The
Augustinian Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu, based in the city of
Cebu in the
Philippines, is a geographical and administrative
subdivision of the religious
Order of St. Augustine. The Province is actively involved in education, parish administration, mission work and formation of candidates for religious life. It has worked on joint missions with other Augustinian provinces, namely, the
Australian Province in
South Korea, the
Dutch Province in
Indonesia, and the Provinces of Villanova (
United States),
Ireland and
England-
Scotland in
South Africa. In keeping with its goal to become a missionary Province, it has begun sending friars overseas to help in apostolic and pastoral ministries.
History
The first group of Augustinians, under the leadership of the Venerable
Andres Urdaneta, came to the Philippines in 1565 from Spain through
Mexico as the pioneers in the
Catholic Church's task of
evangelization in that part of the globe. Originally establishing themselves in Cebu, these missionaries soon expanded their apostolic activities to the neighboring towns and islands and later to almost all the other principal regions of the
archipelago.
On March 7, 1575, the then Prior General of the Order, Fr. Tadeo de Perusa, decreed the creation of a new Augustinian Province in the Philippines under the title
Santisimo Nombre de Jesus de Filipinas –
Most Holy Name of Jesus of the Philippines. During the
Spanish colonial times in the Philippines, they ...
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