Introduction

Introduction to Secular Clergy in the Philippines, 1565-1898©

May 2015, June 2023

One of the frustrations of work in Philippine history is the lack of information when one comes across names, particularly names of Filipinos.  These lists are a start--and I hope others will add to them--towards identifying and tracking Secular priests in the Spanish Philippines.  It is very preliminary, set against “one of the ironies” (as Luciano Santiago has stated) that often until recently we have not “known the names of [the] first native sons who became priests of the universal church.”[1]  That we know those names and some of their assignments today is largely due to the work of Regalado Trota Jose and Luciano P. R. Santiago.[2] 

I am extremely grateful to Ricky Jose’s prompt and generous willingness to make it possible to work with and draw extensively from this important work.  His help in this endeavor evidences exactly the sort of cooperation I hoped for by using the electronic medium of the www.  Almost all of the individuals whose names and assignments he has listed are from the nineteenth century, mainly after 1834.  However, he does list some from earlier, even a handful from the end of the eighteenth century.  Even by the standards of my hopes his generosity and help are quite special and very much appreciated. 

I acknowledge as well Luciano P. R. Santiago for his work on the early Secular clerics in the Islands.  He has literally resurrected about 150 individuals who worked in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and who heretofore had been unknown to scholars of the Philippine past.  One of the serendipities of his and Jose’s work is that their areas of periods covered complement each other, especially when the Spanish 17th-century clerical names from the article by Mesquida Oliver are added.[3]

         The total number of names indicates how impressive the work of these two scholars has been.  I estimate that they, plus a dozen or so from my own work, have brought to light over fifteen hundred individuals,[4] most of whom served in parishes outside of Manila. 

Errors in transcription or presentation are of course my fault, and I would appreciate learning of them so that I could correct the mistakes.  Additional information and detail is also welcomed. 

Please contact me at dbc_research_institute@yahoo.com with any information you would like to share; or with comments and criticisms on the material.

Bruce Cruikshank              

Independent Scholar

Nebraska, U.S.A.   

Ygnacio                                                   Also See                                          Ignacio

Ygnacio, Father Don Cornelio Bacoor, Cavite, coadjutor, 1859, ca. 1877-1898

         Bacoor, interino, 1899

Ygnacio, Father Don Feliciano (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 355)

         Bacoor, Cavite, coadjutor, 18__ [sic]

Ygnacio, Father Don Felipe (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 355)

         Naic, Cavite, coadjutor, 1859-1869

         San Francisco de Malabon, Cavite, economo, 1867-1869

Ygnacio, Father Don Patricio

         December 1830, Ragay, Lupi.  After December 1830 but before October 1832, Ragay

                     was assigned to Father Don Bonifacio de San Lucas.[1]

Ygnacio Simeon, Father Don José

         September 1830, Daet[2]

Ylagan, Father Don Nicolas (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 355)

         No assignments listed                                                                     Died, 24 August 1898

Ymperial                                         SEE                                     Imperial

Yon, Father Don Vicente (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 356)

         Dumarao, Capiz, 1839

Ysidro, Father Don Cecilio

         April 1830, Tinambac and the visitas of Himoragat and Siroma[3]

Yubal, Father Don Bernardo (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 356)

         Bantayan, Cebu, 1870-1873

Yumaya, Father Don Cayetano                  SEE                       Tunaya, Father Don Cayetano

Yuson, Father Don Enrico                          SEE                   Susón, Father Don Enrico

Yuson [or Uson; or Ungson], Father Don Severino (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 356)

         Binmaley, coadjutor, 1832[4]

         Calasiao, coadjutor, 1844[5]

         San Fernando, La Union, interino, 1847-1849

Z

Zabala, Father Don Manuel (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 357)

         Lezo, Capiz, interino, 1898

Zabala, Father Don Manzueto (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 357)

         Cabatuan, Iloilo, coadjutor, 1892

         Malinao, Capiz, 1897

         Jagnaya, Capiz, interino, 1898

Zabala, Father Don Ysmael (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 357)

