Archdiocese of Lipa launches book on its first 100 years

MANILA, Philippines - On April 10, 1910 few knew that a historical decision was coming from the Vatican. It was to be a great leap forward for the Catholic Church in the Philippines and in the continent of Asia: Pope St. Pius X had created new ecclesiastical jurisdictions in the Philippine archipelago, and one of these was the Diocese of Lipa, encompassing the province of Batangas and neighboring areas.

A Century of Faith, a book celebrating 100 years of the Local Church of Lipa, tells a story that began long before that day and continues today, when the Archdiocese of Lipa exhibits robust life and growth.

The book will be launched on June 20 at the Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours in Taal, Batangas. Lipa Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles will host the event, with special guests that will include Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, a former archbishop of Lipa and of Manila and the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto.

The book narrates the story of the early missionary work in Batangas and neighboring territories; the bishops who led the diocese from 1910; the many parishes created; the religious communities that contributed to the growth of the diocese; the seminaries and the diocesan schools; and the yearlong celebration of the archdiocese’s centennial jubilee, for which it underwent three years of preparation.

A Century of Faith celebrates stories of the Batangas people’s journey in faith over the past 100 years. The significance of the role of the Archdiocese of Lipa is also revealed, tracing the roots of some of the most influential leaders in the Philippines — Cardinals Rufino Santos, Rosales, and Ricardo Vidal — back to local church of Lipa. Also within the book’s 315 pages are beautifully detailed photographs of churches, sacred images, and religious practices, which are complemented by the archdiocese’s own archival photos and documentations of events leading up to the centennial year held in 2010 to 2011.

Archbishop Ramón Argüelles says in the book: “Obviously, no one among us was involved in the making of the Local Church of Lipa a century ago, and those who will fete the second century of this Local Church are yet to be born. Definitely none of us will be there when the 200th year of this Local Church is marked. Only God knows whether the faithful 100 years from now will have reason to thank us for what we have done with our faith. We can only dream that in 2110 our descendants in the faith will have reached out to many areas of this hemisphere and proclaimed the faith everywhere.”

For copies of the book, call the Lipa Archdiocesan Chancery at (043)756-2572 or (043) 981-3023 and look for Se or Mavreen. Proceeds will benefit programs of the Archdiocese of Lipa.