Divine Word College of Calapan

SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS

Prophetic Dialogue with Arnold Janssen Spirituality (Rel. Ed. 3) Q4

A-Q4. WITNESSING TO THE WORD IN THE WORLD THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIFE OF
ST. ARNOLD JANSSEN AND THE SVD FOUNDING GENERATION.

Objectives: 1. To practice and nourish the charism of the SVD missionaries in the light of the Divine
Word

2. To give emphasis on the Word of God in the milieu of family relationships inspired by
St. Arnold Janssen.

X. Part II: Prelature of Bangued

After the turnover of the whole province of Abra in 1920, the next act of recognition of the mission work of
the Society of the Divine Word was the elevation of the territory to Prelature status in 1955. A territorial
prelature, according to Canon Law (#370), is a certain portion of the people of God which is established within
certain territorial boundaries and whose care, due to special circumstances, is entrusted to some prelate who
governs it as its proper pastor, like a diocesan bishop. This means that the territory does not belong to any
diocese (nullius) and the prelate governs in the name of the pope. Simply, Abra became independent from
the archdiocese of Vigan. Bishop Odilo Etspueler, SVD, was appointed prelate. Bangued eventually became
a diocese in 1982.

The question of territorial boundaries came as early as 1917. The Society wanted that the whole of Abra
should be one mission field separate from Apayao and Kalinga under the care of the Belgian Fathers (CICM)
who came in 1907. Bishop Peter Hurth of Vigan conceded. He and the Apostolic Delegate proposed to make
the SVD mission an independent Prefecture Apostolic. The Society then did not entertain the proposal that
materialized only in 1955.

Modus Vivendi. Though the Abra mission started in 1909 with much enthusiasm, there was a feeling of
uneasiness among the missionaries. This was due to the lack of a clear working contract between the Society
of the Divine Word and the Diocese of Vigan. Already during the negotiation period, Father Arnold stated that
he would agree to the taking over of Abra mission on condition that a good contract would be drawn up.
Bishop Dougherty gave him assurances. That did not come during the lifetime of Father Arnold and Bishop
Dougherty.

Father Blum, the successor, made it clear that if a contract were necessary and useful, it should be made on
the basis laid down by Father Arnold. Fr. Beckert, however, believed that there was no need of a contract for
the time being. When the number of missionaries increased and the whole province was entrusted to them,
a felt need of a contract arose. On the other hand, bishops Carroll and Hurth did not follow up the matter.
When Fr. Hergesheimer became the superior he pursued the contract issue. He suggested that no more
missionaries would be sent to Abra until the contract was made, especially on the financial aspect. Then
came WWI.

The expulsion of missionaries in 1918 led to renew negotiations. Fr. Blum, before he died, attempted to have
the contract made. He considered it a condition for the return of the expelled missionaries. Before he died,
Fr. Blum gave instructions to Fr. Hergesheimer to draw up a good contract with Bishop Hurth. A blueprint
was made and submitted to the Generalate for study. Fr. Gier, who succeeded Fr. Blum, and his council
sought the assistance of the superior general of the CICM. Fr. Gier's visitation in 1922 gave the finishing
touches to the contract. Finally the contract was made in May 1922. Part of the contract stipulated: "The
Society of the Divine Word will try its best to provide a sufficient number of men to fulfill their pastoral duties
the unbelievers." With a clear modus vivendi came a renewed enthusiasm in the Abra mission. The contract,
of course, became moot and academic in 1955 but the enthusiasm of the Society lives on to this day.

After WWI, Abra mission work took various directions; intensification and extension of pastoral care for both
baptized and unbaptized, involvement in education, and running of seminaries. Other areas of mission were
introduced. At the same time, SVD mission in the Philippines had extended beyond the Abra province. Many
early Abra missionaries were reassigned somewhere while new ones from Steyl kept constantly coming in.