         Maragondon, Cavite, coadjutor, ca. 1858-1874

         Barasoain, Bulacan, coadjutor, ca. 1877

Zacarias, Father Don Mariano (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 357)

         Bombon, Camarines Sur, 1862-1864

Zafra, Father Don Adriano (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 357)

         Quingua, Bulacan, coadjutor, ca. 1877

Zalameda, Father Don Francisco M.  SEE Santa Maria Zalameda, Father Don Francisco

Zaldivar, Father Don Calixto (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 357)

         Macato, Capiz, ca. 1879, 1884-1886, 1890-1891

Zalvidea, Father Don Melecio (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 357)

         Nasugbu, Batangas, 1875-1879, 1884-1886                                   Died, 5 October 1888

Zalvidea Cruz, Father Don Rufino (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 357)

         Imus, Cavite, coadjutor, 1860s

Zamora, Father Don Jacinto, Bachiller (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 358)

         Cathedral, Manila, Primer cura rector, 1865,

executed by garrote, 17 February 1872, Manila

Zamora, Father Don Jose Maria (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 358)

         Mariquina, Manila, 1851, 1875-ca. 1879, 1884-1898

Zamora y Corro, Father Don Pablo (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 358)

         Cathedral, Manila, Segundo cura rector, 1877-1879

         Cathedral, Manila, Primer cura rector, 1881-1898

Zaño, Father Don Patricio (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 358)

         San Narciso, Tayabas, 1885-1886

         Mulanay, Tayabas, 1891-1898

Zapanta, Bachiller Father Don Ignacio

         Coadjutor and acting priest, Bulosan, Albay, ca. 1752.[6]

Zarate, Father Don Felix[7]

         Manaoag, coadjutor, 1839-1840

Zarate, Father Don Leocadio[8]

         Binmaley, coadjutor, 1868-1871

         Manaoag, coadjutor, 1890-1895

Zarate, Father Don Miguel[9]

         Manaoag, coadjutor, 1871

         Calasiao, coadjutor, 1877-1879

         Mangatarem, coadjutor, 1883

Zarate, Father Don Toribio[10]

         Binmaley, coadjutor, 1873-1886

Zarraga, Father Don Honorio (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 359)

         Biñan, Laguna, coadjutor, ca. 1877

Zegura y Pacho, Bachiller Father Don Juan de

         Lubang Island, ca. 1710-1711[11]

         San Roque, Cavite, 3 June 1711[12]

Zembrano, Father Daon Felipe Neri[13]

         Calasiao, coadjutor, 1846

Zepherino Aguas, Bachiller Father Don Manuel (ca. 1746-ca. 1800), Indio[14]

         “Proprietary Pastor (appointed 14 May 1772),” Lubao; suspended in 1781

         1791, Chaplain, Hacienda of Jalajala

         1797, Military Chaplain of Tondo and Pangasinan

Zita, Father Don Antonio (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 359)

         Porac, Pampanga, 1839-1854

Zita, Father Don Juan (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 359)

         Bacoor, Cavite, coadjutor, 1810

         Lubao, Pampanga, 1839-1864

Zulueta de San Antonio, Father Don Pedro (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 360)

         December 1830, Obuyon, Quezon[15]

         Mulanay, Tayabas (Vicario foraneo, 1853-1864), 1839-1864

Zumalave, Father Don Basilio (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 360)

Caramoran, Catanduanes, 1892-1898

Zuniega, Father Don Pablo                         SEE                         Zúñiga, Father Don Pablo

Zúñiga, Father Don Pablo (Jose, Curas de Almas, v. 4, 360)

         Mabato-bato, Camarines Sur, 1891

         Bagamanoc, Catanduanes, 1895

         Baras, Catanduanes, 1898

Zuson, Father Don Enrico                          SEE                         Susón, Father Don Enrico

[1] Luciano P. R. Santiago, “The Hidden Light: The First Filipino Priests.”  Philippine Studies, 31: 2 (1983), 129-188; here, 129.

