; in fact, it was their first residence in the eastern part of today’s Misamis Oriental, covering the missionary areas from Tagoloan to Gingoog, which even included Linugos or Magsaysay.[liii]

Henceforth, it is impossible for Bro. Riera to have worked in the construction project had it been started in 1842 or 1872, because the Jesuits assumed the parish in 1877 and Bro. Reira was a Jesuit Brother Coadjutor who was assigned only in 1892-1893.

The Return of the Jesuits:[liv]

Having been exiled for ninety-one years from all the Bourbon dominions in the world since 1767 [in the Philippines in 1768], the Jesuits returned to the Philippines in 1859, upon the invitation of King Ferdinand VII of Spain, and implemented only by Queen Isabel II because Ferdinand VII died.[lv] The first group of Jesuits arrived on 13 June 1859, their second coming since they had been here in 1581; was headed by Fr. Jose Fernandez Cuevas. With him were five priests and an equal number of Coadjutor Brothers.[lvi] They planned to start their missions in northern Mindanao, where Christian settlements already flourished, and from there; they will penetrate the untouched hinterlands [Bukidnon] – to the indigenous people. All of Mindanao’s evangelization was tasked to them, and a mandate was specific, to spread the gospels even to the pagans.

As can be recalled, the Jesuit missionaries evangelized Mindanao in 1596 yet at the River Delta of Agusan in Butuan, [discounting the short period of evangelization made by Portuguese who were blown off course and accidentally landed in Sarangani]. The areas of Zambonga in the southwest, Dapitan in the northwest, and Iligan were opened in the early beginning of the 17^th century. However, the Butuan Mission after being fully established by the Jesuits; was turned-over to the Diocese of Cebu, because they were assigned to the Pintados – Bohol, Leyte-Samar, and other islands in the Visayas, and unfortunately they lacked missionary priests to administer Butuan.

           

Let us shift to the south for an overview of the first missions the Jesuits had, when they returned in 1859. Eventually as we go on, we would be able to link the South with the Northern Missions.

Tamontaka in Rio Grande Mission:

           

In 1860, Fr. Francisco Cuevas, S.J. sailed around Mindanao to reconnoiter it. Obviously, he decided to start the missions in the northern areas rather than in the south. However, the insular government in Manila preferred them to start their missions in the south because Spanish soldiers had occupied the delta of the Rio Grande de Mindanao in Cotabato. So, they had to start their evangelization near where the Spanish soldiers had their base; and such would be nearer likewise with the pagan tribesmen and Moro settlements.

           

Thus, the first group of Jesuits sailed for Southern Mindanao on 7 September 1861 from Cavite. Fathers Juan Bautista Vidal and Jose Ignacio Guerrico, and Coadjutor Brothers Venancio Belzunce[lvii] and Jose Maria Zumeta, reached Cotabato with Brig. Jose Garcia Ruiz, the Military Governor General of Mindanao, who had assumed his commandancy in Cotabato. The missionaries arrived first in Pollock, where they stayed for a while, because there were no lodgings for them in Cotabato. All the other Jesuit Priests and Brothers of the first batch of Jesuits were left in Manila, as ordered by the Governor-General, to open the Ateneo Municipal de Manila.

Pollock is located in the northern part, a few kilometers away from Cotabato. It was a Spanish naval base following their earlier victory against the Moros in Sulu. As a consequence of the defeat of Sulu, a peace treaty was concluded in 1851 between the colonial government and the Sultan of Sulu.  Pollock was therefore occupied. Approximately, some 200 Spanish sailors and similar number of infantry occupied Pollock, including exiles from all over the archipelago either for criminal or political offenses. A lone Recollect Priest, Fr. Santiago Benito, AOR, administered the spiritual needs of the soldiers and inhabitants. The Jesuits stayed there shortly because their ultimate destination was farther south, along the Rio Grande de Mindanao[lviii] to establish a missionary base, to consolidate the gains of the Spaniards in the southern part of the left branch of Rio Grande, before it drains its water to Illana Bay.

After the government forces defeated the Maguindanaos in Tumbao (tip of the delta), Datu Amirol of Cotabato and father of the Sultan, allowed the Spaniards to establish a fort at Paiguan, a bit farther to the mouth of the Pulangi or Rio Grande. Thereafter, the Spanish Army advanced northward to Cotabato [kuta bato] near the mouth of the Rio Grande; a peace treaty was made to seal the friendship between the Sultan of Cotabato and the Spanish colonial government.

The Spanish Government guaranteed the Muslims of Cotabato – Maguindanaos total respect of their religion, traditional practices, and customs. The Maguindnaos were their new allies; henceforth, Spanish jurisdiction was extended farther by setting up military bases; nevertheless, the rest of the Moro kingdoms along the interior parts of the Pulangi River under the Sultan of Tumbao, were enraged with the Sultan of Cotabato; and they federated against the colonizers and Sultan Amirol. However, the Spanish army was unstoppable, by November 1861; they ruled the river delta and military garrisons were at Taviran, Tumbao, and Pagalungan. The Moro fort of Tumbao was abandoned and in Pagalungan, a cross was erected inside the former fort. The Moro fort was taken, despite it was bravely defended by the Muslims. On the southern part or at the left branch of the Rio Grande, a place called Tamontaca; Spanish soldiers occupied it, too.

The Maguindanaos were suppressed; military occupation followed and on 10 January 1862 the Jesuits arrived at Tamontaca on a launch, and fixed their tents some distance away from where a company of soldiers had fixed their owned tents. Observing protocol, the Jesuits visited the Spanish military officials and civilian authorities of Cotabato. After they paid visits to the former, they too visited the nearby Moro communities as a return gesture of their first visit to the priests. For the Moros, their visit to the priests was a sign of submission to the occupation forces.

Tamontaca Mission began; the priests kept their tents and erected a barn-like structure, which served as their living; and the other half was their chapel. At first, Masses and catechism were the focused of the priests; the soldiers awfully needed these also. At the nearby mountains the Tirurays lived, were just observing what was happening below and out of curiosity; a Tiruray family went down and settled nearby the barn of the Jesuits. On 2 February 1862 or barely five days since the Tirurays left the mountain for the plains of Tamontaca, the first Tiruray family [a father and mother with four children] was baptized. The priests had exerted much effort to evangelize them preparatory to their baptism. It was a regal affair for Tamontaca, military and civilian authorities from Cotabato went to witness the event, which was celebrated pompously with bands and fireworks.

Following the baptism of the first Tiruray family, some fifty Tiruray composed of adults and children established their houses on the plains of Tamoncata, too, although it was few kilometers away from the priest’s house. These Tirurays witnessed the festive atmosphere during the baptism, because many of them went down to observe. Being allured, they came.

In 1866, another settlement was founded across the river to the right bank, the priest moved there, as the place was best suited for farming. Groups of Tirurays followed; they started farming, so, there existed two communities now and 667 Tirurays lived in both communities, with about more than one half of the entire inhabitants were converted to the Christian faith.

The Tamontaca Mission existed for 37 years. The Jesuits had successfully evangelized and resettled the nearby indigenous tribes of the Tiruray not by doctrine of a harsher force such as obliging them to form communities, but depending on their willingness, such as the great Jesuit Missionary Alessandro Valignano[lix] had called it to evangelize in il modo soave or the “sweet and gentle way”.  Not only the Tirurays were converted to the faith, but a few number of Muslims, too. In December 1893, twenty-four Moros were converted and baptized by the Tamontaca Superior – Fr. Jacinto Juanmarti. Likewise, four newly Moro converts were married along with the Tirurays and the libertas[lx].

The hacienda system was introduced in the Philippines by the Spaniards. It was endemic, as they had been in the Americas since it started as early as 1506. The Tamontaka Mission was different, there was no encomiendero, like those in Butuan in 1596; nor did families own the land they tilled and neither was it classified as a commune like the kibbutz in Israel, or other communal farms in Asia. Tamontaka was likely similar to the Jesuit Reduction settlement in Gauranis in Paraguay, because individual farmers owned some parcels of land as their owned after the same had been equally apportioned to the farmers. Aside from working their own farms, where they got money out from what they produced, they worked at the settlement farm, as well. From the sale of crops or livestock from the commune, the revenues derived thereon shall be used for the maintenance and operating expenses of the mission settlement, just as in the Gauranis.[lxi]

The Gauranis Settlement in Paraguay was established sometime in the early 17^th century, was a new form of reduction; a missionary would replace the encomenderos and the natives were freed from service in an encomienda for the first ten years spent in the reduction.[lxii] In Gaurani, the Jesuits had a church, school and workshops for vocational careers, and a Council House. The natives lived in rows of uniform houses with its doors facing towards the settlement square. It also had a convento, storerooms, hospital, cemetery, and an abode for visitors and an orphanage.[lxiii]

Despite, Tamontaca Mission may not have all these comforts, should we say such as the presence of a hospital or abode for visitors perhaps, surely the sick were taken cared by the padres. But one achievement Tamontaka had, it was able to attain the status as an autonomous town in the Cotabatos; and it had officers from among the inhabitant farmers who governed the mission settlement with the assistance of the Jesuits.

Furthermore, basic elementary education to the children was provided, hence they learned to read and write, aside from the Christian doctrines. There was a shop for boys to learn various vocational trades like carpentry, blacksmith, pottery and stonemason or bricklaying, while the girls had embroidery, tailoring and cooking, or in what we know today as Araling Pantahanan. But most significantly, it was able to establish an orphanage for ransomed slave children from their Moro owners. Social status in those times was equated through ownership of slaves, who were indeed the workers in the farms and doing the house chores. In 1872, a severe epidemic of small pox like in the 1620’s that hit the village of Catbalogan when it was besieged by the raiders; the Moro settlements along the banks of Rio Grande had such pestilence, too. They were in the brink of famine, many died, and those who survived were not fit to resume work in the fields right away. This predicament prompted the slave owners to sell the slave children, some of them were born in captivity; because it was impractical to have more than enough in times of hunger, possessing many meant only additional mouths to feed. Thus, they were sold at low prices in the markets of Pollock.

Cotabato was the set of Mindanao Military governance. From Zamboanga, it was transferred to Cotabato in mid-19^th century. Equally aware of this problem was the Military Governor of Mindanao, Don Luis Ferandez Golfin, and the Jesuits had known this beforehand in 1860, when Fr. Cuevas had his reconnoitory trip in Mindanao particularly Cotabato, where he saw in Pollock, mothers and children were sold as items of commodity in the slave markets. Don Luis Golfin wrote to Governor General Rafael Izquierdo and the Archbishop of Manila about ransoming those helpless slave children. Manila’s response was reassuring of setting these children free; funds were raised to ransom them. All the religious groups were involved and heads of major missionary groups like the Augustinians, Dominicans, Franciscans and Recollects were automatic members with the Archbishop of Manila as Chairman. Funds were sent to Mindanao for the ransom, it was only P4,500.00, a small sum in the present times, but it was not in 1870’s.   

On 9 September 1872, the first four slave children were ransomed and brought to Tamontaca Mission, where they lived. At the end of 1872, thirty children from ages three to thirteen years were ransomed. However, more of these children came from the Chinese traders, who acquired them from their previous owners, and in turn sold them to the mission.[lxiv] By 1875, ninety slave children were freed from slavery and lived in the orphanage of Tamontaka, the girls in separate dormitory just as the boys.

Three volunteers from Manila arrived to the mission settlement; they were members of the Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus or otherwise known later as the congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM)[lxv]. This early group of pious women dedicatedly worked for the mission and took care of the girls, until it was abandoned due to circumstances beyond the control of time.

Various priests came and went off the Tamontaca Mission; its first Local Superior was Fr. Juan Bautista Vidal,[lxvi] who was replaced by Fr. Jose Ignacio Guerrico,[lxvii] and the longest Local Superior was Fr. Jacinto Juanmarti,[lxviii] who stayed for twenty-two years. He died in 1883 in Tamontaca and was buried in the church’s floor. The last Local Superior was Fr. Salvador Vinas[lxix] in 1899.

The Conquest of Davao:[lxx]

          While parishes were installed in northern areas of Mindanao in the 1840’s like Jasaan in 1830 and Balingasag later in 1849 in Misamis Oriental, Davao was not yet colonized until an uneventful and dreadful incident happened. A trading ship San Rufo doing business – barter trade with the natives along the native coastal settlements, the Moros however killed the Ship’s Spanish Officers, its crew and an Italian trader, who was a passenger.[lxxi] Supposedly, it would have not gone that way, because the traders brought with them a letter from the Sultan of Maguindanao – Cotabato, vouching them and explaining the purpose of their anchorage. Nonetheless, the unthinkable happened, so the insular government in Manila planned for the conquest of Davao.

            Jose Cruz Oyanguoren, a Judge of the First Instance in Tondo and owner of a trading vessel, first in northeastern Mindanao [Caraga], and later in the island of Catanduanes, volunteered to conquer Davao, provided arms and ammunitions would be supplied by the colonial government. In exchange, Oyanguren asked for a grant on trade monopoly for six years and Governorship seat in Davao, if he would succeed. He invaded Davao with the help of the natives of Samal; they destroyed the Moro fortification and eventually colonized Davao in 1847. He ruled as governor for ten years; enjoyed the trade control, and Davao was renamed from Nueva Vergara to Nueva Guipuzcoa after his province in northern Spain – the Basque country.

