The Miracles Of The Our Lady Of Oton

According to history, the Parish of Oton, is the third to be established in Panay but the first to choose Our Virgin Mary to be its patron saint.

Tradition foretells that Mother Mary herself chooses Oton who name was deeply honored and venerated by the locals.

One day, a motor banca landed in Oton and included in the cargo is the image of  Virgin Mary and Santo Niño or Holy Child Jesus. The crew brought the image to the church. When they return to the banca the engine won't start. They thought there is some problem with the engine but upon checking it, they could not find any damage. No matter what they do, they could not make the banca move. In an instance the captain ordered to take the Santo Niño in the church and replace it with the image of Virgin Mary. After they did it, it was a wonder they can easily move the boat. This explains why the patron saint of Oton was the beloved Mother of God while in Tigbauan is the Santo Niño.

There is a similar story to that belief.

When an earthquake named Lady Caycay struck Panay Island and destroyed the church of Oton in 1948 and the image of Virgin Mary was lowered, a group of friars decided to transfer the patron saint to Tigbauan while the Santo Niño of Tigbauan will be transferred to Oton. They helped carry and put in the banca the statue of the Virgin Mary to be brought to Tigbauan but upon reaching Tigbauan they could not be able to unload the image so they continued to other towns but the same thing happened so they decided to bring it back to Oton. When they are near the town of Oton, the boat runs smooth and slow and the engine really stopped and doesn't want to leave.

It is so strange why the Image is so light and bearable when it was carried back to the church of Oton? It's really a miracle according to the townspeople of Oton because the Virgin Mary doesn't want to leave Oton because it is near to her heart.

There are more things that happened that tells about the miracles of Our Virgin Mary of the church of Oton.

In 1944, during the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese are guarding in the middle of the plaza fronting the church. It was evening then and they are patiently watching the approaching enemies when all of a sudden they saw a very beautiful lady with long hair, dressed in a floor-length white and blue clothes and it is coming closer to them. Many people saw it and the expression and aura of the lady is sad. She said to the Japanese: "Have mercy on the people, leave this place and return to where you came from." When they look up to the towers of the church the image of the Virgin Mary, it was not there. Everyone said that for certain the lady who came up to the Japanese is the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. Eventually indeed, the Americans came, saved the people and liberated Panay Island from the Japanese Imperial Forces.

It was reported that a tidal wave will hit their area. Oton will surely sink and flooded because it is near the sea. The people are already preparing to leave the area but when the night time came, when the giant wave is ready to hit the town of Oton, a lot of people saw a lady with a long hair wearing a white and blue dress running towards the ocean outstretching her arms open wide and all of a sudden the giant wave goes back to the ocean never smashing the town of Oton. When this took place, many noticed that the statue of the Virgin Mary in the tower of the church is missing. It was believed that Our Lady of Immaculate Conception helped the townsfolk. So the people came in front of the church and tearfully thanking the patron saint of Oton.

One early morning, a dawn after the fiesta celebration of the town of Arevalo, month of January 1948, there's a sudden jolt so powerful that it caused the destruction of the very beautiful and imposing church of Oton. The miracle which took place there is this: all parts of the church fell to the ground except the tower which stood the statue of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. It took a long time before the image of our Virgin Mary was changed.

Truly the image is miraculous!


Photo Source:

https://oneintheirhearts.wordpress.com/2015/11/30/novena-in-honor-of-the-immaculate-conception-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-second-day/

The Santo Niño Of San Joaquin

Can a little child saint make a naughty prank just like the following story?

Once upon a time there is a fisherman who went to the parish priest who is in charge of the church of San Joaquin to collect payment for the fish ordered by a child and points to the priest who will pay it. The priest paid the bill without asking any question but he knows that he did not ask any child to get some fish for him. When he held a mass the following morning, he saw a bundle of rotten fish hanging from the hands of the Santo Niño or the Little Child Jesus.



Photo Source: 

http://www.peanutbrowas.com/blog/santo-nino-church-bastion-of-christianity-in-cebu

http://theblackswampcornucopia.blogspot.com/2012/01/mysterious-case-of-moving-santo-nino.html

The Help Of Saint Anthony Of Padua

Long time ago before the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, the Moros boarding a gabilan boat reached the shores of Barotac Nuevo and targets the town by capturing some men to be slaves. These slaves are being used in their leisure games like toreador and arm wrestling. Every invasion of the Moros bring lots of terror to the locals. One day the Moros arrived in the area again. The leaders of the town ordered the cuardilleros and other able bodied men to meet, face and fight the enemies  at the outskirts of the town.  They went to a designated place and hid before the arrival of the Moros. Upon the arrival of the Moros, they came out of hiding and the leader of the group shouted "bungga bungga". With this shout, the soldiers from the town attacked and fought ferociously the enemies. The battle became intense. It was stopped at about two o'clock in the afternoon in the sudden appearance of a very tall man who was dressed in a colorful clothes and a red belt around his waist carrying a small banner on his left hand. A glaring light came from his right hand hits the enemies while the phenomenon is in the middle of the way not far from the enemies. This place was called the mountain of Salihid which the battle took place. The enemies were dazzled by the blinding light and seems screaming and terrifyingly scared. They leave one by one. Since then, no Moros disturb the place. The people believed that the tall man who defended them is nothing else but Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of the town.



