The parish priests of the Diocese of Cebu

Part 2

The Diocese of Cebu in the 1700s had jurisdiction over all the islands and provinces of the Visayas and Mindanao, even reaching to the Marianas Islands.

The parishes were administered by missionaries coming from the orders of the Augustinians, Franciscans, Jesuits, Recollects, and the secular clergy.

The list is taken from the book of Fr. Felipe Redondo in 1886:

Benito Ramiro, Secular Clergy, Balamban, Cebu.

Balamban was erected as a parish by diocesan decree of 1857, under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi.

Fr. Aquilino Majuelo, Jesuit, Balangiga, Samar.

Balangiga was erected as parish under the patronage of the martyr St. Lawrence, by Diocesan decree of September 27, 1858. Its mother parish is Guiuan.

Fr. Benito Garroya, Recollect, Balilijan (now spelled as Balilihan), Bohol.

Balilihan was erected as a parish on May 20, 1829 under the patronage of Our Lady of Carmel. Baclayon is its mother church.

Gregorio Parache, Jesuit, Balingasag, Misamis.

Balingasag was erected as a parish on November 3, 1849 under the patronage of St. Rita of Cassia, separating from its mother church, Jasaan.

Leon E. Aguiloar, Secular Clergy, Bantayan, Cebu.

Bantayan was founded by the Definitorio of the Augustinian Order on June 11, 1580, and turned over to the clergy during the time of his excellency, Bishop Agurto. It is under the patronage of the Apostle St. Peter.

Pedro de Alburo, Secular Clergy, Barili, Cebu.

According to the book of Fr. Felipe Redondo, the date of its creation is not known, however the oldest entries of its books are dated October 15, 1748. It is under the patronage of St. Anne.

Fr. Braulio Jambrino, Franciscan, Barugo, Leyte.

Its creation according to Cavada (a historian ahead of Fr. Redondo) was in 1768, under the patronage of the patriarch St. Joseph. A footnote of the book of Fr. Redondo translated into English by Azucena Pace said that in 1737 Barugo was already a ministry of the Jesuits.

Dionisio Noel, Secular Clergy, Baybay, Leyte.

It was created as a parish on February 27, 1856 by diocesan decree with superior approval on September 8, 1855. It is under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. It separated from its mother church, Palompon. The town was created in 1620. It was counted like Ormoc in 1737 as among the ministries of the Society of Jesus. (To be continued)