The parish priests of the Diocese of Cebu (1880s)
Part 8
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. Julio Saldana, Recollect, Dauis, Bohol.
It was created in 1720 under the patronage of Our Lady of the Assumption. The book report says that the oldest entries in the Baptismal Books are dated April 20, 1697.
Administered by the Society of Jesus. It used to be administered by the Jesuit Fathers:
“The Sacred Society of Jesus has one of its colleges in the City of Cebu; there is also the administration of Mandaue; and added, are the towns of Argao, Bolohong (Boljoon) and Cotcot with its annex Liloan in the same province of Cebu which were ceded by the Augustinian Fathers; near Cebu is Poro, a small island and the principal one of the three Camotes Islands.
“In the island of Bojol (Bohol). In the town of Loboc, Baclayon, Dauis, Malabohoc (Maribojoc), San Miguel de Jagna, Talibong (Talibon) and Inabanga.”
In the footnote of the book, it is written that according to Fr. Gaspar, the convent of San Nicolas was founded in 1584, when the Santo Niño was already established (now the City of Cebu). It also added a document was found in the archives of the diocese which states that on September 23, 1737, the vice royal patron allowed the cession from the Augustinian Fathers to the Society of Jesus in the administration of Liloan, Cotcot and Nahalin, Mactang, Olango, and Boljoon with their visitas.
Fr. Juan Santesteban, Recollect, Dimiao, Bohol.
Its date of creation is not known but Fr. Redondo wrote that the oldest entry in its canonical books is dated 1750. It is under the patronage of San Nicolas de Tolentino.
Fr. Domingo Bove, Jesuit, Dinagat Island, Surigao
The parish was founded on April 25, 1855 under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception.
Fr. Francisco Castellano, Recollect, Duero, Bohol.
Erected as a parish by Diocesan decree of June 5, 1863 under the patronage of St. Philomel, Virgin and Martyr and through Superior Approval of February 11, 1863. It separated from its mother parishes of Jagna and Guindulman.
Fr. Damian Pena, Dulag, Leyte.
It was one of the first to be administered by the Jesuits at the start of the evangelization of Leyte, and it is under the patronage of Our Lady of Refuge or Nativity of Our Lady. Fr. Huerta, as quoted by Fr. Redondo, says that the church was built by the Jesuits. (To be continued)
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