Photo Source:

http://www.catholictradition.org/Padua/padua-gallery.htm

Iloilo Province Feast Days and Patron Saints

Iloilo Province - Cities and Municipalities

  

These are town or municipalities in the province of Iloilo, the date of their feast day celebration and the respective patron saints it gives honor to. Some towns has a separate date and festivities for their municipal fiesta celebrating their town's foundation date or as an independent municipality. 

Ajuy                   -                        September 10  -               San Nicholas of Tolentino
Alimodian           -                        September 22                  Saint Thomas of Villanova
Anilao                 -                       May 22                            St. Rita of Cascia
Badiangan          -                        January 17                        St. John the Baptist
Balasan                -                      July 26                              St. Anne
Banate                 -                      June 24                             St. John the Baptist
Barotac Nuevo    -                      June 13                             St. Anthony of Padua
Barotac Viejo      -                      June 29                             St. Peter the Apostle
Batad                  -                      April 5                              St. Vincent Ferrer
Bingawan               -                   January 25                        St. Paul Conversion
Cabatuan               -                   September 10 (Religious)   San Nicholas of Tolentino
                                                  March 2 (Municipal)   
Calinog                -                     December 8                      Immaculate Conception
Carles                 -                      October 15                       St. Therese of the Child Jesus
Concepcion         -                     December 8                      Immaculate Conception
Dingle                 -                      June 24                             St. John the Baptist
Dueñas               -                      September 30                   St. Jerome
Dumangas          -                      May 5 (Municipal) 
                                                 August 29 (Religious)         St. Augustine
Estancia               -                    March 15-16                      The Most Holy Virgin Mary
Guimbal                -                   September 10 (Religious)    Saint Nicholas of Tolentino
                                                 October 7 (Municipal) 
Igbaras                -                    May 22 (Municipal) 
                                                 June 24 (Religious)             St. John the Baptist
Janiuay                -                    January 28                          Saint Julian of Cuenca
Lambunao           -                    September 10                     Saint Nicholas of Tolentino
Leganes                -                  April 5                                 St. Vincent Ferrer
Lemery                 -                  January 28                           Santo Niño (Holy Child Jesus)
Leon                   -                   November 25                      St. Catherine of Alexandria
Maasin                 -                  December 30                      Saint James the Great
Miagao                 -                 September 22                      St. Thomas of Villanova
Mina                   -                    October 12                        Our Lady of the Pillar
New Lucena       -                    January 24                         Our Lady of Good Voyage
Oton                   -                    December 8                       Immaculate Conception
Passi City             -                  February 10                       San Guillermo /Saint Guilhem
Pavia                  -                    May 4                                St. Monica
Pototan                -                  May 8                                 St. Joseph
San Dionisio           -                May 5                                St. Vincent Ferrer
San Enrique            -                May 24                              Virgin Mary
San Joaquin            -                January 3 (Municipal) 
                                               August 16 (Religious)           St. Joachim
San Miguel             -               May 8                                  St. Joseph
San Rafael             -                October 24                          St. Raphael
Santa Barbara          -              December 4                        St. Barbara
Sara                   -                    June 24                               St. John the Baptist
Tigbauan               -                 Third Sunday of January (Religious)  St. John of Sahagun
                                               June 12 (Municipal) 
Tubungan                                 January 17                           St. Anthony the Abbott
                                              
Zarraga                                   May 15                                St. Isidore the Farmer

 

