HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH CHURCH MATAASNAKAHOY, BATANGAS

A little more than a hundred years ago, a small chapel, made of light materials was built at the corner of a piece of land originally owned by the RECINTO SISTERS: PROMITIVA, FERMINA and ESTEFANA. However, after several years RUFINO and

FERMINA CASTILO decided to donate their portion of inheritance to the Church. The priest-in-charge, in consultation with the people decided to transfer the chapel to the center of the lot. The chapel Simbahang Ilaya which was made of light materials was changed to a semi-permanent structure with galvanized sheets for roofing and bamboo slits sasag for the flooring. Liturgical celebrations were held there regularly. Flores de Mayo became the most celebrated event in that chapel. Different varieties of flowers from distant places arrived either on horse backs, carts or calesas and offered them before the feet of Mary/ sponsors for the whole month busied themselves preparing the altar, the 'caro and food for the visitors. Many people with the bayanihan spirit also offered their help. Pigs were shouldered by the Hermano Mayor of the Flores de Mayo. On the final day, usually at the end of the month of May, the event was highlighted by a Misa Cantada and a procession was held with a long line of pious people in their best dresses solemnly praying and exhibiting their ardent devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was indeed a grandiose affair in honor of Mary. Priest who said mass in the chapel were usually accommodated at the house of SEGUNDO and PRIMITIVA for merienda or breakfast, thus, automatically making it an extension of the Church or a quasi-convento. Their generosity did not end there. To

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH CHURCH

give some more space for the needs of the Church, ESTEFANA and PRIMITIVA sold the eastern portion of their lot to the Church at a very low price. This is now the present site of the Convent and the Marian Garden. About the year 1910, another church building was built in a different place (Ibaba). This church was made of materials that are more permanent: galvanized The altar was beautifully decorated with

roofings, concrete walls and tile flooring.

chandeliers and complete with antique furnishings. The Church was called Simbahang Ibaba and it was built under the auspices of a pious group headed by KAPITANG PEDRO SILVA, VIRGINIA SILVA (daughter of Kapitan), AGAPITO TEMPLO (Virginias husband) and CLAUDIA RECINTO together with a handful of religious people. The most celebrated event in the Church was the Feast of St. Joseph every March 19. Long before the feast, planning, rehearsals for folk dances, drama, zarzuela, luwa, juego de anillo were the main preoccupations of the faithful aside from the novena, procession and banquet that were also given utmost importance. They also provided a special stage for the presentations. Old folks say that the Simbahang Ibaba was built for the rich while the Simbahang Ilaya was for the poor. This rumor gave rise to some conflicts and elicited unhealthy competition. On March 27, 1931, an Executive Order No. 308 signed by George Butte, acting Governor General that time, proclaimed the separation of Mataasnakahoy from the town of Lipa, thereby giving it an entity as a town, effective January 1, 1932. With the birth of the town, the parish was also erected. Parish priests assigned to

Mataasnakahoy used both the church in Ibaba and the convent in Ilaya to resolve some conflicts.

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In 1941, at the outbreak of the World War II, Simbahang Ibaba was leveled to the ground and it was never reconstructed. The succeeding priests utilized the

Simbahang Ilaya as the permanent site of the Church while the lot previously occupied by the Simbahang Ibaba was sold to the interested parishioners. Thanks to the generous Christian soul of RUFINO and FERMINA and children, to ESTEFANA and PRIMITIVA RECINTO for without their generosity and love for the church, the faithful would have been deprived of lasting monument of their faith and a sacred place for worship.

Rearranged from an original documents of an unknown researcher by REV. FR. PIO A. BAGAMANO r.i.p.

