Chapter L

Curacies and employments of religious in this archbishopric

Curacies

560. There are thirteen secular curacies and their visitas in all the archbishopric of Manila. In the Manila cathedral there are two--one for Spaniards, and one for natives. In the province of Tongdo is the curacy of Santiago; that of La Hermita de Guia, and that of Quiapo, the latter being an archiepiscopal house. In the jurisdiction of Cavite, the curacy of that port and city, and that of the natives of San Roque. In the province of Balayan, the curacy of Balayan and that of El Rosario. In the province of Laguna de Bai, the curacy of Tunasan, that of Tabuco, and that of Santo Thomas in the mountains. In the jurisdiction of Mindoro, the curacy of Luban. In all those curacies there are now administered about [_blank in original_] souls.

Calced Augustinians

561. The calced Augustinian religious have their convent and church within the archbishopric. It is all of stone arches, and is located in Manila; and art has employed all its beauties in its building, and it is of special size and beauty. There live, as a general thing, fifty religious, all of well-known talents; and they have quarters for novitiates and study, for those who need them. This was the first order which (in the year 1565) conquered these islands; through their first prelate and father of them all, the venerable Fray Andres de Urdaneta, a Biscayan, and a son of the convent and province of Mexico. This convent of Manila is the head of all the province of Dulcissimo Nombre de Jesus, and of all the parochial convents that are possessed throughout the province by the Augustinians, to wit, as follows:

562. In the province of Tongdo: the convents of Tongdo, Tambobong, Malate, Paranaque, Pasig, and Tagui. According to the last census, those convents minister to 21,959 souls.

563. The sanctuary of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe on the river of Manila, where there are no Indians in its charge, and where only a few religious stay for the worship of that holy image.

564. In the province of Bai, the province of San Pablo de los Montes, which has in charge 2,600 souls.

565. In the province of Taal or Balayan: the convents of Taal, with the holy sanctuary of the miraculous Virgin, and of Casaysay and its administration; that of Bauan, that of Batangas, that of Tanauan, that of Sala, and that of Lipa--with 14,628 souls.

566. In the province of Bulacan: the convents of the villages of Bulacan, Dapdap, Guiguinto, Bigaa, Angat, Baliuag, Quingua, Malolos, Paombong, Calumpit, and Hagonoy--with 23,303 souls.

567. In the province of Pampanga: the convents of the villages of Bacolor, Macabebe, Sesmoan, Lubao, Vaua, Minalin, Betis, Porac, Pueblo de Mexico, Arayat, Magalang, Tarlac, Gapang, Santol (with its missions, and the new village of San Sebastian), San Miguel de Mayomo, Candaba, Cabacsa, Apalit--with 38,513 souls.

568. In the mountains of the same province of Pampanga, within a radius of twenty-four leguas, there is a most flourishing mission of several barbaric nations, in which 4,500 souls are converted. [60]

569. The order of our father St. Francis of the discalced religious followed the Augustinians in point of their establishment in these islands; but I shall leave them for the last place in this book, in order to give precedence to the guests from outside, who honor my work.

Society of Jesus

570. The holy Society of Jesus came to these islands with their two vigorous apostolic leaders, Father Antonio Sedeno and Father Alonso Sanchez--who were most helpful companions of Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, the first bishop of Manila--in the year 1581. They have their principal college in Manila, whose titular is St. Ignatius. It is a sumptuous edifice, and head of all the colleges (which are eight in number, the houses proper of the order), and of all the residences and missions of these islands. In this chief college is situated the pontifical and royal university of letters.