St. Thomas of Villanova

      St. Thomas of Villanova, O.S.A. (born Tomás García Martínez, Ciudad Real, 1488 - died Valencia, September 8, 1555), was a preacher, ascetic, writer and Spanish friar of the Order of Saint Augustine.
      Thomas grew up and was educated in Villanueva de los Infantes, in the province of Ciudad Real, Spain, where his parents owned a prosperous estate; therefore the name Thomas of Villanueva. Part of the original house still stands, with a coat of arms in the corner, beside a family chapel. In spite of his family's wealth, as a young boy he often went about naked because he had given his clothing to the poor.
      Even though he studied Arts and Theology at the University of Alcalá de Henares and became a professor there, he decided to enter the Augustinian order in Salamanca in 1516, and in 1518 was ordained a priest. Within the order, he held the positions of prior of the friary, General Visitor, and Provincial Prior for Andalusia and Castile. He was also a professor at the university and counsellor and confessor to the Spanish King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
      He was well known for his great personal austerity (he sold the straw mattress on which he slept in order to give money to the poor) and for his continual and untiring charitable efforts, especially towards orphans, poor women without a dowry, and the sick. He possessed, however, an intelligent notion of charity, so that while he was very charitable, he sought to obtain definitive and structural solutions to the problem of poverty; for example, giving work to the poor, thereby making his charity bear fruit. "Charity is not just giving, rather removing the need of those who receive charity and liberating them from it when possible," he wrote.
      In 1533, he sent out the first Augustinian friars to arrive in Mexico. He began to experience mystical ecstasies during Mass and when reading the psalms. Charles V offered him the post of Archbishop of Granada but he would not accept it. In 1544 he was nominated as Archbishop of Valencia but he continued to refuse the position until ordered to accept by his superior. There, aided by his assistant bishop, Juan Segriá, he put in order a diocese that for a century had not had direct pastoral government. He organized a special college for Moorish converts, and in particular an effective plan for social assistance, welfare, and charity.
     He composed beautiful sermons, among which stands out the Sermon on the Love of God, one of the great examples of sacred oratory of the 16th century. He enjoyed great fame as a preacher, with a plain and simple style. Charles V, upon hearing him preach, exclaimed, "This monsignor can move even the stones!", and he brought about public conversions. Some of his sermons attacked the cruelty of bullfighting. He also had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary, whose heart he compared to the burning bush that is never consumed. In 1547 he ordained as a priest the future Saint Luis Beltrán. He died in 1555 of angina at the age of 67. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VII on November 1, 1658. His liturgical feast day is celebrated on September 22.
      He is the author of various Tracts, among which is included the Soliloquy between God and the soul, on the topic of communion. Francisco de Quevedo wrote his biography. His complete writings were published in six volumes as Opera omnia, in Manila in 1881.
      He is the namesake and patron saint of Villanova University, near Philadelphia (USA), which was founded and is administered by the friars of his order, Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva in Havana (Cuba), St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, (USA)and Villanova College, a catholic school for boys located in Brisbane, Australia.

Source: Wikipedia

Alimodian Town Fiesta 2010

St. Thomas of Villanova

       Yesterday September 22, 2010, Alimodian celebrated its annual patronal town fiesta in honor of our patron saint, St. Thomas of Villanova. We prepare a feast for the guests and visitor to rekindle ties and forge bond that was formed a long time ago and to reunite with kin and clans. It is also a time to rest or a comic relief from the usual daily routine to enjoy the festivities. The theme this year is “Climate Change: An Environmental Concern and a Social Responsibility Of All Alimodiananons” which emphasizes on the dire warning and repercussion brought by global warming and the citizen of Alimodian’s role to make a difference and help alleviate this cruel vengeance of nature.
       This is the story of our patron saint, St. Thomas of Villanova which we honor in this religious fiesta.


      Bishop Confessor (1488 – 1555) St. Thomas of Villanova is best remembered as the “Almgiver” and the “Father of the Poor”.
      Thomas was born in 1488 to Alfonso Thomas Garcia and Lucia Martinez Castillanos in Fuentellano but he grew up in Villanova de los Infantes.
      In 1504, he entered the University of Alcala and finished Master of Arts degree and Licentiate in Theology and taught Philosophy. He joined the Augustinian order in 1516 and was ordained priest in 1518. He taught theology in the University of Salamanca which is known worldwide up to the present. He became of the famous preachers of Valencia and Valladolid. High positions in the Augustinian order were handled by him.
      In his order, St. Thomas of Villanova rose to Provincial and from Castille sent out the first band of Augustinian missionaries to Mexico. Then he was nominated to the position of bishop of Granada but refused such nomination. Nevertheless, under obedience he accepted the position of Archbishop of Valencia and which he has served from 1545 to September 8, 1555. Here he labored at reforming the mortals of both clergy and laymen; he did away with underground prisons: a money gift which he received from the cathedral chapter for use in his place was used for the rebuilding of fire guttered general hospital. Moreover, he founded a college for young clergy and another for poor students. Children of indigent parents and foundlings were likewise provided for in an orphanage. For the benefit of the working people, masses were said at very early hours.
     Many miracles have been credited to him before and after his death. It was Cardinal Pardo of Toledo who ordained him; Pope Paul II whom beatified him in 1618 and Pope Alejandro VII who canonized him as Saint in 1658.
     Thomas of Fuentellano is more popularly known as Thomas of Villanova. Yes, he is a humble servant and an obedient follower as well. His life was one of the continuous series of self-sacrifice and charitable acts, healing the sick and converting hardened sinners.
     Thomas Castillanos Garcia is Thomas of Villanova.

