Ordo Praedicatorum Provincia Philippinarum
Ordo Praedicatorum Provincia Philippinarum
A History of the Dominican Province of the Philippines
From a memorial letter in 1957 to a solemn ceremony at Santo Domingo Church in 1971.
The nationalism that permeated almost all aspects of Philippine society in the 1950’s extended to the religious orders. In 1957, six Filipino religious priests, Frs. Hilario A. Lim SJ and Ambrocio Manaligod SVD (Leaders), Salvador Calsado OAR, Antonio Garin, OSA, Julio Obvial OFM, and Benito Vargas, OP (co-workers), raised the need for Filipinos to share in the administration of the Church in the Philippines, and decried the sorry number of Filipinos in the different religious orders. They sent a memorial to the Holy See. They contended that despite the admission of Filipinos to the religious orders, there seemed to be little enthusiasm to increase the number of Filipino religious compared to the increasing number of foreign religious working in the Philippines. This sad state was reflected in the Catholic Directory of 1958. Out of 1,742 religious priests in the country 89% (1,555) of them were foreigners and only 11 % (187) were Filipinos. In the case of the Dominicans, there were 27 Filipino priests and two brothers, over 81 foreign priests and 12 brothers. In the same period, all eight major seminaries in the country were headed by foreign rectors, as well as with the three Catholic Universities in the country, and no religious order had been headed by a Filipino.
The outburst of nationalism in the religious orders led by these six Filipino religious priests was quashed. Fr. Hilario Lim, SJ was expelled from the Society of Jesus. Fr. Benito Vargas, OP was assigned to the Dominican mission in Batanes. Fr. Ambrocio Manaligod, SVD was penalized by his Society. Fr. Salvador Calsado, OAR left the Recollect Order and became a diocesan priest and later went to San Francisco, U.S.A. Fr. Julio Obvial, OFM likewise, became a diocesan priest in Nueva Ecija. And Fr. Antonio Garin, OSA resigned from his post as parish priest of San Agustin Church, and later worked in La Carlota, Negros Occidental. But nationalism in the national social sphere never died down. It was amplified with the passage of the Rizal Bill, the move to nationalize schools with Filipinos as heads of Catholic educational institutions, and the Filipino First Policy, which placed nationalism in the economic front.
Fr. Silvestre Sancho, OP foresaw as early as 1951 the eventual departure of the Spanish Dominicans — either by government decree, or by the establishment of a Dominican Province in the Philippines.
Recounted in the Province’s founding history
The Spanish Dominicans were well aware of the nationalist movement as early as 1951. Fr. Silvestre Sancho, OP expressed his foresight of the eventual departure of the Spanish Dominicans from the Philippines either through the imposition of the government or the establishment of a Dominican Province in the Philippines. However, it would take two decades before such anticipation was to be realized. The participation of Fr. Benito Vargas, OP in the Filipinization Movement of Religious Orders of 1957 served as a foretaste of the impending Dominican Filipinization Movement that would culminate with the establishment of the Dominican Province of the Philippines in 1971.
The establishment of the DPP was triggered by the student rallies in the University of Santo Tomás in January 1969. They demanded the Filipinization of the University administration which was then run by the Spanish Dominicans, while Filipino Dominicans were entrusted only with token responsibilities. Seconding the demands of the students, the Filipino Dominicans, led by Fr. Leonardo Legaspi, OP, wrote a memorial addressed to the Master of Order, Aniceto Fernandez, OP, who at that time was present in the country conducting a canonical visitation. The memorial dated February 6, 1969 demanded that Filipino Dominicans be given the key positions in the University, and there be a preference for Filipino Dominicans in the appointments to administrative positions in the province and the Order. On the following day, on the eve of his departure, Fr. Fernández presided over a private meeting of the Filipino Dominicans. This became an avenue for Filipino Dominicans to voice out their concerns not only in the University but more so in the Province. They hinted their desire for the establishment of a Philippine province, having in mind the newly established Vietnamese Province. They hoped to have the same in the Philippines. This was received heartily by Fr. Fernández, and encouraged the Filipino Dominicans towards the fulfillment of their desire to establish their own province. With this encouragement, the Filipino Dominicans went on to establish the DPP according to these three stages:
The Suppression and Penalization of the Nationalist Priests
Religious orders quickly suppressed this movement. The six priests faced severe retaliation for their advocacy, including expulsions, punitive reassignments, and forced resignations from their orders.
The 1957 Memorial to the Holy See
Six Filipino priests petitioned the Vatican, protesting the foreign dominance in the Philippine Church (89% of religious priests) and demanding greater Filipino participation in its administration.