            The set of governance was along the Davao River. His jurisdictions extended from the southern areas of Caraga, where natives lived in nomadic life, except for a few of the evangelized areas, which were occupied by Christians along the southeast coast near Surigao, were under the political jurisdiction of Nueva Guipuzcoa. Upon its occupation, the Recollect firstly took charge of its evangelization; the Jesuits were nowhere yet in the Filipinas, still expelled from Bourbon kingdoms in 1847. Davao was a place of exilees – distiero convicts – Cuerpo Disciplinario. When the Jesuits returned in 1859, Davao was still administered by a lone Recollect priest – Fr. Francisco Lenguas, OAR, and it was only on 7 October 1868 when the Jesuits took it over from him. The Recollect priest gladly welcomed the three Jesuit Priests and a Brother – Fathers Baura, Domingo Bove,[lxxii] Ramon Pamies, and Brother Antonio Gairolas.[lxxiii] They lived with him whom they would about to replace. There was a church, an old dilapidated one; and a school, too, below the tribunal.

Two weeks later since they arrived, the District Governor Antonio Garcia del Canto; the Naval Station Commander; and of course, with the troops went to the nearby island of Samal, which fronted Davao. The priests were with them; they were tasked to explain their coming and the priests explained why they came. Founded on gentleness and persuasion, they told the natives, their great concerned was for their spiritual growth and they brought with them the true religion. During the third month at Davao, they transferred to Samal on 17 December 1868, despite the church and convento were unfinished yet. A Datu who was fond of them offered his house as temporary abode. So, resettling of the natives started, the priests made the census list or pardon and tried hard to convince the natives to settle in the lowland communities. Despite, the Samalenos were adamant and uncooperative with the wishes of the missionaries, they however continued to work the building of the church and convento in all laziness and mumbles of protests, until it was nearly completed and livable, and the chapel readied.

Following the completion of the church and convento, some nine hundred natives were successfully resettled from the highlands and elsewhere along the coast. The first solemn Mass in Samal was celebrated on 24 February 1869.

 At first all went well, but after the mass, a formal notice coming from the out-going District Governor reminded the natives to pay their yearly tribute and set its deadline for the first installments. The natives were disappointed. Why would they have to pay the yearly tribute when Governor Jose Cruz de Oyanguren, told them that they would not, in recognition of their heroic deeds in the conquest of Davao against the Moros. Rightly, such tributes should not be applied to them, they fought hard with the Spaniards; and many Samalenos even died and why would they pay tributes?

The natives began to dwindle, until all disappeared, and the situation aggravated for their local leader, Diego Oyanguren who was just newly baptized was apprehended, for failing to welcome the incoming District Governor during the latter’s visit to Samal. So, the poor missionaries rode their horses and searched for the natives in the mountains. With gentle and persuasive words, the natives returned to the lowland settlement, but, similar incident happened again. Like before, the natives abandoned the settlement for similar reasons – why would they pay tributes? However, they returned once more, but for the third time, the natives did not return; all able males were ordered to cut timber in Davao for public construction purposes. They did not like the idea of polo or corvee labor,[lxxiv] and much more, they hated paying tributes.

Eventually, the mission of Samal was abandoned; natives were no longer in the settlements of Casalucan, Dungas, and Caputian. They returned to their remote and scattered houses, hence the missionaries returned to Davao with great despair in their hearts due to the unsuccessful attempt to evangelize Samal, Nevertheless, their devout zeal to spread the Gospels did not end because they failed in Samal; they went to Sigaboy (located in the southeast coast along the Davao Gulf.) But, desperation never ended, the natives of Sigaboy though not hostile with them, were not interested to become Christians. The missionaries did not force them, however with patience and prudence they always visited Sigaboy from Davao since they returned to their residence. This time, the thought of employing another approach - there would be no resettlements, but evangelization shall have to be done on missionary tours. The concept of bringing in the natives to settlements or reduction places was no longer used; instead the missionaries went to the abodes, talked, and lived with them until they conquered their hearts.

Against all odds, these missionaries continued the arduous works of evangelization in this missionary approach; they drained much sweats and endured indescribable hardships. As new missionaries came, replacing those who were bone-tired and sick due to extreme weather conditions in the field, and as the years went on; the Mission of Mati or Sigaboy was a fully established. It was a Jesuit residence next to Davao in the late 19^th century. From these residences, the missionaries made their missionary trips to the different visitas, to mention a few; like Malalag, Concepcion, San Juan, Tagum, Astorga, San Alfonso, Cristina, and Gamauan.

In Samal Island, Penaplata and San Jose were likewise visitas of the Jesuits; they had not failed after all. The last Local Superior of the Davao Mission was Fr. Saturnino Urios,[lxxv] [He was shortly assigned in Tagoloan and Bukidnon, too.] The Davao Mission was served by many Jesuit Fathers and Brothers; we had the names of a few of them, namely: Marcelino Casusus Vivero,[lxxvi] Santiago Canudas, Quirico More,[lxxvii] Mateo Gisbert,[lxxviii] Juan Doyle, Juan Llopart, Manuoel Valles, Antonio Benaiges,[lxxix] Jose Algue, Gregorio Parache, Manuel Rosello,[lxxx] Salvador Giralt, and others.[lxxxi]

The Jesuits had indeed paved the way for other foreign missionary groups who came to Davao in the later years.

The Balingasag Mission[lxxxii]

Introduction

          The last Recollect priest of Balingasag was Fr. Francisco Arcaya, OAR. He stayed for two years in 1875-1877, unlike Fr. Del Carmen, who served for twenty-five years in the parish from 1850-1875.[lxxxiii]

           

In the meanwhile, the Jesuits gradually took the mission areas of Mindanao from the Recollects; in 1865 Zamboanga was taken over, followed by Caraga areas, and finally Misamis including Iligan finally in 1877. Misamis Oriental was included, and Cagayan de Oro was excluded, the Recollects still retained it.[lxxxiv] Fr. Gregorio Parache, S.J.[lxxxv] replaced Fr. Francisco Arcaya. With him was Fr. Salvador Ferrer,[lxxxvi] his assistant, and they were the first Spanish Jesuits in Balingasag because later in September 1920’s, the Province of Aragon [the Philippine Mission was administratively under Aragon, Spain] was replaced by the Jesuit Maryland-New York Province.

           

We would rather not talk solely or much about Fr. Parache’s achievements as the pioneering Jesuit in Balingasag beginning 1877 and on his second assignment in 1905, because those were substantially taken cared by other writers in town, like M.V. Cero, G.F. Vega, and M.J. Valmores, L.C. Diestro and D.V. Dongallo. But instead, we would try to tackle the stories of Balingasag Mission itself, based from the accounts of missionary priests, reckoning the events as it happened when there was only one Jesuit residence in Eastern Misamis Oriental; in the days when Jasaan and Tagoloan, and as far as Gingoog and Linugos [present-day Magsaysay] were still visitas of Balingasag Parish, until new residences or parishes were created thereafter.

The Episcopal Visit

The Most Holy Name of Jesus, the Diocese of Cebu was keen in remembering significant events, in 1878, an Episcopal Visitor, Fr. Francisco Xavier Martin Luengo, S.J.[lxxxvii] having been delegated by the Bishop of Cebu to make diocesan visitations and administer the sacrament of confirmation [till then an exception] was in Balingasag. He arrived on 31 October 1878, marking such coming and the upcoming event – the confirmation of baptized Christians by November 1878, coinciding with the 30^th anniversary celebration of the Parish of Santa Rita. [It was made into a parish on 3 November 1849 more or less marking the coming of the 30^th year.]

           

With him was Fr. Jose Canudas, S.J.,[lxxxviii] they left El Salvador for Balingasag. El Salvador is across the Macajalar Bay henceforth just adjacent to Balingasag in some sense. Fr. Luengo and Canudas took on a sailboat provided by Fr. Parache. Early that morning they left El Salvador, however they arrived in the afternoon, there was no tailwinds to propel them fast; and so the heavy boat relayed much on the muscular strengths of the eight native rowers.

           

On their arrival, Fr. Canudas, said, “Of course, there was the welcome by the principalia,[lxxxix] the schoolchildren, and the music band of Balingasag.” [Certainly, the visitors were met at the mooring place somewhere along the present area of the reclaimed Peoples’ Park and Provincial Hospital – Balingasag]. In the evening, the band – about 30 musicians played many pieces, some of them well chosen, in front of the convento. He said, “Indeed, it already seemed that one had been transferred to a capital city in Europe on hearing such a brilliant serenade.”

           

The following day [All Saints’ Day], a solemn Eucharistic Sacrifice had to be celebrated; a processional march preceded commencing at the convento to the church. Fr. Luengo was at the center, at his either sides were Fr. Ferrer and Canudas, the principalia, schoolchildren and the cuadrilleros[xc] led the processional entourage while the band played. At the church’s main door waited Fr. Parache; Fr. Luengo halted and put on the mass vestments. The band played perfectly during the mass.

           

Fr. Canudas said further in his letter:

“And what shall I tell Your Reverence[xci] about the decoration of the altar, the silver processional crosses, the big thick carpet covering the presbytery and the decorated priestly vestments? That everything was quite costly like those of a cathedral.

The church, although not bad, does not fit all those adornments. It has a cota about nine or 10 palmos [a palmo is about 12 inches] tall, atop which is a rather well-constructed tabique pampango, the roof of nipa. The church has three beautiful altars, the main one especially precious, since it is entirely of camagon [a kind of ebano]; its architectural style in good taste.”[xcii]

Inasmuch as it was All Saints’ Day, many received Holy Communion numbering from about 120 to 130, and among them were several men. Usually during Sundays, there is always a sermon, if Fr. Paraches preached in the morning; Fr. Ferrrer would have his mass in the afternoon, and vice versa. All their sermons had to be in Visayans, and there is a need to have the sermons always for terrible lack of information. If the church was rated as fair and its altar in good architectural style by Fr. Canudas, perhaps the convento was not, though it was fully made of wood because it was inclining, a consequence of a tropical storm that passed by. It had four rooms, a normal sala that was decorated with maps, which the Reverend Superior sent.

           

Common in all mission areas, a school could be found or established for children to be taught of catechism and prayers; and learned how to read and write, as well. “The boy’s school in Balingasag is good; however that of the girls cannot pass. They are planning to build a new one,” Canudas said. [Obviously, Fr. Canudas was referring to its physical appearance.]

           

Furthermore, Fr. Canudas described the town as well-situated fronting the Cagayan Bay or Macajalar Bay, and one or two leagues away are high mountains. Most of the houses were made of indigenous materials – bamboo and nipa, except for four or five wooden houses; and one of them was luxurious. [Could this be the house of Faustino Vega and Sergia Moreno, the one with Atlantis at the three corners of the house that seemingly supported the structure? This house is more than a century old of the Vega’s located at the town’s thoroughfare.] Two rivers flow from the poblacion’s side, which are considered important by the inhabitants. The town has ten cabecerias[xciii]

           

The above letter was dated 6 November 1878 written in Balingasag by Fr. Jose Canudas.

The Butuan Visit

          Definitely, it had taken some couple of days for Fr. Luengo, the Episcopal Visitor; to finish the confirmation because Fr. Canudas said, “as soon as Fr. Luengo finished the visitation of Balingasag, he decided to accompany us to Butuan.”

           

With Fr. Ferrer and Canudas, Fr. Luengo left Balingasag for Butuan in the early morning of 7 November 1878 on board the gunboat Mariveles. Captain Calvo was the boat officer. The following day, they arrived in Butuan, however the boat did not attempt to navigate or enter the Agusan River because it was still dark yet, early that morning. As planned, Fr. Ferrer would take the spiritual exercises,[xciv] and Fr. Canudas would have to take the works of Fr. Ferrer during the Episcopal visitation.

           

There were two Jesuit missionaries assigned in Butuan, namely: Fr. Ramon Pamies[xcv] [he was previously assigned in Davao in 1868, the first group of Jesuit missionaries to evangelize the place] and Fr. Juan Casellas.[xcvi] The two resident priests were not able to welcome the visiting priests; Fr. Pamies was having a solemn mass while his counterpart was in Mainit in Surigao conducting a novena and doing some preaching. So, the priests from Balingasag proceeded to the convento and not long thereafter, Fr. Pamies arrived, and welcomed them warmly.

            It is interesting to note that the present Butuan area is not located on its early settlement in 1878. Fr. Jose Canudas wrote:

Despite its excellent location – with a good creek and a deep river on one side and the sea in front - Butuan has moved one and a half or two leagues up the river to avoid the floods that every five or six years it used to suffer from inundations…[xcvii]

In the meanwhile, Fr. Luengo who had spent four days in Butuan prepared to leave; he was bound to Surigao and left in the afternoon of 11 November 1878 on board the gunboat Mariveles again. It was only at this juncture, when the principalia, schoolchildren and, of course, with the band wherein the Epispocal Visitor was given departure honors because they had not made it, when he first arrived some days ago. There was a procession towards the anchorage and Fr. Luengo bid them goodbye. Since Fr. Luengo had already left, Fr. Canudas’ assignment with him was finished, so he took his spiritual exercises together with Fr. Ferrer, too. But he could not understand Visayan well; nevertheless, he tried to evangelize many uninstructed Christian villages, where many were unbaptized yet. He was trying to learn the idiom, and he said, “As much as I can, of course I shall immerse myself in Visayan to work in the Lord’s vineyard entrusted to me.”  