Ang Resplandor Speech

Resplandor sang grasya sa karon dumilag

Sa bug-os nga mundo amo ang gumu-ob
Aton nga Makita sa labing bunayag
Poder ni Hesukristo Dios nga matuod

Entodos los anos gina selebrar
Hamili nga adlaw sang Resurreksyon
Ang aton Gino-o ila gin Martirizar
Sadtong mga Hudios malaut sing ambisyon


Mainakupon sa mga wala sing palad
Kailo desperado ang mga inanak ni Adan.


Enemigo nga tu-od wala sing katulad
Kay pinanganak sang mantsado nga dugo.
Sa bilog nga mundo siya ang pumahayag
Sang mga kalautan nga iya ginhimo.


Kay iya ginkalipay sing walay duha duha
Sanglit kat vensido sang mga vanidades
Ang mga despresios dili gin repara
Nga mangin porvenir sang ma infamis.
Kag sa walay patugsiling iya nga ginhimo
Dili niya gindumdum ang mga kabalaslan;
Ang iya maestro iya pinabakho
Sinang tao nga labing tampalasan.


Umugyon sa iya mahigko nga isip
Kay siya ang kautivado sa gahum sang pilak
Banyaga nga tao wala pasunaid
Yanang traidor engrato sing buhat


Rosa nga hamili bilidhon nga Maria
Iloy nga na-antus sang mga kasakit
Bangud kay Hudas nga alivosia
Ang iya Maestro iya pinagtangis.


Rosa nga masulub-on wala sing katulad
Kag amo ang alaypon sang tanan nga kasakitan
Inosentes Cordero sa sining duta nga luha-an
Nga nagpadeser sang mga torno
Makalolo-oy matuod ang iya himtangan.
Kag wala sing makig-iloy niya sa mundo.


Mahinuklogon nga Iloy kag ulay nga Maria
Sa mga kasakit nangin autora
Sa sini nga adlaw maabut mo
   Victoria nga igabalus sang
   Dios nga Amay ta.


Nag-ambahan ang mga Anghel
Kutob sa ginsakpan sa pagka- Emperatriz
Nag singgit sila nga


   Viva Victoria sa mga infamis


       Ang ila pinamulong


      “Aleluya sicut dixit.”

Holy Week Beliefs and Practices

Beliefs

       Varied religious beliefs and practices are related to the Holy Week in this community. These are handed down from one generation to another by word of mouth. Some are reasonable and justifiable but others are out of place. Practically, those which are already found to be unfounded were already discarded by the new generation.
       During the Spanish regime people believed that they can eat meat during the Fridays of lent and on Good Friday if they have the Santa Bola which can be bought from the Spanish authorities. This is not true during our time.
       At present the church advocates fasting and abstinence during Ash Wednesday, Fridays of Lent and Good Friday for all Catholics except those who are sick, invalid and 60 years old and over.
The old folks in this community also believed that fruit bearing trees would be shaken when the church bells ring on Holy Saturday so that they would bear much fruit. Children who were quite stunted in growth were held by their elders and lifted up and shaken so that they would grow taller and bigger. Old folks also prohibited children to bathe on Good Friday for fear of getting sick.
Babaylans and quack doctors found Good Friday a busy day for them as they went to the caves and mountain to get herbs and bark of trees which they needed for their medicine. It was believed that the medicine was potent if taken on that particular day.
      These beliefs may sound quaint to the young generation, but those were religiously followed by the folks of long ago.

Some Holy Week Practices

      Since the Philippines was colonized by Spain, the people in the whole archipelago embraced Christianity. Churches were constructed in the parishes and people started strengthening their religious faith.
      Religious practices introduced by the Spanish priests were handed down from generation to generation. One of them is the construction of 14 Capilyas or makeshift or improvised chapel in strategic places in the town following the route of the procession.           These 14 capilyas represent the 14 stations undergone by Jesus Christ in his passion and death in Mt. Calvary. Each capilya depicts the station in the Way of the Cross.
       In this community the route of the procession is from the church to Libo-on Street, Magallanes, Maximo, Exaltacion, Magtanong, Alvior, Plaza Libertad and back to church. After the procession, people of all ages, and sex retrace the route of the procession several times until midnight as they eat peanuts, watermelon and other edibles. Young men and women together exchange conversation and laugh to their hearts’ content until midnight. The town plaza becomes a little Luneta with a sea of faces.
       There is a sort of merrymakings on street corners. Laughter and peoples’ voices fill the air. In many towns in the province this practice has been stopped, but loyal Alimodiananons feel that young generation will have to experience the joy and fun going around the capilyas as many times as they want so they can say that “Holy Week” was well observed.
       This practice is the exact opposite of what the church wants people to do. Lay leaders of the church have attempted to alter the practice but to no avail as it are much easier to amend a law rather than the custom which has long been practiced by the people.
At present the practice of having a procession on Holy Thursday is against the church liturgy, but upon the insistence of the people, there is procession on both Holy Thursdays and Good Friday.

