Milestones in the History of the Philippine Svd

MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF THE PHILIPPINE SVD •

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The Society of the Divine Word came to the Philippines in August 1909. The first missionaries to arrive were Fr. Luis Beckert, a missionary from South Shantung, China, and Fr. Juan Scheiermann, a neopresbyter from Steyl, Holland. They came via Hongkong on board “SS. Koblenz” and arrived in Manila on August 15, 1909. They arrived in Bangued, Abra, on a raft, on August 22, 1909, accompanied by Msgr. James Carrol, the Bishop of Vigan. In January 1910, Fr. Juan Scheiermann died of typhoid fever, leaving Fr. Beckert singlehanded. But in the same year 4 new missionaries arrived: Frs. Miguel Hergesheier, Joseph Stigler, Philip Beck and Bruno Drescher arrived. In 1912 the first two Brothers, Bro. Patricio Grabsch and Bro. Ulrich Meyer, arrived together with Frs. Henry Buerschen, Teodoro Buttenbruch and Frances Blasczyk. (Tayum was the residence of the SVD Community). In January of the same year the first four S.Sp.S Sisters arrived. In 1913 the Society opened a temporary residence with a chapel and a Procure in Manila in a House provided by Archbishop Jeremias Harty of Manila. Fr. Beck was appointed procurator. At this time the Archbishop of Manila had entrusted to the SVD the administration of St. Rita’s Hall, a dormitory for boys-students (now the Sta. Isabel College facing Luneta Park). In November of 1913 Fr. Luis Beckert died. The following year Fr. Miguel Hergesheimer was appointed by Rome as the new regional superior. From 1909 to 1916 the young Philippine SVD mission sustained extreme sacrifices – five deaths of its missionaries in the first seven years, including the founders: one was drown with his horse in an Abra river, four died of fatal ailments. From 1918 to 1921 the Philippine SVD Mission suffered a hard blow with the exile of sven Abra missionaries – six priests to the U.S. and one Brother to Germany, namely: Frs. William Finnemann, Henry Buerschen, Miguel Gergesheimer, Joseph Stigler, Bruno Drescher, Frances Blasczyk, and Bro. Ulrich Meyer. Fortunately, the priests in the U.S. were immediately released and allowed to go to Techny where they were welcomed. Fr. Blasczyk died in a U.S. hospital. Meanwhile, three CICM missionaries and two diocesan priests took over the Abra vacant mission stations. In 1921 the exiled SVD’s returned to Abra. Four new missionaries arrived. The Philippine Mission picked up momentum. In 1922 the Philippine SVD took over Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro. Fr. Henry Demond pioneered the work, establishing himself in Lubang, followed by Fr. Carlos Krusenbaum in 1923, the latter attending to Tilik. On November 19, 1923, the first SSpSAD Sisters arrived in Manila, ten of them – 5 coming from Steyl and 5 from Philadelphia, USA. They were immediately accommodated in the Convento del Divino Amor in Lipa provided by Bishop Alfredo Verzosa. In 1924 the SVD definitely settled themselves in Manila with a Catholic Trade School and a printing-press. The printing-press was run by three newly arrived Brothers from Steyl, all experts in their own trade: Bros. Laurentinus Pütt, Agatho Schleiner and Hubertus Bodemer. They were joined by Bro. Vitus Woitok in 1926. The SVD administration then moved over to Manila, at CTS. In 1926 the SVD took over the administration of the Major Seminary in Vigan from the Jesuits. In 1927 the Society took over the Zambales mission. Fr. Joseph Stigler spearheaded the takeover by starting at San Narciso already in 1926. The following year Fr. Miguel Anspach joined him. In 1928 two more came, Fr. Henry Demond and Fr. Carlos Krusenbaum. In 1929 Fr. William Finnemann was ordained Auxilliary Bishop of Manila.

