Jn 16:21
When the first CICM Missionaries arrived in 1907, they had to report to the Bishop of Vigan, Msgr. Denis Dougherty.
In 1912, due to the immense area of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Diocese of Nueva Segovia, Msgr. Peter Jos Hurth, who succeeded Bishop Dougherty, wrote Rome to propose that an independent ecclesiastical entity be set up for the MONTAÑOSA. But at that time, CICM did not yet feel to work towards that status.
In August 1926, Msgr. Guglielmo Plani, the Apostolic Delegate, discussed with the CICM Provincial Alfred Aldenhuysen this possibility of separating the MISSIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS from the Diocese of Vigan.
The Councilors of the CICM Province were generally in favor and brought this issue to the CICM General Government. At this time, the General Superior had decided against requesting for the separation or refusing if it would be officially proposed.
On November 30, 1928, the CICM Provincial Government sent the same letter to the Apostolic Delegate. Here are the reasons for the separation:
1. The regions form a geographical unit separated by natural boundaries from the surrounding provinces.
2. The tribes of these provinces are totally pagan and entirely different in customs and degree of development from the surrounding ones, but similar to each other.
3. The surrounding provinces, Christian for a long time, are organized into dioceses and parishes. Such organization is not yet possible in the Mountain Provinces.
4. The MOUNTAIN PROVINCES is in need of a special ecclesiastical administration. This appears all the more from the fact that it also has a special civil administration that is totally different from the other provinces.
5. Travelling in these mountainous region is difficult and the expense of undertaking missionary activities is so costly that the Bishop in charge of the other parts of the diocese cannot assume this burden.
6. The priests working among the non-Christians need someone, invested with ecclesiastical authority acquainted with the area, to whom they can address their doubts and problems.
7. Against this erection, it can be argued that it is against political prudence (prudential qui vocatur civilis) as well as against the poverty of the region, but this poverty can precisely be considered as a reason in favor of the erection.
8. CICM, which is entrusted with the care of this area does not request nor refuse the erection.
Then Fr. Maurits de Brabanders sent a personal letter to the Father General to push towards the separation of Montañosa. He deplored the lack of guidance and unity in the area. Not knowing anything about the pagans, the Bishop of Vigan provided no directives and no financial aid. The missionaries were like sailors working hard on a ship that had no captain.
During the CICM General Chapter in 1930, the participants were in favor of the erection of a separate entity and appointed Fr. J. Schipman to head a Committee to examine this matter. They favored the separation and erection of a vicariate rather than a Prefecture. They preferred also the municipalities and districts of Alilem, Sugpon and Suyo to be included and even Nueva Viscaya, provided that an agreement could be reached with Msgr. Jurgens, Bishop of Tuguegarao.
On November 30, 1931, Superior General Daems wrote Cardinal Van Rossum, the Prefect of the Propaganda. He answered the 20 points questionnaire of the Propaganda and provided information on the territory. He gave a realistic description of the miserable situation of the missionaries and a strong plea to a Vicariate rather than a Prefecture.
On December 4, 1931, a new complication cropped up during the dialogue between Bishop Santiago C. Sancho of Vigan and Fr. Quintelier, then, CICM Provincial. The Bishop was not opposed to the separation provided that he could keep Cervantes and Baguio City in his diocese. His preferred reasoning was that “he was afraid to go down in history as a weakling as the first native bishop, who, after having recently ceded a large portion of his diocese to the new Ligayen-Dagupan Diocese, he also allowed Cervantes and Baguio to be taken away.” Since many religious congregations were present in Baguio, he felt that a Bishop was needed to deal with them since a Prefect would lack authority. He threatened to defend his point of view in Rome.
The reading of the CICM Provincial Quintelier was that the Bishop was dragging in Cervantes to camouflage his ambition to retain Baguio City. His objection was that it was like giving CICM a body without a head.
Finally on February 8, 1932, the Congregation of the Propaganda announced that the Apostolic Prefecture of the Montañosa has been erected on July 15, 1931 and was entrusted to CICM. Its boundaries coincided with those of the Province of Montañosa.
When CICM Provincial requested the Bishop of Vigan to set a date for the official promulgation of the Decree of Erection, he declared that he had first to settle certain matters. In fact, he still sent a cable to Rome to plead for the exclusion of Baguio.
At this point, the CICM Provincial felt that it would be better to refuse the Prefecture, if Baguio was not included.
