The parish priests of the Diocese of Cebu (1880s)

Part 13  

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:

Fr. Mariano Cornago, Recollect, Loboc, Bohol.

The parish is dedicated to the apostle St. Peter, its date of creation is not known, but the entries of its books go back to 1602. Fr. Redondo notes that according to the “Estadistico de los de Recoletos” the evangelization of the doctrine was begun when the first missionaries of the Society of Jesus arrived in the island of Bohol. The Jesuits constructed the convent which is very solid and spacious, as well as the church. Another interesting note written by Fr. Redondo was that in 1876, the swell of the river rose so high that it flooded the church and convent up to some five meters; more than 400 persons who were on the second floor were saved. It has the barrios of Cabu-ac 1½ leagues away and Canuguitan, one league away; both with schools. The town of Loboc is situated beside a flowing river and is an hour away from the sea which bathes the coast of southern Bohol; it is surrounded by mountains. It is bound by Loay in the south, in the north 2½ leagues away by Sevilla, in the northeast five leagues away from Bilar, in the west by the town of Balilijan with the same distance, and on the southwest by Alburquerque two leagues away.

Fr. Jose Garcia, Recollect, Loon, Bohol.

According to the parish priest, this parish was founded in 1753, under the patronage of Our Lady of Light. Its church was made of cut coral stone and lime mortar masonry with three naves; the columns forming the principal nave are made of strong cut coral stone. It has a baptistery, two sacristies, and two bell towers in the façade portico. It has tile roofing.

Jose Vilaclara, Jesuit, Lubungan, Misamis.

Lubungan (now called Katipunan) was created in 1870, separating from its mother parish Dapitan. The missionary priest has his residence in the annex town of Dipolog, which has better sanitary conditions. Its church was made of tabique pampango. It is under the patronage of St. Francis Javier. The town is situated in the northwestern coast of Mindanao, Dipolog, south of Dapitan is three or four hours away; and the interior about one hour and half away from the shore, near a river. It lies in the direction southwest of Dipolog. (To be continued)