20/03/2024
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𝗣𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗔𝗡: 𝗔𝗡 𝗘𝗫𝗛𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗧 𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗜𝗞𝗢𝗟
San Antonio de Padua
Camaligan, Camarines Sur
Javier Leonardo V. Rugeria
Camaligan was established in 1795 after it separated from its mother town (matriz), Nueva Caceres. Fray Rafael de Benavente was named the town's first curate whose parish was a small chapel made of stone, wood, and anahaw.
While the parish community was founded in 1795, the church in the present site was first built in 1842 under the direction of Fray Juan Ramos and Isidro Pons. It was dedicated to San Antonio de Padua, a Franciscan saint and patron of the lost. Ramos also built the convento made of stone and wood but in 1856 a fire burned both the church and the house to the ground. Fray Juan Ontiveros, who was then the curate, rebuilt both edifices with their meager resources and with the help of the parishioners. It was completed a year later, in 1857.
Throughout the nineteenth century, Camaligan remained in the hands of Spanish Franciscan missionaries. For instance, Fray Pablo de la Concepcion was the curate in 1876 and Fray Perfecto Asenjo in 1884. It was only in 1902 that the parish was turned over to the secular clergy when Fr. Flaviano Enciso was appointed curate, the first secular and Filipino priest to administer the parish.
References:
Historical Data Papers-Camaligan, Camarines Sur, National Library of the Philippines.
Huerta, Félix de, O.F.M. 1865. Estado geográfico, topográfico, estadístico, histórico religioso de la santa apostólica Provincia de S. Gregorio Magno. Binondo. Imprenta de M. Sanchez y Cia.
Moreno, Francisco. 1877. Historia de la Santa Iglesia metropolitana de Filipinas : con las vidas de arzobispos y varones insignes, extensiva a hechos culminantes de la conquista y fundacion de varias instituciones en esta capital hasta 1650. Manila: Imp. de El Oriente.
Puya Ruiz, Adolfo. 1887. Camarines Sur: Descripción general de esta provincia en Luzón, acompañada de un plano del territorio que la provincia ocupa. Manila: Establecimiento Tipografico de La Oceanía Española.
Provincia de la San Gregorio Magno de PP. Franciscanos Descalzos. 1885. Estado general de los religiosos y religiosas existentes en los diversos conventos, hospitales, enfermerías, parroquías, misiones y demás casas de la provincia de San Gregorio Magno de PP. Franciscanos descalzos tiene establecidas en estas islas y en España. Manila: Estab. Tip. de Ramírez y Giraudier.
Image courtesy of Jun Pasa via Wikimedia Commons.