Pastoral Care. The immediate post-WWI years could have been very fruitful years for the mission. The rise
of more difficulties slowed it down. Economic depression and unemployment in Europe did paralyzing effects
on the Abra mission. In addition, the opening of many mission fields in the Philippines caused the number of
missionaries in Abra to remain at eight or nine. However, in 1931 the number rose to thirteen and to
seventeen in 1941. Among them were four Filipinos: Fr. Thomas Pacano from Pidigan; Fr. Ireneo Batoon, a
native of Manabo; Fr. Rafael Rulloda from Aringay, and Fr. Emilio Castro from Binmaley. In 1948-1951 there
were 18 missionaries in Abra. The number climbed to 23 in 1952 and decreased again to 18 in 1955 that
included three Filipinos, namely, Fr. Delfin Taguinod from Tuguegarao, Fr. Juan Cachero from Naguilian,
and Fr. Julio Barbieto from Tayum.

Since the arrival of the SVD missionaries in Abra the population steadily increased. The increase of
population and its accompanying problems did not match the number of missionaries coming into the mission.
The Aglipayans and Protestant sects were ever aggressive. To remedy the situation, the missionaries started
to involve the laity through formation of active parish communities and training of catechist Thus, the birth
co-missionaries in the Abra mission. Pari councils were gradually formed. In addition to purely spiritual
matters, the SVD missionaries together with their co workers, got involved in the social welfare of the
parishioners, Catechists imbibed the mission spirit and offered a lot of self-sacrifice. As a result, the number
of Aglipayans gradually dwindled into minority and the well-funded Protestant sects weakened.

WWII that broke out on December 8, 1941 did not affect so much the pastoral care in the parishes as it did
to the Tingguian mission. No missionaries were deported but a cloud of suspicion as spies were in the mind
of the Japanese. This was so especially those who were working with the Tingguians in the mountains. The
guerilla forces were set up in the mountains and whoever went up there were suspected as guerilla
collaborators. The Tingguian mission schools suffered the effects of war the most. Many were closed and
never reopened even after the war. Only those of Lacub, Bangilo and Lagangilang continued operation.

Between the two world wars the Tingguian mission flourished. It was a great success in terms of conversion.
Fr. Carlos Krautwurst conducted a systematic mission work in putting many small catechetical schools in the
mountains. Apo Carlos, as the Tingguians called him, was like the Good Shepherd who knew his sheep by
heart. The Tingguians loved him in return. "Apo" is a title full of respect. Abrenians even to this day, as a
show of respect to their self-sacrificing missionaries, call their priests "Apo Padi".

The townspeople also shared the wrath of the Japanese. The bombings in the towns caused numerous
deaths of civilians and even some missionaries. Fr. Batoon and Sr. Caritona were among the casualties in
the bombing of Bangued church. Many churches and conventos were destroyed. The war ended in 1945. As
a result of the devastation of World War II, the mission in terms of conversion slackened. In 1946, however,
the Abra mission had another new beginning. After nine years of zealous endeavor, the Abra mission gained
the merit of independent status; hence, the Prelature of Bangued.

Education Apostolate. Nowhere is the Society more involved in the field of education than in the Philippines.
The SVDs came at the time when catholic schools were needed most. In 1901 the American Military
Government established a public school system. Flowing from the American principle of separation of church
and state, Act no. 74 of the Philippine Commission states that "No teacher or other person shall teach or
criticise the doctrines of any church, religious sect, or denomination, or shall attempt to influence the pupils
for or against any church or religious sect in any public school established under this Act."

This policy suddenly came after almost 400 years of promoting Christianity in the schools put up by Spanish
missionaries. The Catholic Church in the country was greatly alarmed by this "atheistic" education of the
youth. In the 1907 Synod of Manila, the bishops decided to counteract the public school system. They
encouraged the establishment of parochial schools and invited religious congregations to engage in the
education apostolate.