Bitay and Resplandor

         Easter Sunday is the greatest celebration in the whole Christendom. The people are awakened early by the pealing of bells beckoning the faithful to church to attend the early mass. The church is full and crowded with people from all walks of life.
        When the mass is over all men follow the image of the resurrected Christ as they take the right turn from the church. A young man clad in barong tagalog carries the church banner. The women group follow the image of Virgin Mary and take the road on the northern side of the plaza. The two groups – meet in front of the Plaza where the Easter Sunday ceremony is performed.
        The Bitay which corresponds to an angel who was seen on the tomb of Jesus, rides up on a carriage which takes the shape of star, comet, flower or any shape or motif that the family so desires. The image of Virgin Mary, whose head is covered with a black veil, is brought near the Bitay and she begins to recite and sing the age-old ballad and song which I will include in the later blogs.
When the angel or Bitay has finished delivering her speech, she removes the black veil on the head of Virgin Mary which she later returns to the priest.
         It is the Resplandor’s turn to deliver his discourse, cursing Judas for selling Jesus to his captors, when the Bitay is through reciting. An effigy of Judas’s figure is made to move when his name is mentioned by the Resplandor. This makes the spectators laugh.
        At the end of the speech of the Resplandor the effigy of Judas is burned to depict hatred of the people to Judas. Then the whole congregation returns to church amidst loud pealing of church bells, march music of the band and rejoicing of the people.