But on May 1933, Rome decided the matter with finality. Baguio remained part of the new Prefecture. Ultimately the Bishop now submitted to the decision and the promulgation was set on May 30, 1933. The Apostolic Delegate subdelegated the Bishop of Vigan to proceed with the promulgation of the decree.
It took 21 years before MONTAÑOSA PREFECTURE was born, almost headless, without the City of Baguio.
STEWARDSHIP OF
MSGR. OCTAVIO VANDEWALLE, CICM
1933-1935
On September 10, 1933, Bishop Constant Jurgens, CICM, Bishop of Tuguegarao, installed Msgr. Octavio Vandewalle, CICM, as the first Apostolic Prefect of the Montañosa Prefecture at Baguio City.
Octaaf was born in Heestert, West Flanders, on May 30, 1879. A tall, sturdy man with a daring, enterprising, at times even a pugnacious character. He was referred to as the “fighting priest” of Nueva Viscaya. He died in Torhout on August 25, 1968.
The new Apostolic Prefect most zealously started organizing things in his Prefecture. He wrote drive-letters to potential benefactors, visited mission stations, made plans and requested confreres for appointments and funds from Provincial Quintelier. It did not take long, however, before conflicts occurred between the two authorities. The misunderstandings were mostly about financial matters, appointment policies, and missionary methods.
Less than two years after his appointment, Msgr. Vanderwalle was forced to resign. He still travelled to Rome to plead his case but even there, he was knocking at closed doors.
MSGR. JOSEF BILLIET, CICM
1936-1948
He was installed solemnly as the second Apostolic Prefect by Papal Delegate Msgr. Guglielmo Plani, SDB, on January 29, 1936.
He remained the shepherd of the flock for 12 years. Josef Billiet was born in Zottengem on January 24, 1888. He made great efforts to master Tagalog in which he became quite proficient to the extent that he could bring out the finer nuances of the language and easily quote Tagalog proverbs and expressions. He died on August 12, 1965 in Baguio City.
The years 1941-45 brought a lot of worries and horrible destructions. There was total and partial destruction of 80% of the mission compounds. Notwithstanding all these terrible losses, Msgr. Billiet and the confreres did not wait long before starting up temporary constructions. They mostly made use of recuperated materials still lying around the ruins, the threatening famine in the mountains was contained and the most needed medicines were provided. After the war, an American Army Chaplain, Fr. Duffy wrote, “I think it is no exaggeration to say that, among the officers who know you, no one ranks higher than the Belgian Fathers of the Mountain Province. You have a record among the military men that is unsurpassed. The same among the Filipino guerillas I met.”
On June 27, 1948, he was informed by Rome that Montañosa had become an Apostolic Vicariate and that the younger William Brasseur had been appointed as Apostolic Vicar. At once he put aside all the marks of his dignity and donned a simple black cassock. After some time of reflection, he announced that he decided to stay on in the country notwithstanding tempting offers to return to Europe. He selected Pasig as his residence, where he felt he could still do a lot.
BISHOP WILLIAM BRASSEUR, CICM
1948-1981
“He was born a Belgian and died a Filipino.”
Fr. Willy was a natural leader. He had tremendous talents working with people . . . . . A talented and educated man referred to by the mountain people as
“their priest, their doctor, their organizer, their father and their friend.”
In 1948, he was chosen by Rome to be the first Bishop of the Vicariate of the Montañosa.
All his talents as a leader, an organizer, an administrator and a visionary who could see the needs of tomorrow, he went ahead organizing the Vicariate. He saw the need to develop a strong Church – a Church that would someday be self-sufficient.
The church was supported largely with men and money from Europe. He decided that his main job as Bishop was to make himself unnecessary. He set out to develop strong laity among the mountain people. He opened as many high schools in the Vicariate for the education of his people. Therein, he encouraged his missionaries to discern priestly vocations among the students. He sought scholarships for the candidates for the seminary because of their studies to become diocesan priests. Recruitment and formation of the native clergy was his priority, only in the 1970’s he allowed recruitment for the CICM Congregation in this Vicariate.
Aside from his concern for the native clergy, Bishop Brasseur also saw the need of having native women missionaries who are knowledgeable of their culture and are Christianized. This way they are in a better position to evangelize their own people.