571. It is assured that Pope Julius III was the first to concede the power of granting degrees to the holy Society of Jesus, on October 22, 1552; but only to Jesuit scholars. Afterward Pius IV extended this faculty to outside students, August 19, 1561. Lastly, it was all confirmed by his Holiness, Gregory XIII, May 7, 1578, that pope declaring that the prefect of studies could give the degrees. Urban VIII, on petition of the sovereigns Phelipe III and Phelipe IV, decreed that degrees could be given in the Indias by the hands of the bishops, in the colleges of the Society, as was once practiced in Manila by Archbishop Serrano. And because it was not continued, that college of San Ignacio availed itself of the privileges already noted, and of which mention is made in libro i, titulo xxii, law ii, of the _Recopilacion de Indias_. [61] Wherefore it appears that the holy Society gave degrees in Manila by pontifical and regal authority. Later his Holiness, Gregory XV, by his brief _Apud S. Mariam Mayorem_, conceded, on August 8, 1621, the same privilege, but with the following restriction, _praesentibus ad decennium dum-taxat valituris_, and that decennial was completed in the year 1631. Then on May 12, 1653, a royal writ of execution was issued, granting authority to graduate students from the college of San Ignacio or that of San Joseph. In the year 1718, the royal university was started in these islands, and it was maintained until the year 1726. As one of the professors was promoted to the royal Audiencia of Mexico, the chair of the morning classes in canonical law was given to the very reverend father Pedro Murillo Velarde, of the same Society, who had been professor of these branches in the universities of Granada and Salamanca, as a collegiate in the imperial university of San Miguel of Granada, and of the chief [college] of Cuenca at Salamanca. But on account of the increased expenses occasioned by this royal university, and as the benefits derived therefrom, as experience demonstrated, were little, this royal Audiencia of Manila determined that these professorships should be located--as it were, in trust--in the college of San Ignacio of Manila. That was in fact done, the Society showing this courtesy to his Catholic Majesty--until, by a decree dated July 26, 1730, those professorships are now suppressed, and other provision has been made. Now, very recently, the chief college of San Ignacio has, besides the privileges above cited, two new chairs--one of canonical law, without a salary, directed by a religious; and the other of institutes, under a layman, with four hundred pesos of income, in accordance with a decree from the Escorial, dated October 23, 1733. The college is authorized to grant degrees in canons, laws, and other branches by his Holiness, Clement XII, by his brief of December 6, 1735. Many are taking those studies, and are deriving great advantages therefrom. Their literary exercises are very excellent, and continue [throughout their course of study] under the careful guidance of the holy Society, which is not a new thing.

572. The royal college of San Joseph, contiguous to the above college of San Ignacio, and near the royal gate of Manila, has for its origin a royal decree of Phelipe II, dated June 8, 1585, wherein the governor of these islands--who was to confer with the bishop of the islands as to the means--was ordered to institute a college, and support religious who were to teach Latin, the sciences, and good morals to those who should attend. In obedience to that decree, the said college of San Joseph was founded in the year 1595. Twelve fellowships were created, and one thousand pesos assigned from the royal treasury. A deed of it was given on condition that the college was to be called a royal college, and that the arms of his Majesty were to be placed on it. A few years afterward, by the will left by Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa, governor and captain-general of the island of Mindanao, this college was established from the foundations in his name. It had a sufficient number of students, and a continually brilliant exercise in the branches of learning, which is flourishing in these times. Its antiquity, and its precedence to that of Santo Tomas, is defined by the royal Council of the Indias, in a contradictory judgment, which appears from a royal decree or writ of execution dated March 12, 1653. The title _Real ad honorem_, with authority to place it on all its acts and despatches, and to place the royal arms on its gates, as we now see them, is a concession of our Catholic king, by his royal order of May 3, 1722. Therefore this college is held in esteem and has a remarkable popularity.

573. In the province of Tongdo [the Society has] [_marginal note_: residences or missions] in the villages of Santa Cruz, outside the Manila walls, and in San Miguel on the river of Manila; up the river toward Laguna de Bai, in the villages of San Pedro Macati, San Matheo (with the missions of San Isidro, and Paynaan in the mountains), Antipolo, Taytay, Cainta, Mariquina, Silan, and Indang.

In the jurisdiction of Cavite, in the village of Cavite el Viejo [_i.e._, old Cavite], and in the port of Cavite, a college without administration.

In that of Marivelez, in the village of Marigondong.

In the jurisdiction of Mindoro, in the island of Marinduque, in the villages of Boac, Santa Cruz de Napo, and Gasang.

574. There is a beaterio, in the city of Manila, of respectable Indian women with their mistress, who have withdrawn from the world, and are employed in holy living and exercises. Although the fathers of the Society do not have charge of it and its government, because of the prohibition in their statutes, it is, through the common error of the crowd, called "Las Beatas de la Compania" ["Devout women of the Society"], for they hear mass, confess, and receive communion in their church at the college of the Society.

575. The number of souls in charge of the fathers of the Society throughout these islands and the Marianas, according to the latest computation (of which the fathers have informed me), is one hundred and seventy thousand.

This is all the total that I know from this point on, for the other bishoprics, which are lacking.