From the very beginning of the Abra mission, the Society accepted the challenge to go into the school
apostolate. Already in 1910, Fr. Becken acknowledged the importance of schools but mainly as means for
converting the Tingguians. He said: "It is up to us to give the example." The Holy Spirit Sisters were first to
establish formal schools for the Christians in Tayum and La Paz. They were true to the intention of the Father
Arnold in them, i.e., as teachers in the mission fields. founding

Fr. Hergesheimer, who succeeded Fr. Beckert as regional superior, wrote in his annual report in 1916:
"Among the pagan youths the school plays the role of a forerunner and prepares the way to the hearts of the
children and thereby also to those of the grown-ups." Mission schools then sprouted in the mountains and
many of these got government recognition In his 1917 report, Fr. Hergesheimer wrote that 42 elementary
schools were "flourishing and developing well." to operate.
Maintaining and developing schools entail financial problems. This was true then and still very true today.
The regional superior then asked for school maintenance support from Bishop Hurth for salaries of the faculty,
upkeep of the schools and other expenses. Earlier he did not want additional Sisters because they entailed
too much expense and they could not find employment in all the mission stations. "Some Sisters were not
well physically due to their wretched living conditions, the strenuous work, the lack of exercise and the much
too heavy clothing they wore."

In spite of financial difficulties, the mission in the schools, both by the SVD and the SSPS was very successful.
This can be measured by the coming back of the "fallen- away" Christians into the fold and the conversion
into the faith of Tingguians. Perhaps, the height of the school apostolate was the establishment of a higher
education school, the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon in Bangued, today the Divine Word College of Bangued.

Seminaries and Priestly Formation. During his visitation in January 1922, Father Superior General William
Gier told Fr. Henry Buerschen, the provincial superior: "If anyone should ever offer you a major seminary in
the Philippines, then accept it at once.... We'll then try to make the impossible possible, for this is so important
a matter." Fr. Buerschen was well aware of the dismal situation of the local clergy. There were very few
Filipino priests then and their formation was neglected. Indeed, he was the right person to initiate priestly
formation work. In 1925 the Society took over from the Jesuits the administration of the

Colegio-Seminario de la Immaculada Concepcion in Vigan and Fr. Buerschen became the rector. The minor
and major seminarians increased steadily so that the colegio-part for lay students had to be separated. Today
the seminary is the Immaculate Conception School of Theology that has been turned over back to the
Archdiocese. The colegio is now the Divine Word College of Vigan. In 1930, the Society started Mary Help
of Christians Seminary, the seminary of the new diocese of Lingayen that has been separated from the
Archdiocese of Vigan. Likewise, this seminary and the Binmaley parish where it is situated, are now in the
hands of diocesan priests. A significant contribution of the Society was the introduction of the English
language as medium of instruction, instead of Spanish. The effect of undertaking seminary work was the
movement of personnel. A good number of missionaries in Abra had to be assigned as teachers and
administrators. The diocese of Bangued later put up its own seminary. It was started by SVD missionaries
and is dedicated to St. Joseph.

Catholic procession

Our experience in these seminaries prompted the acceptance of Filipinos in the Society. The Jesuits had
ventured into this earlier. Fr. Buerschen brushed aside the reservation that Filipinos were not fit for the
discipline of the religious life. Fr. Gier supported the idea. He wrote Fr. Buerschen: "God knows, there's
scarcely any mission I like so well as the Philippines." The Apostolic Delegate publicly advocated this idea
already in 1924. The Adoration Sisters, who came a year earlier, prayed zealously for the opening of an SVD
seminary. Related to this, the SSPS admitted their first Filipina candidates already in May 1924.
Father Theodore Buttenbruch, who became provincial superior in 1927, took the initial steps to realize the
plan. In 1929, he acquired a large piece of land in New Manila where to build the seminary. Due to worldwide
economic crisis the project was temporarily delayed. When Fr. Buttenbruch attended the General Chapter in
1932, he had a private audience with Pope Pius XI. The Pope told him that opening a mission house was the
most important task facing the Society in the Philippines. With the papal blessing Fr. Buttenbruch came back
and built Christ the King Seminary. Thus, after 25 years in the Philippines, a "new Steyl" was founded. Fr.
Buttenbruch wrote that the foundation would "take the spirit of our blessed founder and transplant it into the
Malayan soul, which would then pass it on the peoples of the Orient." The following year the first eight Filipino
novices were invested, all of them coming from Abra and some parts of Northern Luzon.

The Philippine SVD Province. Before 1955, SVD missionaries had spread far and wide in the country. They
had gone beyond the territorial boundaries of Abra province. As Abra matured into a prelature, the Philippine
SVD grew into a province under a provincial superior.