So on June 22, 1952, he founded the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a Diocesan Congregation. He sought the help of the ICM Sisters in the early beginnings of this congregation with four indigenous women to start with. Hence, the ICMs served as the early formators and servant leaders of the SIHMs until 1964 when the latter were ready to take over the affairs of the congregation. Today, the congregation has a membership of 82 members and has attained its Pontifical Rights serving in 6 local Dioceses/Vicariates and 3 foreign missions.
PASSING ON THE TORCH
In 1971, he saw the need of an Auxiliary Bishop, to help him nourish the people of the vast territory of the Montañosa, and he to prepare him to take his place.
When Bishop William Brasseur was 75 years old, January 12, 1978, he submitted his resignation to Rome. But he was told: “You are still strong, continue for 2 more years.”
In 1981, he retired and Bishop Emiliano Madangeng took over as the 2nd Apostolic Vicar.
Bishop after his retirement became the Chaplain of the Notre Dame Hospital.
After a life devoted in total service to his flock, he was called by the Good Lord on February 2, 1993 at 90 years and was buried in the Baguio Cathedral.
BISHOP EMILIANO MADANGENG
1981-1987
1 Cor 2:3
On July 4, 1979, Bishop Madangeng was appointed coadjutor “cum juris successione”. On July 21, 1981, he became the Apostolic Vicar by succession. He was officially installed on December 5, 1981, the 2nd Apostolic Vicar of the MONTAÑOSA.
His term was short: 1981-2987.
Herein are some highlights:
On care for the clergy, the clergy was his priority. To keep the clergy in good health for them to deliver the needed services in the mission stations. Though funds started to dwindle those difficult years, the priests easily approached Bishop Madangeng for their needs.
On the sacramental life, paramount to him was to continue nourishing the people of God through a fruitful administration of the sacraments, especially the daily Holy Mass.
On Mission Schools, the existing 39 Mission Schools had to go on with their yearly subsidies. Some elementary Mission Schools were on the verge of phasing out. It was painful to let go some of them when there was no choice at all.
Shortly after he took over as Apostolic Vicar, he was asked the question: “What is the Mission Statement of the Vicariate?” – the Bishop said, “We have a Mission but it is not written out.” Preparations to answer the question started but it was for his successor to undertake. After his delicate operation, the Bishop tendered his resignation and Rome accepted his incapacity.
BISHOP ERNESTO SALGADO
1987-1992
Jn 17:19
PRO POPULO CONSECRATUS – this expresses the Bishop’s total dedication to God’s people in Baguio-Benguet where he has been called to shepherd in his capacity as Apostolic Vicar.
The bishop is sacramentally empowered by Episcopal consecration to carry out the threefold munus or functions of Christ (ruling, teaching and sanctifying). Part of and central to his consecration is his leadership in mission and that of being a point of unity in catalyzing the different ministries among the People of God.
He was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priesthood on December 23, 1961 and served as a professor and formator to future priests for twenty years at two seminaries dedicated to Our Blessed Mother, namely the Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary and the Immaculate Conception School of Theology both in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Appointed co-adjutor Bishop of the former Apostolic Vicariate of the Mt. Provinces on October 17, 1986, he was ordained to the Episcopate on January 15, 1987. On December 18, 1987, he became the third Apostolic Vicar by succession.
On the fifth year of his stewardship, the long standing proposal of creating three separate Apostolic Vicariates from the then Vicariate of Montañosa for pastoral reasons was inevitable. On July 6, 1992, the Apostolic Vicariates of Baguio, Bontoc-Lagawe and Tabuk were born.
Care for the clergy which stands among the priorities in the heart of the Bishop continues to witness apparent expressions such as the construction of a new and more spacious clergy house, better communication systems, better means of transportation, medical and health care for his confreres, endorsement of programs for the ongoing formation of the clergy, full concern and support for seminarians.
On August 10, 1992, Manila Bulletin reported …
“Pope Names New Vicars for Northern Luzon.”
In this issue “Pope John Paul II has appointed three Filipino Apostolic Vicars to the newly established ecclesiastical territory in the Mountain Province. Apostolic Nuncio Gian Moreni said that the appointment of the First Apostolic Vicars was in response to the request of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and of the Apostolic Vicar of the Mt. Provinces ….. the newly appointed Vicars were Msgr. Ernesto Salgado as the Catholic Vicar Apostolic of Baguio and the province of Benguet; Rev. Fr. Brigido Galasgas as the Catholic Vicar Apostolic of Bontoc-Lagawe for the provinces of Ifugao and Mt. Province; and Rev. Fr. Carlito Cenzon, CICM as the Catholic Vicar Apostolic of Tabuk for the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao.