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In May 1934, the entire island of Mindoro was officially entrusted to the SVD, as a Mission Territory by a papal decree. In the same year Christ the King Mission Seminary in Quezon City, Manila, was inaugurated and officially opened to candidates. In 1935, the Philippine SVD made a big leap by extending its mission from the northern Philippines (Luzon) to the South by taking over Colegio de San Carlos in Cebu (Visayan islands) – to become University of San Carlos in 1948. From here, the Society of the Divine Word in the course of many years extended its presence and missionary service to other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao. In 1936 the first Filipino SVD was ordained, and in 1938 six more Filipinos were ordained priests- all of them had their seminary formation in the U.S. Those seven were: Frs. Raphael Rulloda, Emilio Castro, Andres Gonzales, Ireneo Batoon, Tomas Pacano, Delfin Taguinod and Juan Tugadi, Five of them faithfully served the Church within the SVD until the end of their lives. Also in this year, 1936, Bishop William Finnemann was appointed Prefect Apostolic of Mindoro. In 1937 the SVD’s came to the Mindoro mainland, and took over the parishes of Calapan, Naujan, Pola and Pinamalayan. In 1944 the martyrdom of Bishop William Finnemann in the hands of the Japanese Army. He was thrown into the sea near Verde Island, between Calapan port and Batangas City. In 1951 the sending of the first Filipino SVD missionaries to a foreign mission. Destination: Indonesia. They were Fr. Emmanuel Villaruz and Fr. Fernando De Pedro. In 1959 the Philippine SVD Province branched into one Province and two Regions: the Manila Province, the Abra-Cagayan Region and the Mindoro Region. (The Mindoro mission was made into a separate territory of the SVD, and so was Abra-Cagayan.) In 1963 the Opening of the Divine Word Seminary (Scholasticate/Novitiate) in Tagaytay City. In 1973 the SVD ventured into the Mindanao area via Dinagat Island, in Surigao del Norte. In 1976 the takeover by the SVD of The Archdiocesan Regional Major Seminary (REMASE) in Davao City. In 1982 the Philippine SVD was re-divided into three Provinces: The Central Province, the Northern Province, and the Southern Province. (The Mindoro Region was integrated into the Manila Province and became part of the Central Province. The Abra-Cagayan Region was raised to the status of a Province and became the Northern Province, and the Visayas and Mindanao areas became the Southern Province. In 1994 the SVD Philippine Northern Province ventured into the Kalinga-Apayao region and established the SVD District of Tabuk. In 2001 the SVD Central Province ventured into the new mission territory in Palawan where it accepted the SVD’s first mission station in Balabac Island off the southernmost tip of Palawan Island to start for interreligious and cultural initiatives and dialogues with the Muslim, indigenous communities in the jurisdiction. In 2005 the SVD Philippine Southern Province, upon the invitation of the bishop of Ipil Prelature, established its first mission stations in Mabuhay and Olutangay both in Olutanga Island, Zamboanga Sibugay province, for pastoral as well as inter-faith thrust of the PHS.

SVD MISSION IN MINDORO On January 1922, the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) missionaries had taken over the parish of Lubang, Occidental Mindoro.A year earlier, they requested the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (S.Sp.S) to start an elementary school in the parish in order to promote the religious and educational training of the youth. On June 19, 1923, three Holy Spirit Sisters with the Parish Priest as School Director opened the school. The wooden Spanish convent that stood at the seashore beside the Roman Catholic Church was converted into a school building. This school was dedicated to the Blessed Mother under the title: Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) because of its location. The school was under the ownership of the Vicariate of Calapan and later of the created Vicariate of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.They started with 330 elementary pupils from Grade I – IV without any fees collected from the students. The starting years of the S.Sp.S and the SVD in Lubang were tremendous. It was not only once that the roof of their convent was taken off due to strong typhoons. They even experienced sleeping under the umbrella. However, they were determined to go on for the Christian Catholic education of the youth of the island. They also responded to the health of the community. A clinic provided for had helped the community for so many years. The High School level was started on July 8, 1937, to mark it as the First Secondary Catholic Private School in the island of Lubang, providing many students with preparation to pursue higher studies.From 1940 – 1944, Stella Maris School was temporarily closed due to the World War II. It was reopened in 1945 to mark the ever first graduation in High School in 1949. In 1965, the old Spanish convent that had served as the school building for more than forty years was replaced by a modern concrete structure which was blessed in 1966. The two – storey building of SMS as constructed was under the supervision of Rev. Fr. Bernardo Pues, SVD who was the Parish Priest of Lubang and the SMS Director then. The very low enrolment in the elementary level prompted its closure in 1971. The school concentrated merely in the high school level. It was in 1976 when Rev. Fr. Bernard Kasselman, SVD started to plant talisay and coconut trees along SMS compound, putting mud soil in all the ground areas of the campus, concreting the pathways of the school and the church. From 1988, SMS was completely administered and managed by the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit. On September 18,1995 an earthquake had strongly affected SMS, after, the building was condemned. It was during this event when the people of Lubang witnessed among themselves the spirit of teamwork or bayanihan. In ten days time, sixteen (16) classrooms were put up to occupy the less than 800 students then with 25 teachers and 4 Holy Spirit Sisters. In 1996, three great events in the History of Stella Maris School were experienced by the community of Lubang: 1.) The destruction of the two – storey building of SMS, 2.) The Exit of the Holy Spirit Sisters, 3.) The decision of the Gradual Phase-Out of the SMS leading to its closure in 1999. It was also this significant year when the full administration and management of the school was turned over to Lay Administartors. It was on July 3, 1998 when the SMS PTA officers and members for SY 1998 – 1999 stood firmly to No Closure of SMS. With the permission of the Bishop of Occidental Mindoro then, the school continue to exist and operate accepting first year and second year students. The continuation of SMS gave a new life to Lubangeñous as well as to the graduates of SMS, the parents and the benefactors as they continuously support the school morally and financially. In year 2000, a new concrete school building was constructed on its original site and it was blessed on August 14, 2000 by the Bishop of Occidental Mindoro.