Alimodian Parish Priests From 1755 - Present

January 25, 1755 – July 4, 1756 – Fr. Vicente de Campo
July 9, 1756 - December 31, 1757 – Fr. Rector Francisco Calchetas
January 4, 1758 – October 29, 1762 – Fr. Andre del Solar
November 4, 1762 – December 10, 1762 – Fr. Rector Francisco Mansanet
December 1762 – January 18, 1763 – Fr. Juan Ferrer
January 18, 1763 – May 4, 1763 – Fr. Rector Francisco Mansanet
May 4, 1763 – March 12, 1764 – Fr. Rector Narciso Menoso
March 12, 1764 – October 10, 1764 – Fr. Rector Jose de la Cruz
October 10, 1764 – February 9, 1767 – Fr. Francisco Monastero
February 9, 1767 – November 20, 1767 – Fr. Juan Aguado
November 20, 1767 – May 30, 1769 – Fr. Francisco Monastero
May 13, 1769 – June 8, 1769 – Fr. Pedro Albarrido*
June 8, 1769 – May 13, 1776 – Fr. Francisco Monastero
May 13, 1776 – July 20, 1776 – Fr. Pedro Besanio
July 20, 1776 – January 15, 1777 – Fr. Jose Montenegro
January 23, 1777 – January 5, 1779 – Fr. Jose Serapena
January 25, 1779 – December 4, 1781 – Fr. Francisco Monastero
December 4, 1781 – March 27, 1782 – Fr. Julian Banuelos
March 27, 1782 – January 15, 1783 – Fr. Manuel de Diego
January 15, 1783 – April 24, 1797 – Fr. Matias Carbajal
April 24, 1791 – August 13, 1797 – Fr. Jose de Agustin
August 13, 1797 – June 23, 1811 – Fr. Manuel Gonzales
June 23, 1811 – August 22, 1811 – Fr. Julian Banuelos
August 22, 1811 – December 3, 1823 – Fr. Justo Azufra
January 1, 1823 – August 9, 1825 – Don Pablo Montano
August 9, 1825 – August 15, 1838 – Fr. Alejandro Aburis
August 15, 1838 – December 15, 1845 – Fr. Ramon Aburis Honce
October 16, 1845 – December 14, 1845 – Fr. Jose Paco *
December 14, 1845 – October 1, 1854 – Fr. Diego de la Hoz
October 1, 1854 – March 31, 1855 – Fr. Manuel Portal ^
March 31, 1855 – March 8, 1865 – Fr. Florencio Martin
March 8, 1865 – December 12, 1867 – Fr. Serapio Gonzales
December 12, 1867 – December 31, 1867 – Fr. Tomas Villaruz
January 1, 1868 – December 11, 1879 – Fr. Ignacio Marcos ^
December 15, 1879 – May 6, 1888 – Fr. Serapio Gonzales
May 6, 1888 – June 30, 1889 – Fr. Candido Gonzales
July 1, 1889 – July 31, 1889 – Don Vicente Tupaz
August 1, 1889 – November 3, 1889 – Padre Joaquin Fernandez
November 3, 1889 – April 1, 1893 – Fr. Jose Labiana
April 1, 1893 – November 6, 1894 – Fr. Pablo Lascano
November 6, 1894 – March 6, 1896 – Fr. Manuel Camara
March 6, 1896 - April 10, 1896 – Fr. Nicolas Porras
April 10, 1896 – October 31, 1896 – Fr. Jose Labiana
October 31, 1898 – December 28, 1902 – Don Ramon Amparo
December 28, 1902 – March 17, 1917 – Fr. Maximo Montealto
March 17, 1917 – May 1, 1918 – Fr. Nicasio Makilan
May 1, 1918 – November 15, 1920 - Fr. Carlos Castrillo
January 10, 1921 – April 16, 1942 – Fr. Mariano Perez
1944 – 1945 – Fr. Genaro Ramos
1945 – December 26, 1946 – Fr. Marcos Doloso
December 12, 1946 – July 16, 1966 – Msgr. Carlos Crucero - Parish Priest
November 4, 1961 – January 27, 1963 – Rev. Fr. Juan Nacawili – Asst. Parish Priest
April 30, 1963 – May 13, 1965 - Rev. Fr. Santiago Seberiaga – Asst. Parish Priest
August 6, 1966 – July 6, 1968 – Rev. Fr. Alfonso Tamonan – Parish Priest
May 5, 1966 – May 29, 1967 – Rev. Fr. Nicolas Caberoy – Asst. Parish Priest
June 3, 1967 – June 22, 1968 – Rev. Fr. Cesar Subong – Asst. Parish Priest
July 6, 1968 – August 16, 1982 – Rev. Fr. Ismael Castano – Parish Priest
February 3, 1979 – June 15, 1980 – Rev. Fr. Arthur Selvederio – Asst. Parish Priest
June 21, 1980 – April 26, 1981 – Rev. Fr. Ildefonso Tagamolila – Asst. Parish Priest
June 15, 1981 – May 29, 1983 – Rev. Fr. Ramon Baron – Asst. Parish Priest
August 17, 1982 – 1997 – Rev. Fr. Justiniano Hingco - Parish Priest
June 4, 1983 – June 1, 1985 – Rev. Fr. Henrietto Losaria – Asst. Parish Priest
June 8, 1985 – 1989 – Rev. Fr. Glorioso Gepolangco - Asst. Parish Priest
Rev. Fr. Moises Tacardon
Rev. Fr. Paul Acebuque
Rev. Fr. Joel Rudi
Rev. Fr. Joenic Teritorio *
Rev. Fr. Herminio Tacardon
Rev. Fr. Rex Jiloca
Rev. Fr. Amador Encanto
Rev. Fr. Edgar Palmos
Rev. Fr. Renante Salabe
Rev. Fr. Jesus Glofel Mana-ay
Rev. Fr. Celestino Zagra+
Rev. Fr. Ron Michael Alquisada*
Rev. Fr. Edgar Palmos
Rev. Fr. Martin Alarcon *
Rev. Fr. Maloney Gotera
Rev. Fr. Peter John Guarin *


Legend:

* - Asst. Parish Priest    
^ - former Asst. Parish Priest became Parish Priest

Alimodian Roman Catholic Church History

This is the right side view of the present church showing the bells in the belfry. Two thirds of the belfry toppled down during the earth.
aerial interior view of Alimodian parish church
the altar view of Alimodian parish church

Alimodian church pre war pic
Spanish Colonial Period

The Spanish colonization of the Philippines logically started on March 16, 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan landed on Homonhon, an island in Samar. Since then, several Spanish expeditions were sent to the Philippines to colonize the natives. The first move that the Spanish Conquistadores did was the construction of the Roman Catholic Churches in all the towns or pueblos (seat of government) they colonized and Alimodian was one of those places.

Alimodian was founded in 1754 and a few months later the town leader s planned to build a church. It was agreed that the site of the church would be on the place where the rope that pulled the tablon(a huge timber) would break. The tablon came from the shore of Ogtong (now Oton) and it was pulled by a pair of carabaos. Thus the site was decided and the people built a chapel of bamboos, cogon and logs. On January 25, 1755, Fr. Vicente del Campo was assigned as the parish priest of this town. On July 19, 1756 he was replaced by Fr. Francisco Javier Calchetas.

