Essay About Founding Of A Filipino National Churchgregorio Aglipay And Filipino Church

Religious Schism
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Chapter 14: The Religious SchismThe only living and tangible result of the revolution was the Filipino Church, popularly known as the Aglipayan or Philippine Independent ChurchMabini, riding on the crest of the popular nationalistic movement, suggested the founding of a Filipino National ChurchGregorio Aglipay on the SceneThe revolution which began in 1896 was primarily a conflict of racesThe second phase of the revolution was  not only political but religious as wellWhen Aguinaldo returned from Hongkong, Governador-General Basilio Augustin & Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda played a game in which Aglipay was the pawnThey commissioned him to confer with revolutionary leaders particularly with Mariano Trias, Artemio Ricarte and Emiliano Riego de Dios in order to bring them back in Spanish sideThe bait to win them over the side was the promise of the autonomy but his mission was a failureAguinaldo, who had  just returned from  hongkong, sent Colonel Luciano San Miguel to persuade Aglipay to work for the Filipino causeNozaleda countered by commissioning Aglipay to win over Aguinaldo to the Spanish causeAglipay go to north to investigate the condition of the bishopric  in Nueva Segovia an d he secured the release of two Jesuits priestAglipay went back to manila to report but it was besieged. The next best thing he did was went to Cavite and joined Aguinaldo’s movementOctober 20,1898 –Aguinaldo appoint Aglipay as Vicar General, this made Aglipay to be the religious leader of the revolutionary movementNozaleda against AglipayAglipay’s  position in the revolutionary government and his position in the Catholic hierarchy were  anomalousOctober 21, 1898-Aglipay issued a manifesto asking the Filipino clergy to organize themselves and take charge of all vacant parishesApril 29,1899-Nozaleda charged Aglipay with usurpation of  power and he excommunicate him on May 5He also declared that Aglipay is a usurper and schismaticBut Aglipay charged him of starving the people and collaborating with the Spaniards and the AmericansMabini and the National ChurchApolinario Mabini- a mason and an uncompromising nationalistOctober 22,1899-Mabini directed a manifesto to the clergy urging them organize a Filipino National ChurchThe Filipino National ChurchOctober 23,1899-Aglipay called an assembly at Paniqui,TarlacAgenda: 1) Filipinization of Catholic Church 2.)Prevention of anarchy in religious matter 3.) Provisional constitution of the Filipino Church was frameThe war time condition of the period, however gave the church  no opportunity to develop fullyChapelle and FilipinizationJanuary 2, 1902-Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines, Mons. Placido Chapelle arrived at the PhilippinesHe is known to be pro-friar and insulted the Filipino clergyHe said that they are incompetent thus holding menial position only on the churchThe SchismChapelle’s undiplomatic language maybe considered one of the factors in the Philippine religious schismSalustiano Araullo and Jose Chanco-Filipino in Rome who laid the Filipino problem before the PopeIsabelo de los Reyes-a radical propagandist and scholar, returned to the Philippines early in 1901.He campaigned relentlessly for the establishment of Filipino Church. On July, he founded the “Union Obrera Democratica”, the first labor union in the PhilippinesPascual H. Poblete-a Filipino journalist and anti-friar. August 3, 1902, he scheduled a mass meeting at the Zorilla Theater, but the meeting did not take place.The same night, Isabelo De los Reyes called a meeting to his union and proposed the establishment of a Filipino Church with Aglipay as the Supreme BishopThe proposal was approved and the new church was called “Iglesia Filipina Independiente(Philippine Independent Church)First ConvertsIsabelo De los Reyes placed the list of the Executive Committee of the new churchExecutive Committee:Trinidad H. Pardo de TaveraFernando Maria GuereroMartin OcampoManuel ArtigasPriest:Adriano GarcesJ. BarlinManuel RoxasToribio DominguezThe most fatal blow came from Aglipay himself who did not approve the schism. However, De los Reyes was lucky because the masses understood the meaning of the new church and came to his rescue. Some resident of Navotas, Rizal sent in their affiliation paperFather Pedro Brillantes-his influence seeped through the priest of his province and in no time, the, too joined the churchAglipay and the JesuitsDr. Leon Ma. Guerrero and Joaquin Luna, invited Aglipay to an interview at Jesuit House in Sta. Ana, ManilaFather Francisco FordadaA Spaniard and author of a book on the Philippineschosen by the Jesuits to win back Aglipay to the Catholic foldFor four days, Fordada exerted all his power to win back Aglipay and on the fifth day, Fordada handed Aglipay a document for his signatureFordada promised that  if he would sign it, he would be appointed bishop or archbishop with a large amount of moneyBut Fordada insulted the Filipino priest which urge Aglipay to continue the schismYears later, the Jesuits tried to repair the damage done by Fordada. Through Father Theo Rogers, they once more invited Aglipay to a conferenceFather Joaquin Villalonga-deal with Aglipay and urged him to come back to the catholic faith. Aglipay is accompanied with young priest Santiago FonacierAglipay Consecration as BishopSeptember 6, 1902-Aglipay was consecrated as bishop and he also accept the position of Supreme BishopOctober 1, 1902-he presided over the meeting of the council which was to frame the constitution of the Filipino ChurchOctober 26, 1902-First mass of  Aglipay as Supreme BishopJanuary 18, 1903-He was consecrated  as Supreme Bishop of Isabela, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Cavite and ManilaSignificanceThe Spanish prejudice had to bases:The feeling o racial superiorityThe alleged incompetence of the Filipino clergyAs to first basis, the Spanish friars could not admit that the colored Filipino’s were or could be the equal of the white SpaniardsAs to second basis, the Spaniards thinks Filipinos were incompetent, for doubtless the early Filipino clergy were not rigorously trained for their dutiesChurch authorities tried to divide the Filipinos by counting, flattering and attempting to bribe Aglipay with promises of honor and lucre that would tempt the leader into betraying the Filipino causeThe Revolution, then, had two results:First, the liquidation of the Spanish empire in the orientSecond, the alienation of a segment of the population from the catholic churchThe fact remains that the religious schism, which lead to the establishment of the Filipino Independent Church, was the most important result of the Filipino’s struggle for national emancipationPrepared By:Lorenz Antonette D. LagarBsba Fm-2A               His101 WTH 11:30am-1:00pm