The years leading to the establishment of DPP can be characterized by utmost nationalism in all fronts and aspects of society, even in religious matters. The upsurge of nationalism in the late 1950’s among the Filipinos was due to their aspiration for an identity that they could own, especially after they had gained their independence from the Americans.
The Establishment of the Dominican Province of the Philippines (DPP)
1. Filipino Dominican Conference (FDC)
The first meeting of the FDC was on March 20, 1969 in the Central Seminary of the University of Santo Tomás . Fr. Gayo gave the opening speech. He proposed that FDC be only a consultative body to the Provincial, and urged the Filipino Dominicans to proceed positively in dealing with their present situation and inquiries. After giving his remarks, Gayo received the pledge of loyalty of the Filipino Dominicans and left the former to proceed in their program. In this meeting, Filipino Dominicans elected the members of an executive board. Those who were elected were: Fr. Leonardo Legaspi, president; Fr. Ramon Salinas, vice-president; Fr. Jaime Cura, secretary; and Fr. Manuel Piñon, treasurer. The resolutions of the first FDC meeting were 1) establishment of a secretariat for vocations; 2) creation of houses completely governed by Filipino Dominicans; 3) apprenticeship of Filipino Dominicans to the offices and ministries of the Province; and 4) election of a vicar provincial for the Philippines. These were all approved except for the last one. Fr. Gayo requested the FDC to propose plans for the set-up of a vice-province or a vicariate in the Philippines, in view of the upcoming Provincial Chapter. Among the plans presented by FDC, their proposed set-up of a Vicariate in the Philippines was approved for presentation in the Provincial Chapter of 1969 in Avila, Spain.
2. Regional Vicariate in the Philippines
In the Provincial Chapter in Avila, held on July 16, 1969, the Filipino Dominicans were represented by Fr. Thomas Lopez Francisco, Fr. Rafael Quejada, Fr. Jephte Lucena, Fr. Ramon Salinas, and Fr. Leonardo Legaspi. They presented in the chapter the proposed set-up of a Vicariate in the Philippines. With Fr. Aniceto Castañon as the new provincial of the Province, the chapter decreed the creation of an autochthonous province in the Philippines, the erection of a regional vicariate in the Philippines (composed of the Convents of Iloilo, Legazpi, San Juan del Monte, and the Babuyanes Islands), and the establishment of a Novitiate and Studentate formation houses. From 1969, there would be a two-year transition period before the establishment of the Philippine Province to be approved by the coming General Chapter in Tallaght, Ireland in 1971. On December 16, 1969, the new Provincial formulated a circular creating the regional Vicariate in the Philippines, and requesting the Dominicans in the Vicariate to elect a Regional Vicar. On January 29, 1970, Fr. Leonardo Legaspi was elected as the Regional Vicar.
The Philippine Regional Vicariate that was established through the efforts of the FDC in the Provincial Chapter in Avila served as a training ground in self-governance for the Filipino Dominicans in view of the establishment of a Philippine Province. The convents and houses that composed the Vicariate were the ones stipulated by the Acts of the Provincial Chapter, namely; the Convent of the Holy Rosary, Iloilo; the Convent of St. Raymond of Peñafort, Legazpi City; the Holy Cross Convent, San Juan, Rizal; and the Houses in the Babuyanes mission (Camiguin and Calayan). The two year existence of the Vicariate was not without setbacks and difficulties for the Filipino Dominicans who had trodden an entirely new landscape of administration. Those two years defined the capability of the Filipino Dominicans to govern a Province. The problems they met were seen as opportunities for them to practice the administrative skills they had learned and had longed to exercise.
3. The Establishment of the Province
In the Provincial Chapter in Avila, held on July 16, 1969, the Filipino Dominicans were represented by Fr. Thomas Lopez Francisco, Fr. Rafael Quejada, Fr. Jephte Lucena, Fr. Ramon Salinas, and Fr. Leonardo Legaspi. They presented in the chapter the proposed set-up of a Vicariate in the Philippines. With Fr. Aniceto Castañon as the new provincial of the Province, the chapter decreed the creation of an autochthonous province in the Philippines, the erection of a regional vicariate in the Philippines (composed of the Convents of Iloilo, Legazpi, San Juan del Monte, and the Babuyanes Islands), and the establishment of a Novitiate and Studentate formation houses. From 1969, there would be a two-year transition period before the establishment of the Philippine Province to be approved by the coming General Chapter in Tallaght, Ireland in 1971. On December 16, 1969, the new Provincial formulated a circular creating the regional Vicariate in the Philippines, and requesting the Dominicans in the Vicariate to elect a Regional Vicar. On January 29, 1970, Fr. Leonardo Legaspi was elected as the Regional Vicar.