After Fr. Ferrer finished the spiritual exercises, with Fathers Pamies, Canudas, Ferrer and Chambo,[xcviii] [the latter had just arrived from the Surigao Mission] went to the new town site of Butuan.

In the meanwhile, the boat from Balingasag that would carry home Fathers Ferrer and Canudas had not arrived yet; their stays in Butuan were extended and it was a rare opportunity for them to know the news of the Surigao Mission from Fr. Chambo. They knew from him that Fr. Casellas was in Jabonga and was very busy. Moreover, on the day Fr. Chambo left Surigao, some three hundred devout Christians had their confessions. Furthermore, two new churches shall be constructed in Mainit and Jabonga; in fact the posts were already erected.

On the other hand, from the interiors of Upper Agusan, Fr. Ramon Ricart[xcix] arrived in Butuan, but did not stay longer because of urgency to make his final vow in Surigao.

Another Jesuit residence was established along the areas of Agusan River, the Talacogon Mission. It was chosen because it is healthier than Bunauan, the last town of Agusan del Sur today before entering the province of Compostela Valley.

Fr. Canudas’ letter to Rev. Fr. Alejandro Naval, says:

“Leaving Butuan at 7:00 in the morning, we reached Gingoog, the first barrio of Balingasag at 9:00 in the evening, although we had good rowers. As soon as the people learned of the arrival of priests of Balingasag, they fired their cannons, lighted torches, and, led by the principalia, went out to receive us at the mooring place. The music band played as they accompanied us to the priest’s house. We settled down and ate supper.”[c]

Since it was already getting dark, there was nothing they could do than to rest; and the following morning they had a concelebrated mass. Fr. Ferrer preached for 20 minutes, many heard Mass, and after it was ended, parents brought their children for baptism. They received many offerings – bananas, lanzones, camotes, chickens, etc. When they were about to leave Gingoog, there was a sick call, the man could no longer make his confession, so Fr. Ferrer gave him the last rite, a sacrament for the sick.

            Like in Butuan, the principalia but minus the schoolchildren, and with the band, the people accompanied the priests to the place where their sailboat was anchored. Finally, the priest bid farewell to them, the people were too anxious to have a regular priest at their place.

            According to Fr. Canudas, Gingoog had eight or nine cabecerias; it had a spacious church and a good tower and tabique pampango. The convento was made of wood; it had a receiving room, two rooms, and a kitchen. There was a school for children; a separate room for boys as well as for girls, however a new room for girls shall be made since the latter shall be converted into a boy’s hall. From another site, the girls’ school will rise.

           

Hopeful to reach in the evening Tagoloan, also a visita of Balingasag; they left Gingoog that afternoon. However, the weather was unfavorable, the sea was churny, and instead of navigating the rough seas, they sought refuge behind a point near Talisayan. On the coast and taking shelter in their sailboat, they spent the night in a secluded place; the following morning they anchored at Talisayan during noontime. Many Christians resided in Talisayan; however a great number constituted the unbaptized pagans. Sick calls were answered; nonetheless, the sacrament of extreme unction was not dispensed because they were able to make their confessions. Holy Communion therefore followed.

            Since the past typhoon destroyed the convento of Talisayan, thereby making it inhabitable, the tribunal was used as their sleeping quarter. Despite, it had nine cabecerias, six of which were already Christians and the rests were pagans. It had a small church made of bamboo and nipa. However, a new one would be constructed, their posts were already erected.

           

With similar aspirations like Gingoog, Talisayan was greatly in need of a regular priest. The priest only said, “Build a church, a good residence, and good schools so that, when there would be enough priests, one can go there.” At 8:00 o’clock that morning, they left for Balingasag; with favorable tailwinds, they arrived at 4:00 in the afternoon.

            From Talisayan to Balingasag, several big villages existed but similarly without priests; and depending on the availability of the priests from Balingasag, their spiritual needs could be attended only when the priests would visit them every now and then.

[Written by Fr. Canudas to the Mission Superior dated 10 December 1878 at Balingasag, Mis. Or. Cartas 2:180-187].

Summary: Letter of Fr. Gregorio Parache, S.J. to the Mission Superior dated 17 September 1879 in Talisayan

         

Apparently, the arduous missionary work had given Fr. Parache some temporary impairment in hearing, aside from the usual colds, and sometimes headaches due to the humidity of the forest and prolonged exposure to varied weather. It had indeed bothered him for the past few days, kept him from hearing confessions and good that his deafness had some signs of improvement, at least.

            The missionary activities of Fathers Ferrer and Canudas had gone beyond Fr. Parache’s expectation. Despite, they baptized many pagans and had solemnized couples who for awhile had lived in “live-in” relationships, Fr. Parache still told them that it did not have quite satisfied him. Why? He said, “It has surpassed my hopes, but something still needs to be done” … “Since the latter [priest] cannot always remain with them, he must try to make his rare visits more fruitful.”

            Forty adults in Linugos [Magsaysay] were baptized by the priests of Balingasag, and among them were Datu Mausaluab and his wife. Linugos, a visita will now be transferred along the shore because its former location is unhealthy and far away from the coastline. There were four more visitas between Gingoog and Linugos namely: Lagtan, Boncauit, Odyongan, and Banuc. Boncauit and Lagtan have to be merged either at Lagtan or Boncauit. It would be difficult to relocate the natives of Linugos to Gingoog.

            Natives from Odyongan were baptized in Gingoog; they used to go there for the confessions, too, in fact some couples from Odyongan were married in Gingoog. From here to Talisayan, there had been nine villages which were formed and missionaries used to visit them every now and then. Though they were all eager to have the priest to stay with them longer, the same could not be done because they have to go to other places, like Talisayan.

            Right after Gingoog and going towards Talisayan, is the first village of San Juan de Makiskis. The Kapitan welcomed them, festive atmosphere reverberated in the air because the priests had visited them, and the natives met their visitors with tribal dances while the priests and the two kapitans headed for the village center. Children were baptized, problems including those not related with the community, which somehow were personal, were likewise attended by the priests.

From Makiskis, they left for the villages of Lunao, Mildagas, Cabug, Mapola, Tabulug, Pahindong, and Misua; and of course, a similar warm welcome happened in each village they visited. In other words, each village they come there was great rejoicing, the natives treated their missionaries with great esteem.

            While in Talisayan, Fr. Parache received a letter from Cagayan that arrived on 12 September 1879. He informed the Reverend Father Superior that Fr. Ferrer shall stay in Talisayan a few days since he would leave for Butuan.

Summary: Letter of Fr. Salvador Ferrer to the Mission Superior dated 20 November 1879 in Talisayan

            Since Fr. Ferrer was instructed by his superior, Fr. Parache to stay for few days in Talisayan to conduct missions in the villages of Gingoog and Linugos, the former reported to the Mission Superior of the results of his labors.

            He told the Mission Superior:

“I can assure you the results were surprising: in both, the leading figures went to confession, and one can easily count those who have greatly profited from our labors and sweats.”

Fr. Ferrer proposed to call Lunao as Santa Magdalena; a year had passed and he had blessed the place, and they received an image of the saint. Appropriately, Lunao has to be called as Santa Magdalena; the village of Mildagas, as San Jose; Cabug, as San Carlos; San Isidro for Mapola; and Tabulog, as San Ignacio. He candidly, but politely told the Superior by adding the word, “if so.” Momentarily, they had four teachers for the four villages; nevertheless they still need one more.

Clothes were distributed to boys and girls, because it was necessary to cover them during baptism. It would be certainly good, if those clothes were already sewn or tailored, otherwise if not, the cloth would be just draped around as if it were some Roman cloak.

Finally, he ended his letter by asking the blessings of the Mission Superior. Likewise, he said “Fr. Parache has been ill-disposed for several days now. He suffers from fever and some tumors in the ear, which renders him useless for confessions and the pulpit.”

Summary: Letter of Fr. Juan Ricart[ci] to the Mission Superior dated 18 October 1879 in Balingasag:

          His letter began by telling the Mission Superior that it took him no less than a month to arrive in Balingasag from Surigao.

Together with Fr. Mugica[cii] they left Surigao on the 15 September 1879 for Agusan. After spending a night in Taganaan, they proceeded to Mainit on a trail of reeds, which they described as “water under and above” because they crossed on swampy areas on foot infested with leeches and under continuous rain. They reached Mainit and from there, they proceeded to Jabonga [all these municipalities are located along Lake Mainit in Surigao del Norte]; and stayed there until the habagat or southwest monsoon subsided.

On 22 October 1879, Fathers Ricart and Chambo started their travel together for Butuan and Fr. Mugica was left in Jabonga.

When they were about to sail upriver to Talacogon, Fr. Parache arrived. To them, it was a great blessing because they had a companion; and guide. However, it took them three days to reach Talacogon.

Fr. Ramon Ricart, S.J. was seriously ill in Talacogon and fortunately Fr. Juan Ricart, S.J. was able to visit his brother on his way back too from Surigao. The Kapitan of Talacogon being concerned of Fr. Ramon’s predicament informed Fr. Urios and the latter arrived in Talacogon with Bro. Gairolas, one evening.

Fathers Parache and Gisbert likewise visited Fr. Ramon, and they returned to Bislig for apparently he was better. Fr. Urios taking his visit with Fr. Ramon as an opportunity also to have a short rest; nevertheless, he left to continue his activities in Upper Agusan, leaving Fr. Juan Ricart to take care of his brother. He did take care of him, and he was gaining strength and recuperating fast, but he would not stay there long since he was just waiting for Fr. Parache who was in Bislig because Fr. Juan Ricart would come with Parache  for his next assignment. Thanking God for giving him the opportunity to serve his sick bother in Talacogon, Fr. Juan Ricart is unaware yet of what would come in his first missionary assignment in Mindanao.

On 8 October 1879, Wednesday, Fr. Parache returned from Bislig, the next day they sailed through the Agusan River for Butuan [Fr. Parache, Urios, Juan and his brother Ramon and, Bro. Gairolas was beside the former.] They arrived in Butuan on Friday morning; Fr. Ferrer also arrived. He told them, “He [Fr. Ferrer] had waited us and became impatient at our delay.” “We too regretted it, but it could not be helped and I could not travel directly from Surigao.”[ciii]

By Saturday, they arrived in Talisayan and on Sunday – Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar, Fr. Juan Ricart was making his entrance into Balingasag. [He might mean, he was on the processional march from the church’s entrance to the altar, as it was Sunday and Feast of Our Lady.]

Fr. Ricart wrote in his letter: 

“After two days’ rest and installation, I went to Cagayan to pay my respects to the honorable officials at the capital. With me was Fr. Salvans,[civ] on his way to El Salvador or Alubijid, after Fr. Ferrer had summoned him here for a short stay.”

            Furthermore, he told the Reverend Superior that he and Fr. Parache understood each other perfectly.

            In closing, he wrote, “I shall take care to write frequently and give Your Reverence up-to-date information of everything of interest. For your part, Your Reverend, please do not fail to tell me all what you want.” His final salutation: “Your humble servant in Christ, I am at your orders.”

Summary: Letters of Fr. Juan Ricart to the Mission Superior, 22 August 1880, Balingasag; 9 November 1880, San Juan de Mangiskis, Balingasag; and 10 December 1880, Balingasag.

[In the spread of the gospel, one strategy the missionaries adopt was to resettle the native pagans in permanent community, thus Reduction was introduced. Sometime between 1848 and 1849, during the closing term of Governor General Narciso Claveria (1843-1849), and while the Politico Governor of Misamis Oriental was Governor Villanueva, four more barrios as places of reductions were created in Balingasag, namely: Cesar, Claveria, Blanco and Canal. These were ranches or villages of the Bukidnons or today’s Higaonon, or people of the mountains; and never to categorically say or mean that they belonged or were parts of the Bukidnon province, since the political aggrupation in those times were named as District (Misamis was the 2^nd District, which included Depitan, Iligan Cagayan de Misamis, Camiguin and the hinters of Bukidnon.

Bukidnon like the rest of Mindanao was formerly under the missionary charge of the Recollects before the Jesuits returned in 1852. However, when the Jesuit assumed their posts in today’s Misamis Oriental, Cagayan was still under the Recollects up until the time of Philippine Revolution.

The Recollects had evangelized Sancanan, Tangkulan (Manolo Fortich), Balao, Maluco and as far as Sumilao through the Tagoloan River valley, staging their missionary journeys from either in Jasaan or Tagoloan.

The Jesuits, too, penetrated the hinters of Bukidnon early at the beginning of the last decade of 19^th century. They reached as far as Linabo, Bugcaon, Valencia, areas of today’s Maramag, and other areas beyond it.

[The southwest area was lately evangelized by the Jesuits of the Province of Maryland and New York only after the World War II.]

Fr. Ricart began his letter:

“I returned yesterday from Cesar, the village nearby, where I just inaugurated my missionary role among these Bukidnons [people of the mountain]. Your Reverence already knows Cesar because you offered Mass there on your visitation last year.”[cv]

            These Bukidnons or [today’s Higaonons] came down from the mountains of Balingasag [part of the Balatukan Mountain Range] between 1848 and 1849, partly because they were attracted by gifts the missionaries were giving, or probably by force since it was one strategy in the reduction to compel them to settle in communities than live in tribal lives.