St. Dominic

576. The first religious of the order of our father St. Dominic who were known to have come to this archipelago were in the year 1581--the first bishop, Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, and his associate, Fray Christoval de Salvatierra, the only survivor of a very fine mission that his Excellency brought. But the first mission that came to establish itself in Manila consisted of fourteen religious, under their vicar-general, Fray Juan de Castro, in the year 1587, on the eve of [Mary] Magdalene. This holy religion has the merit of being more strict in Philipinas than in Europa; for its members do not receive honorable titles or its convents incomes. Their habit is of unmixed frieze, and there is nothing to be asked for as a dispensation in their regular observance. They have a very fine convent in the city of Manila, which supports about thirty religious of virtue and learning. It is the chief convent of this most religious province of Santissimo Rosario.

577. The pontifical and royal university of Santo Thomas, incorporated in this holy province of Santissimo Rosario of our father St. Dominic, must recognize as its origin that venerable servant of God, the most illustrious and reverend Don Fray Miguel de Venavides, of the same order, who while archbishop of Manila, planned this so noble a work in the year 1610--giving all his library and about one thousand pesos, which was the amount of his property, to begin its foundation. He was followed by Don Fray Diego de Soria, of the same order, and bishop of Nueva Segovia in these islands, who bequeathed all his library and three thousand eight hundred pesos for the continuation of this work. Consequently, by the year 1620 it already had lecturers and masters for the public teaching of the sciences, by order of the superior government and the Audiencia of these islands, as appears from the _Recopilacion de Indias_, libro i, titulo xxii, ley liii. [62] After that three pontifical briefs were obtained, each one _ad decennium_, empowering them to graduate students from the courses of philosophy and theology. But Don Phelipe IV by his letter to the count of Siruela, his ambassador in Roma, petitioned and obtained from his Holiness Innocent X the bull commencing _In supereminenti_, given at Roma, November 20, 1645. In that bull his Holiness erects a university in the college of Santo Thomas in due form, with all the exemptions and privileges that other universities have, under the care of the Order of Preachers. Authority is given to the rector to confer degrees, establish statutes, and appoint officials, his Holiness giving them the names proper of university, etc., until an independent university of general studies should be founded in Manila. Afterward the king, by a royal decree, dated Madrid, May 17, 1680, admitted the said university under his patronage and royal protection; and ordered the governor, Audiencia, archbishop, and orders to so regard it, and to observe its statutes and exemptions. By another decree, dated Madrid, November 22, 1682, the king concedes authority for the erection of the chairs of laws and medicine in Santo Thomas. By another quite recent decree, dated San Lorenzo, October 23, 1733, the king grants to the university of Santo Thomas two chairs--one of canonical law, which is held by a religious who receives no salary; and the other of the institutes, in charge of a layman, appointed by the royal Audiencia, and assigned a salary of four hundred pesos per annum, payable from the royal treasury, and to be taken from [funds arising from] the vacant sees of the archbishop and bishops of these islands. The same favor is conferred upon the college of San Ignacio of the Society. At present these two chairs are being maintained in both places. A petition having been made to his Holiness in behalf of the said university, that authority be conceded it to graduate students in the laws from it, his Blessedness Clement XII (who is at present governing the Church), concedes this, granting said chairs to the university. His bull _Dudum emanarunt_, promulgated in Roma, September 2, 1734, in which he inserts the letter of Innocent above cited, and the permissions and prerogatives there expressed (which are those of general universities), incorporates the said chairs, and those which may be founded in the future, so that the university may be able to graduate students in them, and so that the graduates may enjoy all the exemptions which are there mentioned.

578. Thus does the order maintain that university, and it has men there of excellent learning and qualifications for public teaching. There are a sufficient number of students and collegiates who hear instruction, illustrated in the public literary exercises in the sciences, and with all the other aids necessary. Its material edifice is very substantial and large and has a sufficient number of apartments and class-rooms of goodly capacity. It is located next door to the convent of our father St. Dominic in Manila.

579. The seminary of San Juan de Letran was started by a Spaniard of excellent life, called Brother Juan Geronymo Guerrero, who had in charge the rearing and teaching of poor and orphaned Spanish boys--whom, partly with his own money but more with alms, he was supporting and had gathered in his house. For that purpose his Majesty granted him an encomienda in Ylocos for the support of the said boys. When he became quite old and helpless he retired, with the permission of the archbishop, to the infirmary of St. Dominic, where he died a religious, having renounced in due form his house, encomienda, and all his other property, so that he might give them to the order. The latter was to take charge of the education of the said orphans. So in effect the seminary of the said boys was given to the order of our father St. Dominic with all the aforesaid incomes, besides a piece of land one hundred brazas long by fifty wide (which they were to choose) in the Parian--free, and without paying land-tax to the city--as a help toward its support. That transfer was made by decree of Governor Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, dated Manila, June 18, 1640, as appears from the first document in the book of the foundation of said seminary. In that book is seen its erection into a seminary with the advocacy of St. John of the Lateran, as appears from the acts of the archbishop and provisor, and from the other solemnities, found on leaves 5-11 inclusive. Their principal rule was the education of the said orphans, so that they might go thence as soldiers, and to occupy other posts in the community. Now most of them become priests, studying the branches of philosophy and theology; and almost all the seculars of the bishopric of Camarines, and many others in the other bishoprics of the islands, come from that seminary. From the said seminary, there have been already graduated with great credit four doctors through the university of Santo Thomas, two of whom are now canons of this metropolitan church--one, provisor of Ylocos; and the other, chief chaplain of the Misericordia. Some incomes in the royal chapel have been added to the said seminary, and a seraphic tertiary order with which fifty collegiates are regularly maintained in education for the order of our father St. Dominic.