The Philippine Regional Vicariate that was established through the efforts of the FDC in the Provincial Chapter in Avila served as a training ground in self-governance for the Filipino Dominicans in view of the establishment of a Philippine Province. The convents and houses that composed the Vicariate were the ones stipulated by the Acts of the Provincial Chapter, namely; the Convent of the Holy Rosary, Iloilo; the Convent of St. Raymond of Peñafort, Legazpi City; the Holy Cross Convent, San Juan, Rizal; and the Houses in the Babuyanes mission (Camiguin and Calayan). The two year existence of the Vicariate was not without setbacks and difficulties for the Filipino Dominicans who had trodden an entirely new landscape of administration. Those two years defined the capability of the Filipino Dominicans to govern a Province. The problems they met were seen as opportunities for them to practice the administrative skills they had learned and had longed to exercise.
Print media has been an active means of the brothers in sharing the fruits of their contemplation. Brothers in formation publish regularly their monthly gospel reflections (Tinig for the Postulants, Binhi for the Novices, and Pananaw for the Student-Brothers), these beside their annual publications (Albertine, and DNA). These publications in the formation serve as training grounds for the brothers to learn the rudiments of putting their thoughts in written form. Several members of the DPP have been active in publishing their works into books and articles in national broadsheets.
Recently, with its meager budget, the Institute of Preaching - Office for Social Communications of the Province was able to pool resources together to produce a full-length movie entitled “Dominic: Light of the Church.” Fr. Christopher Jeffrey Aytona was the executive producer of the said film, with Fr. Marcelino Saria as director. They were with lay collaborators; Marinette Losanta as associate director, Lauro Rene Manda as the director of photography and editor. To simulate an authentic portrayal of St. Dominic and his times, Spanish, French and English actors were hired to play the roles in the movie, and the film was shot in the three countries where St. Dominic actually lived, ministered, and died; Spain, France, and Italy. The film was shot from July to August of 2010. The premiere showing was on December 11, 2010 in the Medicine Auditorium of the University of Santo Tomás . The movie is the first Dominican-produced biopic, in the history of the Order, which featured the life of St. Dominic.
With the advent of the Internet and the creation of social media networking sites e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, the media apostolate has gained a new platform where the Word of God may be preached; The Internet; the Digital Continent. Beside the traditional tri-media (TV, Radio, Print), the Province, together with the individual efforts of some brothers, prepared various materials that are posted on the Internet, such as graphic text and short video catechism.
Some brothers also maintain blogs about gospel reflections or simply share personal thoughts In fact, Fr. Louie Coronel was chosen as the only Filipino among the 150 bloggers selected to participate in a historic Vatican Meeting of Bloggers in Rome on May 2, 2011, organized by the Pontifical Council for Social Communication. On July 7, 2013 the “iLumen (http://ilumenpreachingblog.blogspot.com/)” was launched. This serves as the official blog of the Dominican Family in the Philippines. Fr. Christopher Jeffrey Aytona, head of the Social Communications Apostolate of the Province, has produced iLumen Webpisodes. These are seasonal video catechisms (produced during Advent, Lent, October Rosary month) posted primarily on Youtube, and on various social networking sites. The Province’s Shrines and Schools use these videos, at the same time, for their catechism, which are shown before the start of a pertinent event.
In the context of the Dominicans in the Philippines, the use of modern means of communication in preaching goes back as early as 1959 when student-brothers used a tape-recorder and a gramophone to produce their private radio program exercise. This enthusiasm was further encouraged as later, media of social communications had been identified as potent instruments in proclaiming the Good News to as many people as possible. This is in line with the reforms of Vatican II, particularly through its document Inter Mirifica, the Decree on the Means of Social Communications issued on December 4, 1963. The use of media of social communications was strengthened through exposures and assignments even of student-brothers in formation. As student brothers, Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, Fr. Antonio Aureada, Fr. Virgilio Ojoy and Fr. Laureano Faraon hosted radio programs during the La Naval festivities.
Since the identification of Media apostolate as one of the priorities of the Province in 1992, the brothers had been preaching through television, radio, and print media. The participation of the brothers in media ministries reached its highpoints in the mid 80’s and 90’s. This was through the phenomenal rise to popularity of some of the brothers involved in media apostolate, especially Fr. Erasmo “Sonny” Ramirez. Fr. Sonny, as many fondly call him, who popularized the Sunday TV Mass in the Philippines (Celebration of the Holy Eucharist broadcast through television). He broadcast through TV, a regular show; “Sharing in the City.” He started the Siete Palabras, the longest running Lenten Special in the Philippines, from 1984 to the present.