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SUCCESSION OF PARISH PRIESTS AT MATAASNAKAHOY

1927 REV. FR. ALFREDO OBVIAR (May 28, 1927 to May 14, 1944) Parish Priest of Lipa but at the same time entrusted with the care of Mkahoy. He assigned his assistant priests to attend to the spiritual needs of the faithful Mataasnakahoy. REV. FR. QUINTING GARCIA (Jan. 1932 to April 1934) REV. FR. DIEGO CONTI (April 1934 to Sept. 1935) First Parish Priest of Mataasnakahoy During his incumbency, the following were organized:
El Apostolado de la Oracion La Confradioa de la Doctrina Cristina Las Associaciones Marianas de la Virgen Lourdes, Milagrosa, Carmelo, Hijas de Maria and Caballero de San Jose

1932 1934

1935 1936 1940 1942 1945

REV. FR. JOSE DE ACOSTA (Sept. 1935 to March 10, 1936) REV. FR. RICARDO SALAZAR (March 10, 1936 to Feb. 15, 1940) REV. FR. ESPIRIDION MAGUNDAY (Feb. 15, 1940 to July 5, 1942) REV. FR. PEDRO SILVA (July 5, 1942 to May 20, 1945) REV. FR. AMBROSIO CASTILLO (May 20, 1945 to May 30, 1958) Built the Church and started again the reactivation of religious associations REV. FR. EUGENIO R. ROBLES (May 30, 1958 to July 1, 1963) Showed interest in the physical and spiritual progress of the parish. Parish Council with Jorge Matanguihan as first President had taken up most of the Council duties. REV. FR. VENERANDO ROCAMORA (July 1, 1963 to Oct. 1, 1971) REV. FR. DIONISIO MACALINTAL (Oct. 1, 1971 to May 1975) REV. FR. JULIO LIPAT (May 1975 to May 6, 1976) REV. FR. SIMPLICIO DATINGGINOO (May 6, 1976 to May 6, 1978) REV. FR. GODOFREDO PALINES (May 6, 1978 to Oct. 1, 1979) REV. FR. ISABELO ACERO (Oct. 1, 1979 to July 1, 1988) REV. FR. AURELIO B. DIMAAPI (July 12, 1988 to August 7, 1991) REV. FR. PIO A. BAGAMANO (Aug. 7, 1991 to date) REV. FR. LAURO M. ABANTE (Substitute to Fr. Pio for almost 8 months due to the sickness of the latter)

1958

1963 1971 1975 1976 1978 1979 1988 1991 2000

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH CHURCH

DECREE CONFIRMING THE FEAST DAY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH MATAASNAKAHOY, BATANGAS

A parish is a certain community of Christs faithful stably established within a particular Church, who pastoral care, under the authority of the diocesan Bishop, is entrusted to a parish priest as its proper pastor. (Canon 515 sec.1) Section 2 of the same canon further stipulates that, The diocesan Bishop alone can established, suppress or alter parishes. He is not to establish, suppress or notably alter them unless he has consulted the council of priests. On January 1, 1932, the Parish in Mataasnakahoy, Batangas was erected, under the patroness of the Immaculate Conception. Since this day coincides with the New Year celebration, the parish has since then been celebrating the feast at another date. Noting the religious significance of December 8 being the feast of the Immaculate Conception and with the parish priest having extensively consulted the faithful, We +GAUDENCIO B. ROSALES, D.D. by the grace of God and the authority of the Holy See Archbishop of Lipa, hereby decree and promulgate that December 8 be recognized as the annual feast of Parish of Immaculate Conception, Mataasnakahoy, Batangas. I call on the faithful of the said parish to hold the religious observance necessary to honor the Patroness of the parish. This decree however does not cover annual celebrations of smaller communities such as the barangay, sitio, or chapel levels, which could hold celebrations following traditional practices or depending upon the need of the said communities. This remains valid unless revoked by Us or by Our Successor. Given in the City of Lipa this 16th day of October, Nineteen Hundred and NinetySeven, in the Year of our Lord. +GAUDENCIO B. ROSALES, D.D. Archbishop of Lipa

FR. ALOYSIUS H. BUENSALIDA Chancellor

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