580. In the suburbs of Manila, the Dominicans have the hospital of San Gabriel for the Chinese, and the convent and church of Santos Reyes [_i.e._, "holy kings"], with the administration of the same Christian Chinese, who live and trade here.

581. In the province of Tongdo, this order has charge of the village of Binondoc and the convent of San Juan del Monte (but without any administration), up the river of Manila.

582. In the province of Pampanga, the convents and administration of the villages of Abocay, Samal, Oriong, Orani, with some visitas and missions. In these administrations they have in charge sixteen thousand souls.

In the port of Cavite, a convent without administration.

583. Inside the city of Manila, the royal beaterio of Santa Cathalina is incorporated with the province of Santissimo Rosario. It was established in the year 1695, in the house and on the ground given for that purpose by Don Antonio Esguerra with some shops of the Parian for its support. Accordingly, some _beatas_ [_i.e._, devout women] lived there in retreat for some years, in the care of the Dominican religious. Later General Don Juan Escano took charge of the maintenance of the said beatas. He left a considerable portion of his property for that purpose, specifying that there should be fifteen Spanish beatas for the choir, and sufficient lay-sisters to take care of the beaterio. Today it is a house worthy of deep veneration and respect. The king has incorporated it in his royal patronage, with authority to have a public church with bells and a choir, and permission to celebrate the divine offices. They have a cloister, and profess the tertiary order of the Dominicans. The only thing necessary to perfect their lives, and which they desire, is profession as nuns.

Discalced Augustinians

584. The discalced religious of the great father of the Church, St. Augustine, entered Manila in the year 1606. Although they were the last evangelical workers, their apostolic zeal has extended in rivalry to the first ones, and they have attained abundant results from their labors, in the reduction of the most barbarous islanders, and in the exemplary lives of their reformed religious. The first convent in which they lived was the one now called San Juan de Bagongbayan, outside the walls of the city of Manila. It was established with the title of San Nicolas de Tolentino, which is still preserved (without administration), with the veneration merited, not only by their primacy but by the miraculous image of Nuestra Senora de la Salud [_i.e._, "our Lady of health"] who is venerated there. Later, a convent was erected in due form under the ancient advocacy of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, that saint being today the titular of that most strict province. In that convent, which is inside and near the walls of Manila, there are generally maintained thirty or forty religious. They have the reputation of being a community as well regulated as the best in Castilla, and one in which have been known a great number of fathers of holiness and learning. From that convent they go out to perform their laborious ministrations in these islands. Their houses in this archbishopric are as follows.

585. In the province of Tongdo, the convent of San Sebastian near Manila, where the miraculous image of Nuestra Senora del Carmen [_i.e._, "our Lady of Carmen"] is revered, and she has a Confraternity of the holy Escapular, with very fervent devotion. There are three hundred and thirty-six souls ministered to in that convent.

586. In the jurisdiction of Marivelez: in the villages of Marivelez, Cabcaben, Bagac, Morong; and they have administration between Subic and the point of Bolinao, which is the country of the Zambales. They also have some missions in the mountains near by. In that district they care for 8,550 souls.

587. All of the island of Mindoro is under the charge of those religious, where in various villages, visitas, missions, and settlements, they minister to 7,552 souls.

588. In the port of Cavite, they have another convent, a dwelling for the religious without any administration of Indians.

[_In the margin_: "Total number of souls, 16,438."]