Although evidently, some of them had embraced the new religion, they were however Christians only in name, but never in deeds. Nonetheless, they could not be blamed since they did not know the essence of Christianity, thus continuous missionary follow-up were done by priests.

Trip to Gingoog Gulf:

Mindless of the onset of the southwest monsoon or habagat in June that year, Fr. Ricart prepared for his trip to the Gingoog Bay for the native Christians fulfillment of yearly obligations.[cvi] In fact, all were prepared, and had it not been for the native leaders of Cesar [once a barrio of Balingasag during the Spanish time] who arrived at the convento, he would have not postponed his trip to Ginoog. These natives had invited him to be with them because it would be their feast day on 20 June [St. Margaret, their Patron Saint].  

With threatening weather condition also, Fr. Ricart decided to cancel his trip to Gingoog Gulf, and instead left for Cesar. The Bukidnons were in formal jackets, in fact they were all dressed well, as if they were old Christians by their looks, but their ways and actions revealed otherwise.

Fr. Ricart offered Holy Mass, it was well-attended by the natives of Cesar, by those who lived in Balingasag pueblo and by the people of Lagonglong. After the mass, Fr. Ricart went to the village hall to rest and he observed a huge gathering of natives, this impressed him much. It was his first assignment to mission life and out of curiosity, he began asking questions from them. He knew that despite many attended the mass, almost everybody was not baptized and not even a couple was married yet before the church. It disappointed him much, he knew these natives were capable of receiving religious instructions, but they received none. Children were not baptized, couples lived in “live-in relationships;” the situation was indeed very disappointing; nonetheless, no one could be blamed because there had been no enough priests to attend their spiritual needs. Such was the consequence.

In a middle of conversation with Kapitan Vicente, whom the priest congratulated for having a handsome son, the schoolchildren arrived with their teachers. All of them were not baptized also, though they knew prayers and catechism fully well. The priest knew later that the Kapitan’s son name was Ciriaco, likewise was unbaptized.

Afterwards he left for the convento at the poblacion, but promised to return the following day in order to stay with them for few more days. The people of Cesar and the nearby settlement of Claveria assured him that they would free themselves from their works in the farms so they could come.

Indeed on the following day – June 21, Fr. Ricart returned, a big crowd had already gathered and waited for him. Those who were on the hills had seen him first, so the church bell began ringing announcing the arrival; and everyone was rejoicing. He stayed for another twelve days; the church was always filled with people; and catechumens were taught to them daily. After sensing that his conquistas[cvii] were ready to receive the sacraments – baptism or marriage, he called Fr. Parache, the Local Superior to administer the sacraments; and he knew where to find him, despite he was too mobile.

By June 27, 1880, the conquistas were either baptized, or had their confessions and communion, or were solemnized in holy matrimony. There were 23 native couples who were solemnized and lots of children including adults were baptized – 315 baptisms, of these 240 were adults, and furthermore, he had blessed 160 marriages. Fr. Ricart was a fulfilled man; his missionary role was indeed inaugurated by the natives of Balatukan.

With the success of the reduction activities in Balingasag, he left for another missionary journey to Gingoog Gulf area. On 9 October 1880, he left Balingasag and sailed for Gingoog. They (Fr. Ricart and his rowers) brought provisions primarily rice, biscuits and other foodstuff, some clothes for the mountain people and a portable altar. Sailing smoothly at first, they experienced strong currents upon reaching Punta Silad or along Camiguin Strait, so they anchored by nightfall at Talisayan, despite early that morning they left Balingasag.

Fr. Ricart wrote, “I celebrated the feast of St. Francis Borgia there, taking the opportunity to finalize some problems left unsettled during the lengthy visit I had there in August.”[cviii]

[Obviously, he was able to visit those areas in August 1880, after his works at Cesar; the preceding sentence has explained it.]

After spending a day in Talisayan, he left on the 11^th, rounding the Banlasan Point; they saw the settlement of Mandahilag, where mountaineers from Misua and some from Talisayan congregated. Since they knew the priest would come, some natives waited at the shore. But instead of going to Mandahilag, he proceeded to Tabulog; however he informed the residents of Mandahilag that he would visit them on his return trip.

At the foot of the slope of Balatukan, the settlement of Tabulog was situated. Many years earlier, it was established at Meycauayan, but Moro raids dispersed the natives, so they settled on this highland. With the addition of native settlers who lived nearby Pahindong [now a barrio of Medina], Tabulog could have three cabecerias.

Applying similar approaches he had used in Cesar Mission, Fr. Ricart offered holy masses; made exhortation after the mass in the mornings and evenings after the rosary; drew census lists or padron and gave Hispanic surnames by grouping families that had similar origins; taught catechumens to children and adults; visited their homes; and so on.

Moreover, the blessing and inauguration of the cemetery was firstly made in Tabulog.[cix] Certainly, it was something new for the natives, because they just buried their dead somewhere. They cherished every act of the ceremony and had given them some significance in their new Christian lives.

In one of the marriage ceremonies in Tabulog, some shed tears and such signs clearly manifested that they understood its dignity and solemnity. “The solemnity of the banns in the church, the sacramental confessions of the baptized, the declaration of the couples’ consent, blessing them, the arrhae,[cx] having the couple together approach the altar, the timely explanations of the priest, his prayers and advice – everything completely different from the practice they observed in their idolatrous tradition has to cause a deep impression in their minds and move them to honor, sanctity, bear in peace the marriage yoke,”[cxi] wrote Fr. Ricart.

Finally, he bid goodbye to them and headed to Cabug, and rounded Punta Dangulan. Stopping for a while on the shore, the natives of Cabug were informed that he was going to Minlagas. From there, he would decide where to have his mission, whether in Minlagas or Cabug.

[Probably, it was a reason why the Kapitan of Minlagas with his men, were already in Tabulog when the priest arrived. They obviously desired much to have the priest do the mission in Minlagas, so they carried his baggage and loaded the same in their own boats.]

They landed in Minlagas, to their great astonishment, a wooden church was already built and completed, however the convento has to be constructed yet; their posts were erected. The village magistrate named Pedro had done these wonderful jobs; he was given a surname of Almonte, thus completing his name as Pedro Almonte,[cxii] a prominent name in the history of the conquest of the archipelago. Fr. Ricart drew a lot to determine what place he would have his mission. Minlagas was lucky to emerge as his place of mission, the people of Cabug went home somehow disappointed, however they were consoled for the priest told them that he would visit them at length, and God knows only when.  

His visit to Minlagas turned out quite well, the village patron saint - St. Aloysius Gonzaga may have protected and blessed them. From Minlagas, he went to Mangiskis; the principalia and natives received them cordially.

From these missionary travels, he was able to baptize 411 adults and children from Tabulog, Minlagas, and Mangiskis. Marriages solemnized accounted to 155 couples. He noted one obstacle to baptism; it was the fear of tribute.  For several times, he was asked whether or not by becoming Christians, would they be obliged to pay tributes?  Fr. Ricart explained eloquently, he said:

“It is not paid for being a Christian, but by being a royal subject as a sign of vassalage and in gratitude for the protection and the benefits we receive from the government. I made them understand the advantage of living under the protection of the laws and the administrative services of the state, and how the tribute is a fair compensation and a contribution everyone owes to help and defray the state expenses.”

He further said, “What you must do is cultivate good farms and strive to gather rich harvests. Then you will have something to pay when the government decides it will be opportune to demand the tribute from you. Do not try to escape to the mountains again and return to your former uncivilized life. Even if this happens, both the baptized and the unbaptized will have to pay the tribute, with the difference that the baptized, as the missionary’s faithful, will always receive help from him in their needs and support in their just demands.”[cxiii]

His explanation satisfied everyone, there was silence. Nevertheless, he wrote that they must not be over confident; the freedom of the mountains at any given time may pull those mountaineers back to the hinterlands if the natives would not be treated with prudence and gentleness.

Fr. Ricart’s letter explained that he would not stay longer in the Gulf area because rainy days started, and moreover he has to go to Cagayan de Misamis by 15 November, to attain the feast day of Don Leopoldo Roldan, the Distict Governor. Henceforth, he told the Mission Superior of the postponement of his other five or six trips to the remaining ranches of the Gingoog Gulf, which for him really needed visitations.

The Gingoog Gulf is indeed very wide; and certainly far from the Jesuit residence in Balingasag, thus it was hard for them to administer properly. From Punta Diwata to Punta Sipaka alone, there were about more than 40 cabecerias of Visayans and Bukidnons – Christians and pagans, who lived scatteredly along the coast. If a new mission would be establish in either Talisayan or Gingoog, it would be a relief the missionaries of Balingasag from arduous travel that usually took at least five laborious days in going to and fro the rancherias or visitas.   

Likewise, it would enable them to resettle the pagans of Gingoog Mountain, the neighbors of the Manobos of Agusan, thus in one way the Misamis Mission would be linked with the missionaries of Butuan.

The First Communion of the Mountaineer’s Children in Cesar:

           

As can be recalled, Fr. Ricart was on missionary trip for twelve days in Cesar – Balingasag starting June 21, 1880. Indeed, many were baptized – adults and children, and majority of these children were mountaineers.

By December of the same year, out of the labors of the maestros and maestros, these Bukidnon children were prepared for their first communion.

            December 8 - Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception was chosen as the date of their first communion; however it is unclear whether it was at the church in Balingasag or just in Cesar. Fr. Ricart’s letter dated 10 December 1880 to the Mission Superior had not mentioned it.

            What he said was this:

“… Our dear Lady’s feast was solemnized with the contests on the catechism        held in the afternoon in the plaza. … Under a big canopy put up for the purpose, places for the various groups had been arranged, both for the children and the numerous village residents. Besides the children from Baingasag, there were groups from Lagonglong, Salay, and Kinoguitan led by their respective teachers.”[cxiv]

[The sentence “Under a big canopy … and the numerous village residents”, could it not mean the first communion was in Cesar? Whether it was at the Parish Church in Balingasag or in Cesar, the fact lies there was a general communion of the children mountaineers and a contest followed thereafter.]

            The missionaries and principalia were seated on the first row, the village musicians were seated behind them; who played cheerful sonata pieces during the intervals. At the center and in front of them, was the beautiful painting of the Immaculate Conception, which just arrived from Manila.

            This is how the contest was done; first, the children of each village engaged with one another by turns, then, those of one village with the children of another.

They learned their catechism so well and everyone was determined to win, despite tricks were used to surprise the contestant. Winning was done by number of points. At the end of the day, winners were given silver medals and placed around the collar. A much bigger contest encompassing not only in religion or catechism, but as well as other subjects in the primary school was planned. It would be done when the Provincial Governor visits them.   

Summary: Letters of Fr. Antonio Chambo to the Mission Superior – 25 July 1882, Talisayan; 13 August 1882, Talisayan; and 6 September 1882, Gingoog.

Firstly, Fr. Chambo informed the Mission Superior that he was among those who waited for him in Cagayan to welcome him, but the Mission Superior did not arrive, inspite the last mailboat came. So, he went back to his mission area, howeer he returned again to Cagayan in time for the mail, but reports he knew which confused him much that accordingly the Mission Superior arrived in Cebu aboard ship Butuan, or had already left by boat when he was in Cagayan hoping to catch or see the Mission Superior.

            He was therefore sending his letter dated 25 July 1882, to greet the Reverend Superior on the Feast Day of St. Ignatius.[cxv]

            In Talisayan, he was able to baptize 130 natives and another 40 people waited for baptism. Moreover, the mountain people of Kibahug in Lagongong were likewise baptized and those from Blanco [a reduction settlement in Balingasag] would be baptized later because they are still preparing. The natives of Balatukan had come closer, but Fr. Chambo was not able to visit them, though he desires much to go there.

            Furthermore, the general confession of the people of Talisayan was completed, and from there, he has to go as far as Linugos. He was informed that Banuc has about 400 inhabitants and he is unsure if the report is true because he had not seen anyone there.

            While he was in Linugos, those who lived in Binuangan went there, because he had not visited them for sometime. Fr. Chambo told them he would visit them, however if they would join those in Linugos, they would be baptized.

            Fr. Chambo’s letter dated 13 August 1882 to the Mission Superior; said that he was glad the Superior arrived in Manila aboard Sorsogon safe. With his continuous work in Talisayan, twenty-six couples were already solemnized, those with impediments, who likewise wanted to marry had been referred for canonical investigation and would just wait for the results.[cxvi]

            Regarding the building of a church in Talisayan, all materials have been prepared, and although it has not started yet. For other works in town, many structures were constructed. If only the mountaineers, those who were just recently baptized and settled in Sta. Ines would transfer to the poblacion, there would be twelve cabecerias in Talisayan. Despite, this was what happened in Talisayan, the natives settling in Medina however “are increasing very much, with already more than 100 there.”[cxvii] It promises to be a big town and center for all the mountaineers, where I trust who now inhabits Balatukan will go.”[cxviii]

            The third letter of Fr. Chambo dated 6 September 1882 and written in Gingoog informed the Mission Superior that a native Chieftain named Manlimayon was at last converted to Christianity. With his conversion, it is hopefully expected that his followers would soon be converted.