In the year 1780, Marcos Gregorio, the town gobernadorcillo, and the incumbent priest Fr. Francisco Monasterio initiated a move to build a permanent church of bricks, rocks plastered with lime. The site was moved northwest of the church’s cemetery on Nichols Street. It was finished in 1784. However, in 1787 a strong earthquake shook the town and partially destroyed the church.

Almost 74 years later, a plan to build a stronger and more permanent building was made. Then on December 5, 1859 the cornerstone of the permanent church was laid amidst fitting religious ceremonies attended by high Spanish dignitaries from Manila, Cebu and Iloilo. Father Florencio Martin was the parish priest. There were documents signed by the high officials of the church and the town. These documents were placed inside the barcelona mixed with the following coins: 1 sicualohon (P0.6 ¼), 1 sicapaton (P0.12 ¼), 1 capatihon (P0.25), 1 salapion (P0.50), 1 pisoson (P1.00) and one gold necklace. This barcelona was covered and placed inside the tabla which was prepared like a trough bait big enough to hold the jar. The tabla was sealed with lime and buried under the main door of the church. There were fireworks and singing of the Te Deum, Laudamus Letania de San Marcos and ringing of church bells. The sponsors, visitors, and church dignitaries were treated in the house of Capitan Timoteo Amarra. The church was finished in 1864 and was formally opened for public worship on December 22, 1864 amidst impressive ceremonies. The construction of the convent was then immediately started. The convent was just as big as the church and longer in length because of its tri-square form as the church’s annex from north to south. It was completed in 1868.

During the construction of the church, the Alimodiananons sacrificed and suffered much. Forced labor was utilized in the construction as well as in the gathering of materials. Each cabeza was given a quota of table, lime, sand and gravel. Failure to fill up the quota incurred the punishment of flogging. The palmeta was used for light offenses. Labor was not paid and the laborers provided their own food. Women and children were utilized in gathering white stones and making them into lime. Lime was made by roasting the white stones in improvised ovens for nine days and nights and pouring cold water over them to cool. Then these were pounded to produce lime powder. Lime was used in plastering bricks and tabla (wood). The men were utilized to get tabla from Camando, now Leon. Some were utilized in making tisa. Tisa was made from clay which was mixed by human feet or by carabao then moulded into squares or rectangles and burned in kiln. They were used for walls, roofs and floors of the church.

In the morning of June 20, 1869 when Fr. Ignacio Marcos was the parish priest, an earthquake of undetermined intensity rocked the building for a couple of minutes. It was Sunday and many people were injured in the human stampede.

On February 17, 1877 the new bells manufactured in 1876 by Juan Reyes in his foundry in La Villa de Arevalo were installed in the belfry. The largest of these bells weighed 120 arobas, (one aroba is equal to 12.25 kilos) thus giving the biggest bell (mayor) the total weight of 1,470 kilos. The bells were made of bronze with alloy of silver. Two pairs of bullcarts arranged side by side were utilized to haul the bells from La Villa de Arevalo to Alimodian. It was said that residents lined along the streets and offered alms of Spanish coins as their voluntary contribution to defray the hauling expenses. It took hundreds of men to pull up the bells to belfry using a big cable, the end of which reached the river bank on Nichols Street. One man died on the spot when the cable snapped and broke.
Pino, a brave man, was responsible for putting up the biggest bell (mayor) into its place. The bells had different names like San Agustin, Sta. Monica, Ma. Consolacion de Leonisa, Sto. Tomas de Villanueva and San Ignacio de Loyola.

The use of the bricks and lime as roofing materials for the church was later found to be impractical, so on February 13, 1882 during the term of Fr. Serapio Gonzales, these were replaced by galvanized iron roof.

On February 2, 1887 an earthquake shook the building and caused the large image of San Agustin to fall from its pedestal in a niche over the main door of the church.
Different Spanish priests were assigned to this parish and the first Filipino priest and native of Oton, Iloilo was Fr. Maximo Montealto.



American Period


When Spanish gave up the Philippines to the Americans on December 10, 1898 in the Treaty of Paris, the Alimodian church retained its beauty and splendor. Its belfry was one of the biggest and the most beautiful in Panay and Negros. No remarkable changes were made in the physical setup of both the church and the convent.


Japanese Period


With the outbreak of World War II on December 8, 1941 evacuees from the city flocked to the interior towns, especially Alimodian since it was a mountainous place. The convent became the refuge of the rich from Iloilo City to mention the Ysmael and Caram families who were friends of Fr. Mariano Perez, the incumbent parish priest that time.