On August 10, 1992, the “Parish Power”, Pope John Paul II acceded to the request of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, and from the Apostolic Vicariate of the Mountain Provinces emerged three new Apostolic Vicariates to be known as Baguio-Benguet, Bontoc-Lagawe and Tabuk.
On November 26, 1992 at nine o’clock in the morning at the Baguio Cathedral was the consecration of Frs. Brigido Galasgas and Carlito Cenzon, CICM to the episcopate, and the installation of Bishop Ernesto Salgado as the first Apostolic Vicar of Baguio-Benguet.
On November 27, 1992 at nine o’clock in the morning at the Sta. Rita Church of Bontoc, Mt. Province, Bishop Brigido Galasgas was installed as the first Apostolic Vicar of Bontoc-Lagawe.
On December 5, 1992 at nine o’clock in the morning at St. William the Hermit Church in Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga was the ordination of Bishop Carlito Cenzon as the first Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk.
The three Vicariates and their own Apostolic Vicars were conceived to everyone’s awe and wonder.
1992-2003
Baguio – born and bred, he spent his grade school years in Holy Family, Campo Filipino. There, he had a classmate who became a bishop, Msgr. Gregorio now in Bacolod. After his high school in St. Louis Boys’ High, together with three classmates, he decided to join CICM and become a missionary. After his two years of juniorate, he started his novitiate under Fr. Oscar Adriansens. He took his first vow on May 31, 1959. After his third year theology in San Carlos Seminary, he was ordained priest in Maryhurst on July 9, 1965. After completion of theology, he was given a two-year stint of tough missionary experience in remote Natonin.
While being a Vocation Director in the Metro-Manila area for a year, he took up graduate studies in history at Ateneo University until 1971. He was next prevailed upon to be Rector of Maryshore Seminary in Bacolod.
The time had come now when he asked to be assigned in a mission province. He chose Brazil. In the course of 197, he was ready to depart for his mission after a long wait in Belgium for his entry papers. He used this time to engage in a bit of language study.
He worked for 10 years in a variety of destination some quite deep in the hinterland. In 1982, he accepted to become again, the Vocation Director in the Manila area, but the following year, he was assigned as Vice-Provincial, a task he carried on until 1987. Elected as chapter Delegate, he was picked out by his fellow-capitulants to become the first Filipino to serve as General Assistant at the Casa Generalizia in Rome.
This year his term was suddenly cut short by his appointment as Apostolic Vicar of the newly created Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk. After his Episcopal ordination on November 25, 1992, he took up residence in Bulanao, Tabuk.
This will definitely be no “security” but a very demanding service commitment for our first Filipino confrere to join the hierarchy.
Accepting the Stewardship …..
Dear brothers and sisters of the New Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk, Kalinga-Apayao:
As I write this message to you, I’m looking at a souvenir from students of STS, Tabuk, given to me after I led them in a Retreat, back in the late 60’s. As I was saying goodbye, some of them said, “Come back to us, Father.”
I have kept this souvenir in my tranks, among the prized items given by friends made along the way as I went about God’s business as a CICM missionary priest.
This souvenir triggers memories of other encounters with various communities in Kalinga-Apayao. In the many opportunities I have had to go among its people especially when I held the function of Vice-Provincial of the CICM Missionaries in the Philippines, in my visits to the missionaries, you were the topic of our exchanges and concerns, as we reflected on how to help you appreciate better and experience the message of Jesus about the Kingdom.
I did not know that the Lord of the Mission would demand something more of me, that I pitch my tent among you and be your bishop in the newly created Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk.
I am accepting this task with joy . . . as one who has always felt one with your missionaries, as one who because of privileged encounters with you and your missionaries has always felt he belonged.
I therefore am coming back to you not as one with a burden to carry, but rather as one who comes back to resume a journey. It is a gift given by the Lord of the Mission; that I spend the years after my silver jubilee as a priest among those who were one of my first joys as a younger priest.
Even as I write this message, I look forward to being with you. Pray with me that God will bless our journey together towards His Kingdom.