           

Those baptized natives from the mountains of Sta. Ines, who previously refused to settle in Talisayan, are now transferring to the latter, and others have gone to Portalin [Portulin, a barangay in Medina today].

            He also informed the Mission Superior that the people of San Juan de Mangiskis finally transferred from the sandy place where they have their village to a much better place, where it could be accessible from the sea and the Lunso River. Likewise, he told him that he would leave for Surigao and shall write him from there.

Summary: Fr. Gabino Mugica to the Mission Superior

Balingasag, 16 September 1883.

With Fr. Parache, Don Antonio Brosa, and Don Trinidad Serrano, they left Balingasag on 9 June 1883 for Lagonglong, to refresh themselves from symptoms of cholera, and breathe the purer and healthier air of Balatukan.

           

For a transport, they had a small carriage and four horses and to avoid the blistering sun, Don Antonio and Fr. Mugica started ahead early that morning, while Fr. Parache and Don Serrano followed a little later. At the farm of Don Santiago Madrono, the early starters rested for a while waiting for the other two travelers to join them. They traveled together to Lagonglong and with them, were other 40 riders composed of several past magistrates and leading figures in Balingasag.

            On their way, they asked Fr. Parache to where they specifically were going. But no matter how insistent they were, Fr. Parache did not tell them where, but only said “they were going to examine some hot springs farther away.” The trail or road was getting rougher; the carriage was abandoned and they continued on without really knowing exactly where they were heading.

            At a certain point, they halted and thought that it was the end of their journey, but Fr. Parache said, “Soon we shall reach it.” They kept on traveling until their uncertainties were answered; they reached a place where multitude of small boys and girls, old and young pagans, many in their traditional festive clothes sprung from the sides of the mountains and joyously welcome them.

            Indeed, Fr. Parache was full of surprises; he meant a spring of unbaptized pagans, who were willing to be baptized.

[The name of the place was never mentioned in the letter. It only says that they sprung from the sides of the mountains.  Could it be Umagos or Canal as it is one place in Lagonglong where it is surrounded by mountains?]

Summary: Letter of Fr. Pablo Pastells to the Mission Superior

Tagoloan, 30 October 1887.

            Fr. Pablo Pastells[cxix] began by saying “I shall report to Your Reverence a trip I just made with Fr. Parache to Rio Grande Mindanao[cxx] through the Tagoloan Valley of the second district of that island.”[cxxi]

            He continued, “As soon as I took possession of the mission of Jasaan to which I had been assigned,[cxxii] my first concern was to go on a tip up that river, convinced of the great benefits to religion and the fatherland such an exploration or an important region would bring.

           

This trip to the hinterlands was made known in advance two months ahead to the 20 leaders of pagan ranches who came to Fr. Pastells. It was not only a missionary or exploration trip, but it bestowed titles of offices to the gobernadorcillos, other subordinate officials and distribution of national flag to the villages, which Don Luis Huertas, the District Governor ordered.

            Following what had been ordered or requested of them, Fr. Pastells and Parache left their respective residences [Pastells in Tagoloan residence while Parache was in Balingasag.] and stayed for a month among the pagans.

            Fr. Pastells summed up their trip, as follows:

1.      Pulangi or Rio Grande de Mindanao is three days away southwards from Tagoloan.

2.      Tagoloan River is bounded between two mountain ranges lying north to south, Kimankil on the east, and Kitanlad on the west.

3.      The Tagoloan River Valley is about four leagues wide. There are several tributaries from the left of the Tagoloan River flowing from the west to east down to Kitanlad. Tagoloan River begins from the eastern slope of Oroquieta or Malaybalay; it flows towards Kimankil. Three rivers namely Kanayang, Kibalabag, and Kimagpulud form a confluence.

     

Other river tributaries on the left of Tagoloan reinforced its currents  as it     crosses the valley, and are named in the following order: Palalangon,          Ambagasal, Salagon, Cagamacan, Gumatal, Ipoon, Bacanayon, Natibasa, Magobo, Bago, Tibalas, Patulangan, Tugan, Tibaogao, Tagabolo, Kilablab, Sinagoan, Alalum, Capolo, Kilao, Sumilao, Inlubun, Kulaman with its tributary Tagalomong, Mansanaga, Palin, Malibut, Mamamala, Manhiman [Mangima], Sancanan, Maninit, Manlaylay, Ugayan, Diclom and Dampilasan.

            The Alae and Agusan Rivers are not tributaries of the Tagoloan, but            exit only near Tagoloan.

4.      A placed called Silopon divides the waters, on the right flows the Pulangi and to the left is Tagoloan.

The tributaries of Pulangi to its right are these rivers presented in order: Gamut, Bacohan, Calasungay, Waga, Colasihan, Malopali, Kialiwas, Nataring, Dagungbaan, Molita, Kibagbag, Mararugao, Cataring, Calisaon, Lagayan, Piratan, Punut, Malitubug, Lubug, and Balita.

The colonial government and so with the Missionaries extend     their          control until Nataring only; beyond it is unknown even to the mountaineers. However, there are talks of Datus Uto and Panalanga, ruling Chieftains of the areas.

The following rivers are under the jurisdiction of the Datus: Dangungbaan by Datu Madaguman; Manpagutao in Molita; Mansungayan in Kibagbag; Manbilin in Marurugao Msangcay in Calisaon; Saripara in Lagayan; Sultan Amay Ginandin in Piratan; Sutan Amay Hantir in Punut; Sultan Asiniban in Malitubuog; and Sultan Ampoan in Lubug. Balita’s ruling Datu is unknown.

5.      The Field Marshoal or “malisacampo” Mansinanao of Linabo informed the priest that Datu Uto wants to extend his jurisdiction until Cayacaya, a tributary to the left of Pulangi near Nataring.

Sultan Amay Hantir of Punut ordered someone to tell Datu Mampundo, a mountaineer of Cayacaya (the latter proved friendly to the missionaries) would be conferred as Datu of Pintu, provided he would not allow any Moro from Lanao and Maguindanao to cross the boundaries of Cayacaya, even for purposes of trade or barter. In similar manner, Christians would be forbidden from crossing the same area just as the Moros have been restricted.

When Fr. Pastells reached the confluence of Pulangi and Malopali, a mountaineer named Lucio suggested that a settlement between Kialiwas and Nataring near the bank of Pulangi should be established. During January to April, the Pulangi can be forded along these areas.

Lucio’s proposal was granted by Fr. Pastell; he was authorized to act on behalf of Fr. Pastells and tell Datu Mampundo to join Luocio in this settlement. Mampundo would be bestowed the title of Kapitan of Pintu, a counter-offer of Fr. Pastells against Datu Uto’s, in order to dissuade the harmful influence of Moro on Mampundo.

6.      Upper Pulangi has a wide plain; it starts at the confluence of Malopali. It   extends to the right towards and down the mountain of Kudarangan. The valley is extremely fertile.

           

            Fr. Pastells said, “But this is not saying that the river is navigable on           that upper level.”

            From Bugcaon is a day walk to the confluence passing through an old        settlement in Buntulan, which was long abandoned, are    two             waterfalls namely: Salagapon and Logsocan. The former is about 30          meters deep, while Logsocan has a narrow passage of about six brazas        wide; and the Pulangi flows through this former passage. There is formed an incline of about 45 degrees angle.

7.      According to a baptized Manobo woman from Calisayan River and from other mountaineers, “the source of the Pulangi flows down opposite the slope of Kimankil Mountain, northeast of Sumilao. Thus, Kimankil would be the true knot whence the waters of the Pulangi flow southwest, through one of its tributaries on the right, Dumalaging; westward through the Tagoloan, through its tributary on the right, Amusing, which debouches very near Culaman, a tributary on the left of the same river, eastward, through Libang and Uhut which end in the Agusan near Esperanza; and northward, through the Gingoog River.”[cxxiii]

8.      There are several ranches before reaching Pulangi and they are as follows: Tagmalmag, 20 residents and would be 200 if those from Canutian and three ranches from Agusan would join it; Sancanan, 35; Dampilasan, 35; Tanculan [Manolo Fortich], 50; Balao, 30; Maluco, 30; Sumilao, 200; Paspason, 15; Impasugong, 40; Calasungay, 50; Malaybalay [Oroquieta] 150; Linabo, 150; and Bugcaon of 50 residents.

      

 A total of 1,050 were resettled and organized in their respective villages. They have gobernadorcillos, deputies, justices, aquacilles,[cxxiv] and cuadrilleros, with plazas, streets and tribunals or public buildings. These ranches have cattle, carabaos and horses; and they planted rice, corn, coffee, cacao, tobacco, and abaca. Their enemies are the Moros. In some places, they have still the flag, which was given to them forty years ago such as those in Tagmalmag and with it is the inscription “Tagmalmag 1849”.

           

       Fr. Pastells enclosed a map, probably to give the Mission Superior an approximate idea for his conclusion on the letter.

Summary: Letter of Fr. Ramon Llord[cxxv] to the Mission Superior

Balingasag, 5 October 1888.

            On board Aeolus from Mania for Mindanao, the passengers and Fr. Ramon Llord were thrilled of the enchantment of the big and small Visayan Islands. He was en route to his Mindanao assignment on 8 September 1888.

           

            Despite it was a longer voyage compared with today’s boat travel, he still enjoyed the trip in company of friendly and pleasant passengers. However, when they reached their port of call, their joys turned into dismay. Cholera had struck the place, and instead of disembarking and going normally to their destination, they were quarantined for 10 days in makeshift huts, thus completely isolating them. Their temporary abodes were exposed to inclement weather conditions; it was a restricted area, except for those who were assigned by the authorities to attend them. It had indeed put them into great misery.

           

            But no matter what the situation maybe was, exemption had there been always, they being priests and brother coadjutors were transferred from the makeshift shelters to a light sailboat, and were billeted at the house of the Governor of the place. The place was Surigao.

            After the quarantine period, they were permitted to leave and, Fr. Ramon Llord and Fr. Jacinto Juanmarti boarded a boat for Cagayan de Misamis. Docking at the port of Cagayan, the cargoes were unloaded, but the passengers compulsorily had to undergo quarantine again. Had it not been for the intercession of Fr. Zueco, the Parish Priest of Cagayan, and Fr. Parache, who met them at the port, they would have been billeted together with the other passengers. Fortunately, a large nipa house, about a quarter away from the poblacion was assigned to them.

            With this another predicament, they thought they would spend the next ten days in boredom, though the pantry or kitchen was provided with ample supplies of meat, chicken, eggs and everything to eat. But on the sixth day of quarantine, they were cleared and permitted to leave, so they visited Fr. Zueco at the Recollect convent to express their gratitude. The Recollects welcomed them and in fact invited them for meals. From there, they traveled to Tagoloan on the carriage of Fr. Parache who was in Cagayan.

            Spending another two days rest in Tagoloan, on the third day they went to Balingasag to see Fr. Ferrer and Casellas, and Brother Juan Costa[cxxvi].

Fr. Llord informed the Mission Superior that Fr. Casellas would momentarily be assigned in Tagoloan, while Fr. Parache and Juanmarti with Fr. Juan Terricabras will explore the Pulangi as far as Linabo on the first day of October 1888. So, he stayed primarily in Balingasag to study the local idiom with Fr. Ferrer, assisting the latter in the apostolic ministries. Despite, he found it hard to study the dialect, Fr. Llord said, “Daily I see that Visayan is more difficult than I thought before I began in earnest to study it. With God’s help, however, I hope that in three months I shall be able to preach one or two sermons in that tongue and join in any conversation with those of the country.”

In the meanwhile, the Jesuit communities of Balingasag, Tagoloan, and El Salvador waited for the arrival of Fr. Juan Bautista Heras, S.J.

Summary: Letter of Fr. Juan Bautista Heras[cxxvii] to the Mission Superior

Balingasag, 4 November 1888.

[Fr. Heras did not come directly from Manila to Cagayan de Misamis; he and Fr. Eusebio Barrado[cxxviii] arrived and moored their boat in Jasaan, without having any plan to drop by there. They came a long way from Caraga; journeyed for seventeen days overland along the Bislig Mountains “mountain of leeches” as he called it, through Sumilao and Agusan Rivers, the seas of Butuan, Gingoog Gulf and then to Misamis Oriental. His assignment was in Tagoloan, as Local Superior.

He was informed upon his arrival that Fr. Parache had just arrived Jasaan, so they proceeded to the convento. But, beforehand Fr. Parache knew they would be coming on a long boat.]

            Fr. Heras and Barrado started their journey before the middle part of October 1888 yet, because Heras wrote, “It took place at the end after 17 days”, and they arrived “on the last day of October.”

            In the Bislig Mountains, they waded for two hours, sometimes on waist-deep high waters; and as if the river was an open road. At Miaga Falls, they waited for a banca from Tudela to transport them to Sumilao River. However, there was none, so miserably they spent the night in a camalig [a small barn made of bamboo]. It was raining hard, their sacristans prepared supper but strong winds prevented them, so the boys took shelter in the camalig, and the latter was no use at all, it collapsed. Having no more shed and had not eaten  supper, they took shelter under a palm tree, huddled together and shivering from cold.  

