Philippines, Cebú Province, Cebu City
Panel 1:
Fray Rodrigo de San Miguel
Pioneering Missionary
Indistinctly known in history books as Fr. Rodrigo Aganduru (1584-1626), the intrepid missionary from Villadolid, Spain, arrived with the first Recollects in 1606. Bataan and Zambales – where he founded the towns of Bagac, Morong, Mariveles and Subic - witnessed his initial apostolic endeavors. As vicar provincial, he sent missions to Palawan and northern Mindanao and canonically erected in 1621 the convents of Cebu and San Sebastian in Manila. Death overtook him in Guipúzcoa, Spain, before he could comply with the Holy See’s wish to send him as apostolic delegate to Persia where he had spread the Word of God. His writings on Philippine and Japan missionology, Tagalog and Zambal grammar, cartography, ethnography, medicine and religion, earn him a niche in Philippine Church history.
Panel 2:
Fray Juan de San Jeronimo
Originator and Planner of the
OAR Philippine Mission
Former Prior Provincial of the Saint Nicholas Province, Fr. Juan de San Jeronimo was named superior of the first missionary expedition to the Philippines since he was its originator, planner and negotiator. In May 1605, he met his other missionary confreres in Seville, Spain. After barely two months of preparation they embarked on 12 July at Sanlucar de Barrameda for Mexico. When they reached Vera Cruz, they hiked over 400 kms. To Acapulco where they boarded the Espiritu Santo in February 1606 and sailed to the Philippines. On 12 May 1606 the pioneering group arrived and set foot in CEBU, a natural port they found so welcoming. Only 13 of them made it as one succumbed to death along the way. The CEBU landing marked the beginning of a lasting commitment to the work of evangelization and pastoral care. Since then waves of Recollects have come to our shores and joined in the roster of over 1,700 Recollects who worked here in the Archipelago. In 2006 we shall be 400 years in the Philippines with renewed commitment to continue what our founding fathers began.
Marker Panel 3:
Fr. Andrés Del Espíritu Santo
A native of Valladolid, Spain, and member of the pioneering mission, Fr. Andrés del Espíritu Santo (1585-1658) founded the town of Masinloc (Zambales) in 1607 and the convent of Cavite Puerto in 1616. He was superior of the recollects in the Philippines for a total of twelve years either as vicar provincial or as prior provincial, deftly guiding the young province in its decisive years of challenges and new missionary horizons. After an eleven month journey from Spain via Mexico, he returned to Manila in 1622 that included the future martyrs Blessed Melchor de San Agustin and Blessed Vicente de San Antonio. Historians owe it to him for having chronicled the early Recollect convents, missions and missionary arrivals in our country (1605-1645).
[Seals of the University of San José Recolectos. Cebu City - Caritas, Scientlaé
(Churches, Etc. • Notable Persons) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.