Evangelization through Media Apostolate
The Fundamental Statute of the Province speaks of the Media Apostolate as follows:
With the development in social communication and information technology, we are challenged to seek out new avenues of preaching the Word. We are resolved to intensify our presence and to incarnate the Word among-us here and now.
Siete Palabras was originally a special edition of Fr. Ramirez’ show “Sharing in the City,” produced by Banahaw Broadcast, Inc. At first, it was only Fr. Ramirez who solely preached on the Seven Last Words of Christ which was shot outside studios, in the fringes of society. It showcased real life scenarios that depicted the spirit of Lent and the Last Words of Christ. In 1994, Siete Palabras was first shot in Santo Domingo Church, and was aired live via television. By that time, the province had taken the responsibility of producing the show. In 1998, other brothers from the Province had joined Fr. Ramirez in sharing and reflecting on the Seven Last Words of Christ. Since then, this Lenten Special has featured the reflections of seven brothers, coupled with faith testimonies, and artistic performances by lay people. Today, Siete Palabras continues to air every Good Friday serving as a platform for the brothers to share the fruits of their contemplation on the Passion of Christ, touching more people through the airwaves.
As it was in the olden times, radio proves to be an effective means of communication even in these modern times. Fr. Gallardo Bombase recognized this classic means of communication and employed it in the preaching ministry. In January 2004, Fr. Bombase launched the Spirit FM Calayan in the mission station of DPP in the Calayan Islands , Cagayan Valley. It hopes to serve the people in the islands by broadcasting daily the rosary, the celebration of the Eucharist, inspirational messages, religious music, the lives of the saints, and the Catechism for Filipino Catholics in Ilocano. In 2008, Fr. Bombase resumed his involvement with Radio Veritas with a weekly radio program entitled “Catholic Church Cares. His fruitful engagement in the radio ministry encouraged Fr. Bombase to establish the Radio Dominiko ng Manaoag (102.5 FM Band), in Manaoag Pangasinan, on August 15, 2008. Thus, to date, the DPP has five FM radio stations, namely: Dominican Radio of Calayan 99.9 FM, Dominican Radio of Manaoag 102.5 FM; Tiger Radio of UST; Arriba Campus Radio 87.9 FM of Letrán -Bataan, and Campus Radio DWAC- 87.5 FM of Angelicum College Quezon City.
Theological Reflection
The Theological Reflection as a priority of the Province is based on the provision of the Fundamental Statute that states: Being recipient of a Catholic heritage, we acknowledge that the doctrinal formation of the Church leaders is an integral part of our educational apostolate. For this purpose, we dedicate ourselves to theological reflection so as to impart among the clergy and lay leaders a dynamically harmonized catholic orthodoxy and orthopraxis. We shall teach the ecclesiastical courses just as we ourselves assiduously study the sources of these disciplines, especially Sacred Scriptures. We shall also study the signs of the times and discern the workings of the Holy Spirit in the developing forms of human culture in the Philippines. While promoting the sanctifying value of the sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacraments in the life of the faithful, we shall teach the faithful the doctrinal bases of these and emphasize the sacraments’ role in building up of the earthly and heavenly community.
The assiduous study of the brothers on the sacred truths of the Catholic Faith is geared towards the education and formation of the clergy and laity. It is enriched by the repositories of faith particularly the Sacred Scriptures, presented in consideration with the signs of the times and the Philippine context. It shall elicit catholic orthodoxy and orthopraxis among the members of the Church. This priority is primarily realized through the involvement of the brothers in teaching ministries in the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Santo Tomás and in their various theological researches.
The UST Ecclesiastical Faculties are composed of the Faculty of Sacred Theology, Faculty of Philosophy, and the Faculty of Canon Law. These faculties are considered to be the primary component of the UST. They contributed to the declaration of the University of Santo Tomás as a Pontifical University by Pope Leo XIII on September 17, 1902 through the document Quae Mari Sinico and was honored by Pope Pius XII with the title of The Catholic University of the Philippines on April 10, 1947. They assured the Catholicity and orthodoxy of education offered in the only Pontifical University in Asia –UST. The general purposes of the three faculties are: 1) To deepen the knowledge of Christian revelation and of matters connected with it; 2) To prepare with special care students for the priestly ministry, for teaching the sacred sciences, and for the more arduous tasks of the apostolate, and to promote the continuing permanent education of the ministers of the Church; 3) To collaborate effectively in the work of evangelization, in close communion with the Hierarchy of the Universal as well as of the local Church, in its pastoral, doctrinal, ecumenical and missionary undertakings; and 4) To be an educative community permeated with the spirit of freedom and charity.