            Luckily, the rain stopped, hurriedly a tent was fixed, and they spent the chilly night under it. Morning came; a promise of a new day, but the banca never arrived. So, they contemplated of making an improvised raft of bamboo poles; nonetheless, they did not use it in navigating to the Sumilao River because it rained hard again. Calling the plan off, they spent another cold night, hoping that the rains would end so they could venture out to negotiate towards the Miaga River with the rafts.

            Their tent despite it was not blown-off was again useless, the heavy rains caught them all wet even their extra clothing. They huddled together during the night in cramp position only to keep themselves warm against the cold and whistling breeze. Though it rained continuously but it was no longer heavy as it started, and at about midnight, they heard a noise – beating of drums. A search party of new converts had been looking for them and fortunately they rescued them. They said the “Te Deum”[cxxix] thanking God for His Mercy.

            Immediately, they sailed away the Miaga River for Sumilao under the faint beam of the moon, aided by the natives. By morning, they reached an open spot along the Sumilao River and navigated it unceasingly towards the Agusan River. (Miaga River or what its name now debouches to the Agusan River.) At last, all went well; they reached the seas safely after traveling for three days.

            Before Fr. Heras was reassigned to Misamis Oriental, his missionary works were with the Mandayas in Manacabag [part of today’s Surigao]. By the time he received the mail from Mati – Davao [today’s capital of Davao Oriental], he, and Fr. More’[cxxx] were to set out supposedly on 1 October 1888 to establish a settlement of the Mandayas near the sources of the Casauman River. They two missionaries had agreed that Fr. Heras would meet Fr. More’ at Manresa, on horseback, while the former shall walk from San Fernando in order to partly explore the territory.

            Nonetheless, an order from the Mission Superior instructed Fr. Heras to leave for Tagoloan; their Casauman exploration therefore was abandoned. Their instruction was clear; they should

not leave before the 15^th but not later than the 20^th day of October. Thus, they left Caraga on the 15^th of October and exactly 17 days thereafter or 31 October 1888, their boat was moored in Jasaan. 

            Going back to his missionary endeavors among the Mandayas, their tribal leaders had come to him before he left for Tagoloan. They asked permission to establish a settlement in Panay along the Man-ay River. The Mandayas were, of course, willing to be baptized and resettled, as they said, “It is impossible to form a village without being baptized.” They promised to start the clearing of the settlement and terrain for horses to pass. However because Fr. Heras had to leave them, Fr. Parache from the Balingasag Mission, would replace him, must decide for their request.

[Fr. Parache had left Balingasag Mission for Surigao assignment taking the place of Fr. Heras, after the former would finish the exploratory trip to Pulangi River with Fr. Juanmarti and Terricabras. Fr. Parache was the Local Superior of Balingasag Mission and Fr. Heras was the Superior too in his former assignment. They were two great missionaries in different areas.]

           

Before ending his letter, Fr. Heras told the Mission Superior that last 8 September, while still in Man-ay [center of the southern villages] they celebrated its Feast. Despite of famine, all went well because rice and wine were given free to the inhabitants – new converts. Likewise, he said he had served the feast days of Tarragone, Jovellar, San Ignacio, Santa Cruz, and Zaragoza, and had it not been of his reassignment to Tagoloan, he could have carried on important mission in those areas.

            In fact, Fr. Heras had started the first foundations for the building the villages even as far as the areas of Mati. In Jovellar, they baptized a Mandaya tribal leader from Mayo Bay. The newly baptized tribal leader had offered to assist the priests in forming the settlements along Tagnonog River that debouches into Mayo Bay.

            He finally ended his letter by saying, as priests usually say, “I close, commending myself to your holy sacrifices and prayers.”

---

NOTES

[i] Literature from the Great Island, Studies in the Exploration and Evngelization of Mindanao. Fr. Miguel A. Bernad, S. J., Ateneo de Manila University Press, Quezon City, 2004.

[ii] Fr. M.A. Bernad, S.J. The Great Island, p.60.

[iii]Ibid. 100-130. See A. Morga, Philippine History, Vol. 1&2.

[iv] Catholic Encyclopedia, Butler’s Lives of Saints, Nicene, and Post Nicene Fathers of the Church and L’Osservatore Romano.

[v] Ibid.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Fr. S.B. Bevans, SVD & Fr. R.P. Schroeder, SVD. Constants in Context” A Theology of Mission Today, Claretian Publications, Quezon City, 2005, 184.

[viii] Ibid.

[ix] Catholic Encyclopedia, Butler’s Lives of Saints, Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers of the Church, and L’Osservatore Romano.

[x] Bevans & Schroeder, 185.

[xi] Catholic Encylopedia,

[xii] Fr. S. B. Bevans, SVD & Fr. R. P. Schroeder, SVD. Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission Today, Claretian Publications, Quezon City, 2005.

[xiii] Bevans & Schroeder. Constants in Context, 192.

[xiv] Ibid,, 189. The sacred cotton thread, worn over the left shoulder and under the right armpit, is bestowed on boys, normally between the ages of eight and twelve, of the three upper castes of Hinduism during an initiation rite. After the entire initiation ritual, the boy is conferred with the status of “twice-born” (dvija) and now has the right to study the Hindu sacred scriptures.

[xv] Ibid.

[xvi] Ibid.

[xvii] It is a missionary approach, which most religious order followed during those times that people could become Christians only if their cultural-religious beliefs and practices were fist destroyed. See Bevans & Schroeder, SVD. Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission Today, Chap. 6.

[xviii] Ibid. See F. Villarroel, The Chinese Rites Controversy from a Dominican Perspective, 5-61.

[xix] The SCPF – Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith was established in 1622. Under the patronatus agreement, the church would give the civil authorities – the colonial government of Spain and Portugal, the rights and responsibilities for carrying out the missionary efforts.  However in the second half of the 16^th century, the Papacy began to reclaim such inherent and rightful role in directing the missionary activities because Spain and Portugal were losing their commitment to it. Thus, the SCPF was born to address problem areas concerning the involvement of European political and economic powers in mission, rivalries among missionary groups, and the lack of diocesan clergy and bishops in missionary activity.  See Bevans and Schroeder, Constants in Context, 193.

[xx] Ibid.

[xxi] Pope Clement X succeeded Pope Alexander VII in 1667. [SYMMI PONTIFICES IN HAC BASILICA SEPVLTI].

[xxii] Fr. S.B. Bevans, SVD & Fr. R.P. Schroeder, S, Constants in Context, 193.

[xxiii]  In 1625 in the Chinese city of Singanfu, a stone slab was excavated; and it contained various inscriptions in Chinese and Syriac. It was erected in the year 781 and signified the early existence of Christianity in China through the Nestorian or East Syrian Churches. Blair & Robertson Project Gutenberg, The Philippine Island, Vol. XXII, 1625-29. See Yule’s, Cathay, I, pp. xci-xcvi, clxxxi-clsssii.

[xxiv] P. Jenkins, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), 32.

[xxv] Fr. Bevans and Schroeder, SVD. Constants in Context, 193.

[xxvi] Fr. M.A. Bernad, S.J. The Great Island, Note 3, 165-166.

[xxvii] In 1645, Fr. Alejandro Lopez, S.J. on the order of Governor General Fajardo went to Maguindanao. He negotiated two peace treaties with Sultan Kudarat and it was a success. Ten years later, he was back again on another peace mission, unfortunately he and Fr. Montiel, S.J. were killed. See Fr. M.A. Bernad, The Great Island, Note 23, 59.

[xxviii] Fr. Francisco Demetrio, S.J., Historical Glimpses of Northern Mindanao, 430-31. He compiled the unpublished works of Fr. R.P. Cabonce, S.J., Brief History of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. See Sinopsis, 282.

[xxix] Fr. M.A. Bernad, SJ, The Great Island, Note 15-132. __ The first diocese of Mindanao was established in Zamboanga in 1910. Mindanao was divided into two dioceses in 1933, that of Zamboanga and Cagayan; and by 1990 Mindanao had twenty bishoprics, one in Sulu. The archdiocesan seats are at Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Davao, Ozamiz City, and Zamboanga, comprising five ecclesiastical provinces.

[xxx] Fr. F. Demetrio, S.J. Historical Glimpses of Northern Mindanao, 432.

[xxxi] Ibid.

[xxxii] Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, Vol. 1: The Rio Grande Mission, 61.

[xxxiii] From the Research Paper of Fr. Roniedon P. Valmoria, SSJV taken from the archives of the Immaculate Concepcion Parish, Jasaan, Misamis Oriental.

[xxxiv] Fr. Licinio Ruiz, Sinopsis Historica, 283 and Fr. Felipe Redondo y Sendino, Breve Reseña, 237-239.

[xxxv] Romualdo Jimeno, O.P. (Order of Preachers or Dominican), was Bishop of Cebu from 19 January 1846 to 19 January 1867. He had previously been titular bishop of Ruspe, Vicar Apostolic of Tunkin, to which he had been raised in 1839. See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. The Rio Grande Mission, Vol. I: 58.

[xxxvi] Fr. R.P. Valmoria, SSJV Research Papers.

[xxxvii] Reduction was applied as a tool to carry out the colonization process by gathering the natives or indigenous people into settlements or reduction areas, where they are humanized, and eventually evangelized. Bevans & Schroeders, Constants in Context, 179. See Margarita Duran Estrago, The Reductions in Dussel, The Church in Latin American, 351-362.

[xxxviii] G.F. Vega, Historical Glimpses of Balingasag.

[xxxix]Data were taken from the Municipal Development Office of LGU-Lagonglong and through personal interview with Datu Bruno Lindahay of Lantad, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, in December 2008.

[xl] Mt. Panalsalan and its vicinities were explored by Dr. Pisani, an Italian Geologist, and Consultant of the country’s Commission on Energy in the late 1970’s. In the summer of 1980 under Dr. Pisani, an expedition {composed of Ignacio Santua, Sr. and his son, Digno Cagas, Dennis Diestro, Rito Embate and a Higaonon guide from nearby Minlangit Mountains, reconnoitered the areas.  Recently in March 2007, two PHILVOCS personnel explored Mt. Panalsalan via the Lagonglong route.  Their guides were Melchor Cagmat and Juner Gabia. Its purpose was to collect samples for scientific studies. [Annotation made by the undersigned from further interviews of the members of the expedition parties – 1^st Expedition Dennis Diestro and Juner Gabia of the 2^nd exploration.]

[xli] Cartas 9:188-198 written at Gingoog by Fr. Jose Maria Clotet to the Rector of Ateneo de Manila dated 15 May 1889. It says that from Jasaan, “early in the morning of the 6^th, Fr. Superior and I took a long boat for Balingasag. Fathers Heras and Barrado going overland. . .  The Fr. Superior attended with great satisfacftion the school examinations very well conducted by Mr. Almendrala. On the 9^th, from Balingasag to Lagonglong, and from here to Canal [i.e. from Lagonglong they went to visit Canal]. See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J., Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: The Dapitan-Balingasag Mission, 390.

[xlii] G. Vega, Historical Glimpses of Balingasag.

[xliii] M. Cero, History of the Parish of Balingasag.

[xliv]Fr. Ramon Pamies was born in Borjas del Campo, Tarragona, Spain on 17 January 1831, entered the Society of Jesus on 26 December 1866, and came to the Philippines in 1868.  He spent his missionary career in the northern and northeastern Mindanao missions until his return to Spain during the Philippine Revolution. He died in Tortosa, Spain o 31 March 1914.  See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: 227

[xlv] Jose Maria Clotet was born in Manresa, Barcelona, Spain on 19 April 1864, entered the Society of Jesus on 11 January 1881, and came to the Philippines in 1887. For the next six years he taught successively at the Ateneo Municipal and Normal School in Manila, after which he returned for theological studies and his priestly ordination in Spain. In 1897, he returned to the Philippines, where the Philippine Revolution caught him. He returned to Spain in 1923 and died in Sarria, Barcelona on 25 January 1924. See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: 328.

[xlvi] Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: The Dapitan-Balingasag Mission, 350. Cartas 9:156-162 written by Jose Maria Clotet to the Rector of the Ateneo de Manila in Tagoloan dated 30 April 1889.

[xlvii] Jose Vilaclara was born in Artes, Barcelona, Spain on 27 November 1840, entered the Society of Jesus on 4 October 1862, and came to the Philippines in 1875. After teaching for four years at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila, he was assigned to the Dapitan and Dipoloo missions, until 1890, when he was reassigned for one year to the Ateneo. He returned to Dipolog and successively worked in El Salvador and Talisayan in Northern Mindanao. He returned sick to Spain on 2 September 1897, and died at sea off Aden [The Gulf of Aden connects with the Red Sea, it is located southeast of today’s country of Yemen, northeast of Somalia and likewise near the island of Socotra to the east.]  (Geographical annotation mine.) He was one of the Jesuits who helped Jose Riozal, in his last hours at Fort Santiago, Manila. See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: The Dapitan-Balingasag Mission, p. 517.  

[xlviii]  Jacinto Juanmarte, S.J.

[xlix]Fancisco Riera was born in Manresa, Barcelona, Spain on 20 January 1844, entered the Society of Jesus as a Coadjutor Brother, and came to the Philippines in 1865. Except in 1892-93 in Balingasag, he spent his entire missionary career at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila. He returned to Spain in 1922, and died in Manresa on 2 January 1929. He was one of the longest-staying Spanish Jesuits in the Philippines.  Ibid.

