The PME Mission in Mindanao

The Beginning and the Pioneering lives


How this all started..

Following are the important events in Mindanao:

  1. The first batch of PME missionaries came in to Davao in 1937 to take charge of the evangelization of Davao, replacing the Jesuits..
  2. The three divisions of Davao have been populated by various Tribal Filipinos with differing customes and traditions. The first missionaries were the Jesuits, very few of them, attrempting conversions of the natives. Meanwhile in the other parts of the Philippines in the Visayas and Luzon, Catholic Christianity has been growing. These Christians started to immigrate to Mindanao, built towns and Christian communities.
  3. During this time, Mindanao was divided into two Dioceses, based in Zamboanga and in Cagayan de Oro. Both bishops of these dioceses asked help from from everywhere in Christendom to get more priest and missionaries. Bishop Del Rosario of Zamboanga finally succeeded in getting help from Canada from the PME fathers. At the time the PME society had also a mission in China.After several studies about Mindanao, the PME fathers, given the choice where to deliver their services, chose Davao to continue the work of evangelization of tribal Filipinos and the growing Christian migrants from the Visayas and Luzon.
  4. When the first PME fathers arrived, there were only four parishes in Davao City and in the three towns of Davao Oriental. In its 50th anniverary celebration in 1987, the PME Society has established 35 parishes, facilitated the introduction of quality Schools, Hospitals, communications,presence of religious congregations,and the establishment of the Saint Francis Minor and Major Seminaries. After 50 years, the Catholic Church in Davao has grown to four dioceses, 65 parishes, with 120 Filipino diocesan priests and many religiious congregations.
  5. Gradually the PME fathers turned over the management of the mission to the Filipino clergy, including the Seminaries. However, they are still around , responding to the invitation to continue helping Davao. They have reduced their number significantly from the highest 135 Fathers who participated in the mission.
  6. They have significantly touched the lives of the Filipino clergy in Davao. Little they may realize it except for seminary mentors, they also touched the lives of hundreds ex-seminarians,who now one way or another in their humble silent ways stand as living witnesess of the PME mission. The PME may not yet realize it, but the ex-seminarians they have meant not to be in their Seminary Project, are powerful forces in the growth of the Filipino christian nationhood. The former seminarians are creating positive influences in governments, health, education, technologies, and businesses..


      The First PME Priests in Davao, five of them, who arrived in October 1937

      1. Clovis Rondeau
      2. Clovis Thibault
      3. Conrad Cote
      4. Omer Leblanc
      5. Leo Lamy.


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      The forces of former seminarians started, too, with the establishement of Saint Francis Seminary.They did not become priests.However, the seminary education has molded them unique personality , experienced only by very few men. This education in the fifties, in the sixties, and the seventies,is the best bargain they got by participating in the pioneering days of the seminary. They are never going to forget the learning experiences.

      The Agustinian Recollects and the Jesuits opened up Mindanao to the map of the Christian world. Nevertheless, the PME fathers were the developmental pioneers of the Catholic Church in Davao. After 50 years, this Church is new compared to the communities in the Visayas and Luzon.A new breed of Christian is developed in Davao, unique in the Philippines with the advent of technologies in Agriculture, Sciences, Computer technologies and big businesses in Mindanao.

      The Catholic Church has grown. The population has increased tenfold. So, also the proliferation of religious sects. A town in Davao could have as many thirty to forty diffferent religious sects. We will not see this many in the Luzon and in the Visayas regions. The bigger ones are the Iglesia ni Cristo, Aglipay Chruch, the American protestantism in the Baptist and Episcopalian churches, and newer Mormon Church. The Filipino cultures both Christians and Tribal demonstrate a very strong sense of the religious experiences of the Filipino People.

      (Sources.. PME Fathers:Updated by JP Mercado 4/24/2000)