[2] The bulk of the entries are from Regalado Trota Jose, Curas de Almas: A Preliminary Listing of Parishes and Parish Priests in the 19th Century Philippines based on the Guias de Forasteros, 1834-1898.  Manila: University of Santo Tomas, 2008 (4 volumes).  For the sources by Luciano P. R. Santiago, please see the Bibliography, which also has other references of some utility.

[3] Juan Mesquida Oliver, “La Población de Manila y las Capellanías de Misas de los Españoles: Libro de Registros, 1642-1672.”  Revista de Indias, 70: 249 (2010), 469-500.  Provided to me by courtesy of the author in May 2015, contributing seventy-four more names of Secular clergy.

[4] If one conservatively estimates that there are eight Secular clerics on each complete page (with the entries from less than full pages added in separately), the total comes to 1,623; if one uses the figure of nine priests for each complete page and again adds the extras manually, the total comes to 1,815.  There are almost certainly others we have not yet unearthed, particularly in the dioceses of Cebu, Nueva Caceres, and Nueva Segovia.

[1] Philippine National Archives, Patronato, Unclassified.  [1830 and 1832 Visitas Eclesiasticas by El Yllmo. y Rmo. Señor Juan Antonio de Villo, Obispo, Nueva Caceres].  24ff.

[2] Philippine National Archives, Patronato, Unclassified.  [1830 and 1832 Visitas Eclesiasticas by El Yllmo. y Rmo. Señor Juan Antonio de Villo, Obispo, Nueva Caceres].  24ff.

[3] Philippine National Archives, Patronato, Unclassified.  [1830 and 1832 Visitas Eclesiasticas by El Yllmo. y Rmo. Señor Juan Antonio de Villo, Obispo, Nueva Caceres].  24ff.

[4] Regalado Trota Jose, “Secular Clergy in Pangasinan.”  IN Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, ed., Pananisia-Heritage and Legacy (Dagupan City: Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, 2014), 250-251, courtesy of the author.

[5] Regalado Trota Jose, “Secular Clergy in Pangasinan.”  IN Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, ed., Pananisia-Heritage and Legacy (Dagupan City: Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, 2014), 250-251, courtesy of the author.

[6] Luciano P. R. Santiago, The Hidden Light: the First Filipino Priests (Quezon City: New Day Publishers 1987), 119.

[7] Regalado Trota Jose, “Secular Clergy in Pangasinan.”  IN Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, ed., Pananisia-Heritage and Legacy (Dagupan City: Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, 2014), 250-251, courtesy of the author.

[8] Regalado Trota Jose, “Secular Clergy in Pangasinan.”  IN Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, ed., Pananisia-Heritage and Legacy (Dagupan City: Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, 2014), 250-251, courtesy of the author.

[9] Regalado Trota Jose, “Secular Clergy in Pangasinan.”  IN Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, ed., Pananisia-Heritage and Legacy (Dagupan City: Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, 2014), 250-251, courtesy of the author.

[10] Regalado Trota Jose, “Secular Clergy in Pangasinan.”  IN Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, ed., Pananisia-Heritage and Legacy (Dagupan City: Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, 2014), 250-251, courtesy of the author.

[11] Luciano P. R. Santiago, The Hidden Light: the First Filipino Priests (Quezon City: New Day Publishers 1987), 85.

[12] Luciano P. R. Santiago, The Hidden Light: the First Filipino Priests (Quezon City: New Day Publishers 1987), 86.

[13] Regalado Trota Jose, “Secular Clergy in Pangasinan.”  IN Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, ed., Pananisia-Heritage and Legacy (Dagupan City: Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, 2014), 250-251, courtesy of the author.

[14] Luciano P. R. Santiago, “The Struggles of the Native Clergy in Pampanga, 1771-77.”  Philippine Studies, 33: 2 (1985), 176-202; here, 180, 185, 186,  and passim.

[15] Philippine National Archives, Patronato, Unclassified.  [1830 and 1832 Visitas Eclesiasticas by El Yllmo. y Rmo. Señor Juan Antonio de Villo, Obispo, Nueva Caceres].  24ff.  Listed as Father Don Pedro de San Antonio.