St. John of God

589. The hospital Order of St. John of God, although their institute is the hospital and the treatment of bodies, have not a few times served as medicine for souls, under the spur of the apostolic zeal of those charitable religious. Although it appears from a royal decree of February 10, 1617, that permission was given for ten religious for these islands, one cannot find evidence of the time of their entrance. They can only be found in the year 1649, with a hospital of convalescents in Ragongbayan, outside the walls of Manila, with their superior, the very reverend prior vicar-provincial, Fray Francisco de Magallanes. [63] Cession was made to him, as the head of his order, of the old hospital, which was founded by our Fray Juan Clemente. The Santa Misericordia of Manila, under the title of "Hospital of the Misericordia of the Franciscan fathers," managed its financial affairs--as appears from the written statement of the said executive board of May 13, 1656, and from the permissions of Archbishop Poblete, of May 11 of the said year, and of Governor Don Sabiniano, of March 22 of the same year. His Catholic Majesty approved that gift by his royal decree of December 5, 1659. That hospital continually suffered ever-recurring disasters, until the arrival at these islands of the very reverend father Fray Antonio Arce, in July of 1726, as its head and superior. Such has been his zeal and prudence that he has merited the glorious title of restorer of the hospital order in these islands, in its organization and affairs. For now, not only is it seen to be glorified by a very large, distinguished, and devout community, but they have built a sumptuous church from the foundations, excellent sick wards, and the house of the religious, almost to the extreme of perfection. They began so grand and vast a work November 28, 1728, when his Excellency Archbishop Don Carlos Vermudez blessed the first stone, in the presence of Governor Marquis de Torre Campo (who began that building with two thousand pesos, which he gave that afternoon as alms), and the most noble and prominent people of this community.

590. There was another hospital in Cavite, but it was swallowed up in the sea. At present a common house is used there as a hospital. The same thing is true of Zebu. All that will be remedied, as is proved by experience, if the providence of God do not fail it, as hitherto it has not.

Discalced Franciscans

591. Our discalced religious came to these islands immediately following the Augustinian fathers, in the year 1577. They were the founders of the custodia of San Phelipe, which was later entitled San Gregorio. Now the province of the discalced Franciscans has the same title. Its first founder was the venerable Fray Antonio de San Gregorio, and its first custodian, the venerable Fray Pedro de Alfaro. Possession was taken of the new convent of Manila, August 2, 1577, and the most holy sacrament was placed in their church of Santa Maria de los Angeles [_i.e._, "St. Mary of the Angels"]. That was the first receptacle [for the sacrament], or sacristy, that his Majesty had in these islands. In this convent the community ceremonies are observed, in accordance with the rigor of the rules of Espana. There is a well-served infirmary, and [opportunity for] studies, when that is necessary. It generally contains thirty religious, according as the climate and other accidents of this country permit. This convent is the mother and head of this holy province, whence go religious to minister to the places in our charge. They are as follows.

592. In the archbishopric of Manila: in the province of Tongdo, in the villages of Dilao Sampaloc, Pandacan, and Santa Ana de Sapa--sanctuaries very famous for the miraculous images of our Lady and of the child Jesus--where 7,900 souls are ministered to.

593. In the province of Bulacan: in the villages of Polo, Meycauayan, Bocaui, with their visitas, where 19,500 souls are ministered to.

594. In the province of Laguna de Bai: in the villages of Morong, Bar-as, Tanay, Pililla, Mabitac, Caboan, Siniloan, Pangil, Panquil, Paete, Longos, Lucban, Cauinti, Pagsanghan, Santa Cruz (with its infirmary), Pila, Mainit (with the hospital of the sulphur-water baths), Nagcarlan, Lilio, and Mahayhay in the mountains. And now lately, by cession of the Augustinian fathers, the villages of Bai, and Binangonan de los Ferros [_i.e._, "Binangonan of the dogs"], with the settlement of Angono. In all those villages, and their visitas, 40,534 souls are ministered to.

595. In the mountains of Daraetan, which extend from Laguna de Bai to the opposite coast of Valer, there is a mission with about four hundred converted souls, and many others to convert. [64]

596. There is another convent outside the walls of Manila, at one legua's distance, called San Francisco del Monte, without administration, but used only for the spiritual retreat of the religious, which has its guardian.

597. Near the royal magazines of Manila stands the celebrated convent of the nuns of our mother St. Clare. They are subject to this province, and are governed by their vicar, a religious of this province. Its foundation and attending circumstances are treated in the body of these chronicles.

598. Within the court or enclosure of our convent of Manila, there is a very sumptuous chapel with the most holy sacrament, for the attendance and exercises of the venerable tertiary order, administered and governed by a religious, a commissary-visitor, a son of this holy province.

599. Outside the walls of Manila, near the village of Dilao, stands the hospital of San Lazaro, whose spiritual and temporal administration is, and has always been, in charge of the discalced Franciscan religious.

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