[l] Juan Costa was born in Brera, Barcelona, Spain on 11 March 1845, entered the Society of Jesus as a Coadjutor Brother on 19 October 1867, and came to the Philippines in 1875. He worked in various places in the Philippine mission: Ateneo Municipal de Manila, the northern and northeastern missions. In 1899, he was recalled to Manila, and went back to Spain.  A year later he was assigned to the Dapitan mission, he was an expert potter, and taught the orphans in the Jesuit mission in Tamontaca the art of pottery and other related industriest. He died in Dapitan on 18 November 1920. Ibid. 273.

[li] Ibid. 516-517.

[lii] The brick-church of Balingasag was set to fire by the Guerillas on 16 September 1942; a Japanese Captain named Okamura with three soldiers after engaging gunfire with the Guerillas sought refuge at the belfry.  After the war, it was rehabilitated by the American Jesuits, foremost of which was Fr. Risacher. Later in 1998, Fr. Perseus Cabunoc, SSJV, renovated it by eliminating the middle interior posts [about 30 posts] and the general roof structure. Furthermore, the church in El Salvador [built in 1892] being near the seashore was demolished by the parish. A new one was constructed across the national highway in the present times.  The one in Tagoloan and Jasaan [referred to in 1892] still exist today, but the church in Jasaan, is recognized by the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro as the centennial church in Misamis Oriental, since it is not renovated or remodeled, and therefore has been able to preserve its original form or design.  For detailed reference, See M.V. Cero, History of the Parish of Balingasag. 

[liii] Fr. Jose Canudas, S.J. in his letter to Fr. Alejandro Naval, S.J. [Secretary of Fr. Jose Maria Lluch, sent by Superior General of the Jesuits in Rome as Special Visitor in the Philippine Jesuit Mission] written in Balingasag dated 10 December 1878, it says: “Leaving Butuan at 7:00 in the morning, we reached Gingoog, the first barrio of Balingasag, at 9:00 in the evening.” He likewise says, “We left Gingoog in the afternoon, planning to reach Tagoloan, also a visita of Balingasag, at night. But God arranged something else. Bad weather at night forced us to sail for safety behind a point, thinking of sleeping in the banca.” See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: 225-226.

[liv] Literature from Fr.  M.A. Bernad, S.J. The Great Island.

[lv] The Napoleonic or Insular War in Spain started when Napoleon Bonaparte’s installed his brother, Joseph as King of Spain in 1808. The Spaniards revolted against French’s rule, a bloody rebellion ensued the next five years; and in 1814 the Bourbons was restored to power, Ferdinand VII was declared King. He reestablished absolute monarchy in Spain. His rule was however ineffective; it re-instituted a medieval form of ecclesiastical system. The nobles as well as the clergy regained their old privileges, which had been lately curtailed or minimized by the promulgation of the Liberal Constitution of Cadiz on March 19, 1812. Ferdinand VII kingship encountered series of civil wars beginning in 1820. Rafael del Riego, a military commander in Ferdinand VII’s army led the mutiny, and before the situation became worse, in fact there was a civil war, despite it was against his will, he agreed to the demands of rebels or mutineers for adoption of the Liberal Constitution of 1812. The new government ruled for three years, and King Ferdinand participation was nil, technically he was on house arrest. Under the Liberals or Progresista, the atmosphere of governance was seemingly anti-clerical; and this had been so because the priests too had domineering attitudes. So, there was sort of a misunderstanding between the Government and the Catholic Church. There was secularization of church property, and considerable area of church lands were expropriated for public use. Priests who objected vehemently governance were imprisoned, exiled, or even faced judicial trial and sentenced to death. In 1823, the French intervened, King Louis XVIII sent a huge army to Spain to annihilate the Spanish Liberal government. In April 1823, the Spanish army yielded to the French; and King Ferdinand VII again was restored as the absolute monarch of Spain. There was relative peace; the church was restored to its former position – church properties were restored and clericalism grew stronger, there was oneness of the church and state. In 1833, Ferdinand VII died at the age of 49. He did not have a son and only his daughter who was only three (3) years old succeeded him. Of course, the three-year old Isabella had no capacity to rule, so her mother Maria Christina was made Regent in view of the incapacity yet of Ferdinand’s direct heir to rule. For this, another civil war followed; the legitimacy of Isabella accession to the throne, and Maria Christina’s regency were questioned. ___ From a term-paper at SVD School of Theology, School Year 2010, Tagaytay City “Nineteenth Century Spain and Its Effects on the Philippines”.

[lvi] The priests were Jose Ignacio Guerrico, Juan Bautista Vidal, Pascual Barrado, and Ramon Barua, and Coadjutor Brothers, Pedro Inuociaga, Joaquin Coma, Venancio Betzunce, Jose Ignacio Larranaga and Jose M. Zumeta.  Fr. M.A. Bernad, S.J. The Great Island, Note 2: 131. See Fr. Pablo Pastells, Mission, 1:9.

[lvii] Bro. Venancio Belzunce, S.J., was born on 1 April 1830 in Puente a Reina, Navarra, Spain, entered the Society of Jesus as a Coadjutor Brother on 23 March 1856, and arrived in Manila on 13 June 1859 with the first band of 10 missionaries sent to the Philippines when the Jesuits returned that oyear to the country. He died on 4 July 1872 in Manila.  (Ibid.)

[lviii] It is one of the longest river systems in Mindanao. The Upper Pulangi River of Bukidnon in a place called Silipon turns and flows southwest towards Cotabato, and joins the Rio Grande de Mindanao. In fact, the Tagoloan River in Misamis Oriental draws its waters likewise in similar mountain range the Kimankil just as the Pulangi had. At Silipon, the waters that turn left heads towards the Tagoloan River, where it debouches at Macajalar Bay.  Upper Pulangi and the Rio Grande drain their waters to the southwest at Illana Bay.

[lix] Fr. Valignano was a Jesuit Papal Visitor to the East upon appointment of the Jesuit Superior General. He headed a new group of forty-one Jesuit missions from Lisbon, Portugal to Asia in 1574. Beginning in Japan, he insisted and began translating the scripture, catechiosms, and prayers to the local Japanese languages, which his predecessor Fr. Francis Xavier, SJ had done likewise done before.  He, too, insisted on the importance of accepting Japanese for priesthood, the irmao, who eventually would become priests.   It was Fr. Valignano who appointed Fr. Michele Ruggieri, S.J. to first learn Chinese in Macao territory when foreigners were not allowed to reside within the Chinese Empire. His style of mission was il modo soave – accommodating the style of the mission and church in terms of architecture, clothing, diet and social formalities to the place where the mission had been conducted. See Bevans and Schroeder, SVD’s. Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today, 186-187.

[lx] Libertas refer to slave children who were ransomed, grew up and educated in the orphanage of Tamontaka and ultimately at the right age married either to other liberta or with the Tiruray. They formed the first solid Christian families in the Cotabato, as they raised their family under the tenets of Christian Doctrines.

[lxi] Ibid,179. See Margarita D. Estroga, The Reductions in Dussel. The Church in Latin America, 351-362.180.

[lxii] Ibid. 179-180.

[lxiii]Bevans & Schroeder.  Constant in Context, 181.

[lxiv] Fr. M.A. Bernad, S.J. The Great Island, Note 14:132. See (Cushner, The Abandonment of Tamontaca Reductions, 1895-1899. Philippine Studies 12 [1984]: 288-96).

[lxv] Probably it is a prime reason why most of the Catholic Schools in the archipelago, where the Jesuits had their missions are today’s managed by the RVM’s. Its former name, Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus, obviously suggests such presumption.

[lxvi] Fr. Juan B. Vidal, S.J. was born in Montpalau, Lerida, Spain, on 31 October 1818, entered the Society of Jesus on 14 August 1841, and was one of the first ten Jesuit pioneerso sent in 1859 to resume the Jesuit apostolate in the Philippines after the suppression. He was also the local superior of the pioneer missionary group assigned to start the first modern Jesuit mission in Tamontaca in 1861. In 1864, he was named Philippine Mission Superior to succeed Fr. Jose Fernandez Cuevas, who had died suddenly. He was reassigned to the Mindanao mission in 1868.  On 30 November 1877, he died in Manila.  See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, Vol. III:3.

[lxvii] Fr. Jose Ignacio Guerrico, S.J. was in Cerain, Guiopuscoa, Spain, near the hometown of St. Ignatius Loyola on 30 July 1806. He entered the Society of Jesus on 8 June 1827. He was among the first group of missionaries who established the Tamontaca Mission in 1861. On 23 December 1883, he died in Manila.   Ibid., 46.

[lxviii] Fr. Jacinto Juanmarti, S.J. was born on 3 February 1833 in Llarvent, Lerida, Spain, and entered the Society of Jesus on 3 December 1857. He arrived in the Philippines in 1865, and was subsequently assigned to the southern Mindanao missions. He was made Local Superior of the Rio Grande Mission, and it was under his term that the mission expanded. He died on 7 April 1897 in Tamontaca. See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. The Rio Grande Mission, Vol. I:72.  ___ Fr. M.A. Bernad, S.J. says “He was buried under the floor of the church.” The Great Island, 126.

[lxix] Fr. Salvador Vinas, S.J. was born in Reus, Tarragona, Spain on 14 May 1853, entered the Society of Jesus on 15 June 1878, and came to the Philippines in 1895. He spent his entire missionary career in the Mindanao missions, except when he was recalled to Manila in 1899 because of the uncertain political conditions of the country. He was back in Butuan in 1904, and in Talacogon in 1905. He died in Talacogon on 21 December 1908.  See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol IV: The Dapitan-Balingasag, 594.

[lxx] Literature based from Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol.III: The Davao Mission and Fr. M.A. Bernad, S.J. The Great Island.

[lxxi] Fr.M.A. Bernad, S.J. The Great Island, 144.

[lxxii] Fr. Domingo Bove was born in Falset, Tarragona, Spain, on 12 December 1826, entered the Society of Jesus on 25 August 1857, and was assigned to the Philippines in 1864. He was assigned in Mindanao; Zamboanga (when the Jesuits took it from the Recollects in 1865), Tamontaca, Davao, Agusan del Sur. He died in Surigao on 17 July 1890.  Fr.J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. III.

[lxxiii] Antonio Gairolas was born in Arbeca, Lurid, Spain on 9 June 1843, entered the Society of Jesus as Coadjutor Brother on 18 March 1865. He was assigned to the various Mindanao missions, was caught, and imprisoned in Surigao during the revolution. He died in Davao on 17 September 1919, after being assigned there in 1905, when peace returned.  Ibid.

[lxxiv]  In colonial Philippines, men between 18 and 60 years old were obliged to pay the annual tribute and serve the public works initially for 40 days, but with the reforms in 1883, it was reduced to only 15 days. In South America, it was called mita or polo in the Philippines.

[lxxv]  Fr. Saturnino Urios, S.J. was born in Jativa, Valencia, Spain on 12 November 1845, entered the Society of Jesus on 2 Febuary 1870, and came to the Philippines in 1874. He was called as the “Apostle of Agusan.” Much of his success in the mission was his ability to learn the local idioms and speak them with ease. He died in Manila on 27 October 1918. Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. III.

[lxxvi] Fr. Marcelino Casasus Vivero was born in Calaceite, Teruel, Spain, on 26 April 1838, entered the Society of Jesus on 6 December 1866, and came to the Philippines in 1869. He was assigned to the Davao mission in 1870, but six years later, downed within sight of Caaga, a coastal fishing village on the Pacific coast of Mindanao. With him were several sacristan boys, no one survived the incident not even the crew; a squall overturned their boats.  Ibid.

[lxxvii] Fr. Quirico Morẻ was born oin Tosa, Gerona, Spain, on 13 January 1838, entered the Society of Jesus on 11 February 1871, and came to the Philippines in 1871. He was assigned to the Mindanao missions, where he died on 19 December 1893 in Surigao. Ibid.

[lxxviii] Fr. Mateo Gisbert was born in Cheta, Tarragona, Spain on 7 July 1847, entered the Society of Jesus on 14 March 1876, and came to the Philippines in 1879. Except for a year in Manila (1892) to rest, he spent his missionary career in northeastern and southeastern Mindanao. During the Philippine Revolution, he was recalled to Manila. In 1900, he was one of the first Jesuits to return to Davao. He died in Manila on 30 November 1906. Ibid.

[lxxix]  Fr. Antonio Benaiges was born in Reus, Tarragona, Spain on 20 January 1858, entered the Society of Jesus on 31 August 1878, and came to the Philippines in o1892. After a year in Manila, he was variously assigned to the Mindanao Missions, the Jesuit schools in Manila and in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. He died in Vigan on 21 August 1917. Ibid.

[lxxx] Fr. Manuel Rosello was born on 9 November 1835 in Montblanch, Tarragona, Spain, and entered the Society of Jesus on 20 November 1864. He came to the Philippines in 1879 and spent most of his years in Mindanao missions. He returned to Spain on 27 July 1899, and died on 13 January 1921 in Veruela, Spain.  Ibid.

[lxxxi]  Priests’ names taken from Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionaries, Vol. III: The Davao Mission.

