Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Agenzia Fides) - The Congregation of the Missionaries of the Immaculate Heart of Mary CICM, known as the Scheut Missionaries, is celebrating 100 years of service in the Philippines since the first CICM missionary arrived in the northern part of Luzon in 1907.
Celebrations will culminate on 28 November 2007 with a special gathering in Pasay City of all the missionaries in the Philippines and as many as possible from abroad.
Centenary celebrations, involving CICM communities all over the country will include meetings in schools, rallies to celebrate and to remember and revitalise missionary endeavour and spirit and intensify and update vocation pastoral.
The history of the CICM missionaries in the Philippines began at the end of the war with Spain in 1898 when the territory became American and Spanish missionaries were expelled. The first Scheut Missionaries arrived in 1907 at the request of US born Bishop Dennis Dougherty, then Bishop of the diocese of Nuova Segovia. A group of the first eight missionaries began to evangelise in the mountain area of North Luzon and the congregation soon extended its activity to the rest of the country. Prominent CICM missionaries include Fr. Francis Lambrecht who evangelised the people of Ifugao and became Vicar Apostolic of Montana province and Mgr. William Brasseur who came in 1931 to work among the Benguet people.
Today 100 members of CICM are of Filipino nationality including Bishop Carlito Cenzon of the diocese of Baguio, and Bishop Prudencio Andaya Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk, many are in Africa, America or Asia, like Bishop Wenceslao Padilla, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, in Mongolia. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/1/2007 righe 28 parole 289)