Your brother,
CARLITO J. CENZON
COAT OF ARMS OF
BISHOP CARLITO J. CENZON, CICM, DD
“Expresses the desire to deepen the faith of the “Christians and at the same time to go into the deepest areas of the Vicariate of Tabuk. There are still mountains to climb and rivers to cross . . . areas where the Good News is not yet known or lived.. The color green dominates the coat-of-arms symbolizing the hope that the people of God in Kalinga and Apayao will in harmony live and grow with Christ and the Word of God as the center of their life together.
STEWARDSHIP OF BP. CARLITO J. CENZON
The Christian people of God in the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao will long remember August 6, 1992 when the Holy See (Rome) announced the division of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Mountain Provinces into three namely: Baguio-Benguet, Bontoc-Lagawe and Tabuk with Msgr. Ernesto Salgado, Msgr. Brigido Galasgas and Msgr. Carlito Cenzon, CICM as their Apostolic Vicars. Bishop Carlito Cenzon, CICM was officially installed as head of the Vicariate of Tabuk on December 5, 1992 at the Saint William the Hermit Church, Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga in the midst of everyone’s awe and wonder.
Prior to the division and evangelical journey of these three Vicars from Rome to their respective Vicariates, the giant Montañosa Vicariate was headed and controlled by Msgr. William Brasseur, CICM, DD assisted by Most Rev. Emiliano Madangeng, DD as the Auxiliary Bishop. Both ere based in Baguio City, their official residence.
The political subdivision of the former Mt. Province into five (5) provinces and its subsequent conversion into an Administrative Region to include Abra, and its recent subdivision into three Vicariates have certainly resulted to the speedy socio-economic development pace and moral recovery of the people. Seemingly, the Vicariate of Tabuk, popularly known as the Rice Granary or the Granary of the Cordillera is responding to the needs of its flocks as dictated by the signs of the times.
Before, Kalinga was the least visited sub-province by the missionaries because the tribes composed a confusing array of ethnological cultures, that was difficult, yet some Kalinga converts even drifted back to paganism.
From 1975-1990, a period of fifteen years, Kalinga was likened to the suffering Christ on the cross due to countless social problems that beset the society. The major causes of trouble from the early years of the seventies up to the eighties were the issues on the dam, atrocities of the NPA and the military forces. The tribal differences which caused the rupture of the many “bodongs” among peace pact holders was only a front to hide the many misgivings and anomalies of those who are for or against the government. The pace of economic development was halted due to killings as a result of inter-tribal conflicts. Kalinga has its own interpretation of the acronym KKK – Kalinga Killing Kalinga was the tune of the time.
From 1990 to the present mirrors a respite from the tribal turmoils except some isolated cases where the memories of the 1980’s resurrected due to the desire for revenge and counter revenge. In fact the new Vicar of Tabuk was victimized by a member of a certain tribe while coming home from a meeting in the nearby province of Cagayan. His wounding created a wave of uproar from the Kalinga Christian world, he being a mere shepherd who has nothing to do with the tribal jungle law “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
On December 3-7, 1997 the new Vicar staged the first Vicariate Pastoral Assembly at the Tabuk Pastoral Center in Bulanao, Kalinga with more than 300 delegates in attendance; the ultimate objectives of which was to frame the vision-mission of the Vicariate. The 3-day brain storming convention resulted in the framing of a vision tailored according to the wish and aspirations of the delegates from the two provinces of Kalinga and Apayao. Conforming to the signs of the times and aligned with PCP II. The convention resulted in a plan of inculturating the Liturgy as well as evangelization to the level of the parishioners.
The emphasis of the assembly centered on a more participative concern of the laity to determine the kind of Church that the participants want to design. The time frame of the Vision is not for a certain period. This means that the church must conform to the lives of the laity brought about by a constantly changing world.
There are numerous chapels established within the surrounding sitios and barangays with no priest. Hence, under the operational care of the Parish Priest who has to travel 10-15 kilometers for a visit, this is done by rotation during weekdays.
The municipalities of Tanudan and Pasil being roadless areas accessible only by hiking and helicopters, to date do not have yet an official mission station and a regular priest. Religious education is taken cared of by catechists coupled by monthly if not quarterly visit of a priest from another station. The municipality of Calanasan though accessible now by a road built from Claveria still has no resident priest. It is served by Kabugao mission.
Table 1 at the Appendix indicates the mission stations of the Vicariate.
AVT ORGANIZING YEARS
On December 3-7, 1971, the new Vicar staged the First Vicariate Pastoral Assembly which spelled out the first AVT Vision-Mission Statement.