[lxxxii] Literature from Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, Vol. IV: The Dapitan-Balingasag Mission.

[lxxxiii] Maricel V. Cero, History of the Parish of Balingasag, 26-27.

[lxxxiv] The Recollects in the summer of 1887 asked the colonial government to have exclusive contol of the areas of today’s provinces of Misamis Oriental and Occidental [2^nd District of Mindanao]; they once held. They claimed this would be a fair compensation for the parishes and missions ceded to the Jesuits when the latter returned to Misamis after their expulsion and established their missions in 1877. Jesuit missionary endeavors in Balingasag [their first residence] progressed well and another residence was established in Tagoloan, the staging point of their more challenging missionary works to what is today the Bukidnon province. Much ill will was expressed on the question as to who would properly evangelize the areas; despite Don Luis Huertas, District Governor favored the Jesuits, there were however never enough Jesuits to fully evangelized the places. So government decided to give the Recollects the western part of the Second District, starting from Cagayan de Oro [dividing line] to Iligan. The Jesuits were tasked to evangelize the rest of Mindanao.  Following such condition, the Parish of El Salvador in Misamis Oriental in 1895 under Fr. Ramon Pamies, S.J. was taken over by the Recollects.  See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, Vol. IV: 652-653.

[lxxxv] Fr. Gregorio Parache was born on 25 November 1838 in Arieto, Lerida, Spain; he entered the Society of Jesus on o10 September 1870, and came to the Philippines in 1872. He was variously assigned in Mindanao and held the position as Local Superior a number of times in their various residences. On 10 November 1911, he died in Caraga.  Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, Vol. IV: 53. See Cultura Social (Manila) II (1914) 439, 672-673.

[lxxxvi] Fr. Salvador Ferrer was born in Igualada, Barcelona, Spain on 25 September 1847, entered the Society of Jesus on 14 September 1866, and came to the Philippines in 1876. After a year at the Jesuit Normal School in Manila, he was assigned to the northern and northeastern Mindanao Mission; he died in Manila on 9 April 1895.

[lxxxvii] Fr. Francisco Xavier Martin Luengo was born in Villanueva del Conde, Salamanca, Spain on 7 November 1831, entered the Society of Jesus on 7 June 1857, and arrived in the Philippines in 1862. After three years at the Jesuit Normal School in Manila, he was sent to Sindangan. In 1871, he was sent to Surigao, where he spent the rest of his missionary career. Three times, he was delegated by the Bishop of Cebu both to make the diocesan visit and to administer the sacrament of confirmation (presently still an exception). He died in Manila on 13 May 1888.  Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters Vol. IV: 221.  See his other work, Martin Luengo and Two Wheels for Surigao, Kinaadman XIII (1991) 55-75. 

[lxxxviii] Fr. Jose Canudas was born in Santa Maria de Olivan, Barcelona, Spain on 18 May 1844, entered the Society of Jesus on 7 October 1864, and came to the Philippines in 1868. After teaching at the Ateneo Municipal, he went back to Spain in 1874 for his theological studies and priestly ordination. He was back in the Philippines six years later, and was assigned variously to Balingasag and the other northeastern Mindanao missions.  In 1890, he went back to Spain, but two years later, he was in Dipolog. He died in Linabo, Bukidnon on 26 October 1897.  Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: 221.

[lxxxix] Town officials.

[xc] Local paramilitary unit charged of peace and order.

[xci] Fr. Alejandro Naval, S.J. was their Provincial Superior.

[xcii] Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: 219-220.

[xciii] Each town had any number of barangay headships (in Spanish, “cabecerias”), each from 5 to 100 famiies, but without any jurisdiction of its own.  Ibid., 222.

[xciv] The yearly period of spiritual reflection for eight days or so called “exercises” by the Jesuits.

[xcv] Fr. Ramon Pamies, S.J. was born in Borjas del Campo, Tarragona, Spain on 17 January 1831, entered the Society of Jesus on 26 December 1866, and came to the Philippines in 1868. He spent his missionary creer in the northern and northeastern Mindanao mission until his return to Spain during the Philippine Revolution. He was firstly assigned in Davao in 1868 with the first group of Jesuits to evangelize Davao when they took it from the Recollects. He died in Tortosa, Spain on 31 March 1914. Ibid., 227.

[xcvi] Fr. Juan Casellas, S.J. was born in Barcelona, Spain on 3 February 1830, entered the Society of Jesus on 17 September 1867, and came to the Philippines four year later. Immediately assigned to the Zamboanga mission, he was reassigned later to the Jesuit Normal School in Manila in 1872. Three years later, he was in Butuan and various missions in north central Mindanao and Surigao. He returned to Spain during the Philippine Revolution, and died in Gandia, Spain on 20 February 1909.  Ibid.

[xcvii] Ibid., 223.

[xcviii] Fr. Antonio Chambo was born in Valencia, Spain on 16 February 1846, entered the Society of Jesus on 13 October 1869, and came to the Philippines in 1876. After a year at the Ateneo Municipal, he spent his missionary life in the north central and northeastern Mindanao missions. He died in Hinatuan, Surigao on 12 March 1893. Ibid. 227.

[xcix] Fr. Ramon Ricart was born in Vich, Spain on 4 February 1842, entered the Society of Jesus on 21 January 1867, and came to the Philippines in 1869. He taught at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila, but in 1875, was assigned to the northeastern Mindanao missions. He returned to Spain in 1899, but was back at the Normal School in Manila in 1900, after which he was assigned to Davao and Tamontaca successively. He died in Manila on 15 February 1906. Ibid., 228.

[c] Ibid., 225.

[ci] Fr. Juan Ricart, S.J. was born in Vich, Spain on 30 September 1838, entered the Society of Jesus on 28 Sepember 1861, and came to the Philippines in 1865. After teaching for five years at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila, he left for his theological studies and priestly ordination in Spain. After ordination, he was assigned to Balingasag in 1879, and three years later, was named Superior of the Philippine Jesuit Mission. Six years later, he was appointed Provincial Superior of the Jesuit Province of Aragon, after he was named for the second time (1893) Superior of the Philippine Mission. He was recalled to Spain earlyo in 1896 and soon Rector at Manresa and Tertian Instructor for the Jesuits in their final year of formal, to “third probation.” He died in Barcelona, Spain on 12 November 1916. He was the older brother of Fr. Ramon. Ibid., 236.

[cii] Fr. Gabino Mugica was born in Calatayud, Zaragoza, Spain on 25 October 1846, entered the Society of Jesus on o20 April 1868, and came to the Philippines in 1879.  He was assigned successively in Mainit and Bislig in Surigao, and Balingasag. He died in Manila on 11 October 1884. Ibid., 237.

[ciii] Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J., Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. 4:236.

[civ] Fr. Jose Salvans was born in Santa Maria de Manlleu, Barcelona, Spain on 7 December 1831, entered the Society of Jesus on 4 May 1871, and came to the Philippines in 1877. He was successively at Bislig, Alubijid, and Tetuan, staying in this last place for 17 years. He died in Manila on 24 January on 1897. Ibid.

[cv] Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV:238.

[cvi] Catholics are obliged to make their confessions and receive Holy Eucharist at least once a year.

[cvii] It is a common term among missionaries who considered their works as a war against Satan, and their converts as their conquests.

[cviii] Ibid., 246.

[cix]  Before the conquest, the dead were buried in various places, nor in reserved or places exclusive for the purpose, although there is sufficient evidence that the people honored the dead. Ibid., 253

[cx]  Inherited from Mozarabic Spain (Moorish influence) this is a ceremony by which the groom hands over to the bride some coins, as a pledge of his material support for her and their future children. Ibid.

[cxi] Ibid., 248.

[cxii]  Pedro de Almonte Verastegui was an Admiral in command of the Spanish naval expedition to the Moluccas. He also stood out in the Moro-Spanish rivalry in Sibugay Bay, and in 1638, he conquered Jolo. See Fracisco Combes,  S.J., Histeorica de Mindanao y Jolo, Wenceslao E. Retana-Pablo Pstells, S.J., edited (Madrid, 1899), Book VI, Chapter II.

[cxiii]  Perhaps, this is a short, but comprehensive explanations of the duty to pay the tribute.

[cxiv] Fr.J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao, Vol. IV: 254. Underlined words marked by the undersigned.

[cxv] Feast Day on July 31.

[cxvi] Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, IV: 259.

[cxvii] Ibid.

[cxviii] The Balatukan Mountain Range covers the areas of Gingoog, Medina, Talisayan, Lagonglong, Balingasag, and Claveria. A portion of it now comprising 9,645 hectares has been declared under Presidential Proclamation 1249 as “Mt. Balatukan Range Natural Park”.

[cxix] Fr. Pablo Pastells was born in Figueroa, Gerona, Spain on 3 June 1848, entered the Society of Jesus on 8 August 1866, and came to the Phiippines in 1875. After a year at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila, where he became the spiritual adviser of the young Jose Rizal, he was assigned to the eastern Mindanao missions. His last assignment in Mindanao was Tagoloan, where he stayed for only a year, for in 1888 he as named Superior of the Philippine Jesuit Mission. He returned to Spain in 1893 because of poor health. During his stays in Spain, he as first assigned as Assistant to the Jesuit Provincial in Aragon, then to the famous historian, Antonio Astrain, who wrote a seven-volume history of the Spanish oJesuits. Fr. Pastells also edited, with copious notes and documents, Francisco Colin, Labor evangelica de los obreros de la Complania de Jesus en las isles Filipinas, 3 ovolumes. (Barcelona, 1900-1902) in collaboration with Wencesalao E. Retana, Francisco Combes, Hisotoria de Mindanao y Jolo (Madrid, 1897), and other books.  On 16 August 1932, he died in Tortosa, Spain. See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: 268.

[cxx] The Pulangi River.

[cxxi] Mindanao was divided administratively into six districts in 1860, namely: Cotabato, Zamboanga--Basilan, Dapitan, Surigao, Davao, and Jolo. Each had a District Politico-Military Governor. The Dapitan District included the areas of Misamis, Lanao, Bukidnon, and Camiguin. See Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Missionary Letters Vol. IV: 268.

[cxxii] The Jesuits chose a centrally located town or mission site from where they undertook mission trips to the hinterlands. Jasaan was not a residence, but was attached to the residence of Balingasag. Other Jesuit residences were Tagoloan and El Salvador. Ibid. [Would it not follow that Jasaan from 1877 to 1887 was just a visita of Balingasag?] Underscoring mine.

[cxxiii] Ibid., 266-267.

[cxxiv] Peace Officers.

[cxxv] Fr. Ramon Llord, S.J. was born on 29 August 1853, entered the Society of Jesus on 28 August 1868, and came to the Philippines in 1887. After a year at the Ateneo Municipal in Manila, he was assigned to Tagoloan, Talisayan, Taganaan, and Sevilla successively. He returned to Spain in 1896, and later on left the Jesuit Order. Ibid., 273.

[cxxvi] Juan Costa, a Jesuit Brother Coadjutor had designed erected the first workable water system in Balingasag. He was an expert potter and had established a shop in Balingasag to produce bricks and other ceramic works.  On April 25, 1894, he was in Dapitan to begin another water system project, which Fr. Joaquin Sancho, S.J. initiated during his visit to Dapitan with Mission Superior Pablo Pastells in June 1892 at the time when Don Ricardo Carnicero was the Politico-Military Commandant of Dapitan.  Ibid., 184, 272.

[cxxvii] Fr. Juan B. Heras, S.J. was born in San Jaume de Fontanya, Barcelona, Spain on 10 January 1836, entered the Society of Jesus on 21 April 1858, and came to the Philippines in 1872. He was assigned to the Ateneo Municipal in Manila, appointed Vice-Rectoro and  two years later  was the Superior of the Jesuit Philippine Mission in 1875. During his term as Superior, the missions expanded and were consolidated. He initiated the publication of the letters and report the missionaries sent to the Superior, according to the rule; he also opened, as concurrent Rector of the Ateneo, a dormitory for the students where Jose Rizal boarded as an interno student. Oat the end of his term as Superior, he was assigned to the northern Mindanao missions in Caraga. Fr. J.S. Arcilla, S.J. Jesuit Missionary Letters, Vol. IV: 274. See Miguel Saderra Mata, S.J., Noticias biograficas del R.P. Juan Bautista Heras de la Compania de Jesus, 1836-1916 (Manila, 191).

[cxxviii] Fr. Eusebio Barrado, S.J. was born in Bello, Teruel, Spain on 5 March 1852, entered the Society of Jesus on 10 October 1881, and came to the Philippines in 1886. He was assigned successively to Tamontaka (in Cotabato), and the northern and southeastern Mindanao missions. He died in Manila on 31 May 1900.  Ibid., Jesuit Missionary Letters, IV: 280.

[cxxix] Traditional prayer in honor of Mary, as the Mother of God, a prayer recited daily during sunrise, at noon, and at sundown.

[cxxx] Fr. Quirico More, S.J. was born in Tosa, Gerona, Spain on 13 January 1838, entered the Society of Jesus on 11 February 1871, and came to the Philippines in 1873. First assigned ion Samal Islnd, he worked in the southestern Mindnao missions, Caraga, and Lianga in Surigao. He died in Surigao on 19 December 1893.  Jesuit Missionary Letters, IV: 280.