When the Japanese landed in Oton, Iloilo on April 16, 1942, the people left the Poblacion and fled to the mountains. Looting and robbery became rampant in the Poblacion. The convent was the first target of the robbers and looters and in the course of their work, a spark from a match stick caused a can of gasoline to burst thus causing a big fire in the convent.

No help was given. Thus the once tall, proud and beautiful convent was turned into an ugly pile of soot-covered ruins. Upon the order of the head of the Civil Government, the church was burned a month later for fear that it would be used by the Japanese as their hiding place and storage of their supply. Since the base and walls were made of table and bricks, only the rafters, the roofs and interior furnishings and decorations were burned. The image of the patron saint, Sto. Tomas de Villanueva was saved by Tomas Claveria and Cipriano Amsua and the image of the Santo Entiero by Antonio Allonar. The church and the convent were left to unabated weathering and disintegration.

On August 22, 1943 the civilians surrendered to the Japanese Imperial Forces, so the people returned to the poblacion and constructed their huts. The parishioners put up an improvised building inside the hollow shell of the old church. It was made of bamboos and roofed with solidap (coconut leaves). True to its mission, it afforded a sanctuary to the parishioners with Fr. Genaro Ramos as the parish priest. Later the solidap roof was changed to nipa and elevated to the original roof base. It remained as such until the liberation period came.



The Republic and the New Society


With the return of Gen. Douglas MacArthur on December 20, 1944, the Filipino way of life returned to normal. Schools were reopened and postwar reconstruction began. Americans granted independence on July 4, 1946. Payments of war damage claims brought more improvements to the towns and cities. The facilities of the church began to improve. Pews were donated. The two side altars were roofed, although with nipa. The parish priest this time was Fr. Marcos Doloso.

However, in the dawn of January 28, 1948 a titanic earthquake called Lady Kaykay rocked the whole island of Panay, especially the Province of Iloilo and caused the collapse of the church, the convent and the belfry. About two-thirds of the belfry was destroyed by the earthquake brought the bells to rest to solid ground (except the biggest – mayor) which for 71 years signaled to the parishioners not only in moments of worship and sacrifice but also on the approach of impending evils that threatened their lives and property. Thus, the church was left and neglected.

A temporary building was built on the southern part of the ruins to provide the need for a place of worship. A temporary convent of wood, bamboo and nipa was also put up adjacent to it. Fr. Carlos Crucero was the parish priest that time. This temporary building and belfry were used for almost three years.

After three years of intermittent earthquakes of varied intensity, the temporary church managed to stand undisturbed. So the parishioners requested an engineer to check the safety and durability of the burned building. Assured of the safety of the façade, the walls and the arches, the parishioners decided to rebuild permanently. The parishioners pooled their resources, used all ways and means in order that the roof would be made of galvanized iron, the arches cemented and reinforced with iron bars, and the walls plastered with cement. The back part of the main altar was totally changed into hollow blocks. The main, as well as the side altars, were modified. This was made feasible through the efforts of Fr. Juan Nacawili, who was then the co-adjutor of Fr. Carlos Crucero. A new communion rail and pulpit made of marbolized cement were donated as well as the church received a donation of an organ. Uniform pews were also put up. The renovated church was opened for public worship in 1951.

Though the church was opened in 1951 for public worship, the belfry was finished in 1952. The bells were installed to the belfry through the efforts of the “Caballeros de San Jose,” a religious organization in the parish under the management of the late Venancio Alejan, a noted carpenter of the town.

The years that followed were marked by rapid construction of the new convent and improvement of the church. The parishioners and different mandated church organizations like the Catholic Women’s League, the Pastoral Council, the Association of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Dominicans and the Knights of Columbus, finished the convent through their cooperative efforts. The parish priest at that time was Fr. Alfonso Tamonan with Fr. Nicolas Caberoy as his coadjutor.

Fr. Ismael Castano came to Alimodian in 1968 and through his efforts the interior part of the church, its walls and arches were reinforced, strengthened and painted white. A ceiling of lawanit and plywood was put up and painted cream. The image of St. Thomas of Villanova, the town’s patron saint, was placed in a niche above the main door facing the plaza thus giving a warm welcome to the parishioners and visitors. The grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes constructed and once prominently standing at the right front part of the church gave attraction to the plaza. Major improvements and renovations had been made during the time of Fr. Encanto and carried by the parish priest Fr. Edgar Palmos. Succeeding priests include Fr. Rex Jiloca, Fr. Ron Alquisada, Fr. Martin Alarcon.  The Alimodian Parish Church is one of the beautiful landmark that this town can be proud of.

Alimodian Church and Convent 1930s 

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