Msgr. Petrelli, bishop of the newly erected diocese of Lipa (1910), soon invited Fr. Beckert and the Society
to work in his diocese. Although Fr. Beckert was in favor of the idea, the invitation was not accepted until the
visitation of Fr. Gier. The Society started in the island of Lubang. Msgr. Verzosa, the next bishop of Lipa,
likewise invited the Adoration Sisters to his diocese in 1923. Thus, the cast was complete; the three
congregations had arrived in the Philippines. In 1937, the whole big island of Mindoro was entrusted to the
Society. The Vicariate of Calapan was erected and Fr. William Finnemann, SVD, was consecrated its first
bishop (prefect apostolic).

While still very new in Abra, Fr. Beckert already thought of setting up a printing press in aid of mission work.
He also planned a Mission Procure to be located in Manila. Negotiations with Bishop Harty were made,
including pastoral care of a parish. Since the SVD in its early years in the Philippines took care of the SSPS,
the negotiations included mission of the Sisters to establish a college. All these were accomplished in 1923.
That initial foundation (mission procure and printing press) is now the Catholic Trade Incorporated and the
Sisters' school is the College of the Holy Spirit.

After WWI, the Archdiocese of Manila felt the need for more priests for pastoral care. So it came about that
in 1926 the SVD took over the district of Zambales, then a stronghold of Aglipayans. After a successful
mission work, the Society turned it over to the Columban Fathers in 1951.

The remote northwestern towns of Cagayan were annexed to the Abra mission. The taking over of these
towns was an act of gratitude to the assistance rendered by Msgr. Juergens, bishop of Tuguegarao, in
founding Christ the King Seminary.

The Society's school apostolate expanded. It took over the University of San Carlos in 1935 (from the
Vincentians), the Tacloban Catholic Institute in 1941 (it was St. Paul College before it became the now
defunct Divine Word University of Tacloban). In 1946 the SVD opened the Divine Word College of Calapan
and Divine Word College of Laoag, formerly St. William's College. In 1947, Archbishop Julio Rosales of Cebu
invited the Society to open in Tagbilaran. The school evolved from Holy Name College to Divine Word College
to now the Holy Name University.
The SVD schools founded after 1955 are: St. Therese Academy, 1957 (Divine Word Academy of Dagupan),
Divine Word College of San Jose; 1960, Liceo de Albay, 1961 (Divine Word College of Legazpi); Divine Word
College of Bangued, 1962; St. Jude Catholic School (1963) and Divine Word Academy of Urdaneta, 1966.

Study Guides

Answer the following:

1. How did the Prelature of Bangued come to be?

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2. What problems were faced by the Society as it was establishing its mission in the Philippines?

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3. How did the SVD get involved in the education apostolate? Is running a school a mission work?

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4. What schools were put up in line of this apostolate?

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Course References:

• Estiko, Leonardo R., SVD. Witness to the Word (Readings on St. Arnold Janssen and the SVD
Mission), LOGOS Publications, Manila, 2005.
• Soc Abellana, Esperidion S. et al., Witness to the Word: Growing in Love, University of
San Carlos Press, 2013.
• Leonardo R. Estioko, Volume 2 Witness to the Word ( Readings on St. Arnold AND His Mission),
LOGOS Publications, Manila, 2007
• SVD Word in the World 1994/95. The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) reports on its
world-wide missionary activities. –Divine Word Missionaries: One Hundred Years in
North America 1895-1995, Steyler Verlag, Nettetal 19943, 239 pp
• Arnold Janssen 1837-1909, A pictorial Biography. Estella, Spain Editorial Verbo
Divino, 1987
• Aschem, Tom SVD, “Prophetic Dialogue from the XV to the General Chapter Advance,
• Difficulties and Challenges, which appeared in Verbum, VOL. 47 no. 1(2006) pp. 27-36
and a talk to the provincials of European zone, 2005
• Bastes, Bishop Arturo, Talk on Witness to the Word during the 3rd DWEA National
assembly, 2005, Tagay tay City