The Augustinian Recollect Province of Saint Ezeqauiél Moreno is a division of the Order of Augustinian Recollects that has jurisdiction over the Philippines, Taiwan and Sierra Leone. It officially separated from the Province of Saint Nicholas de Tolentine on 28 November 1998. Today, the Provincialate House is located at Neptune Street, Congressional Subdivision, Project 6, Quezon City.
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Though the Province was only created in 1998, the Recollect Mission came to Philippine soils quite early in its history. Just 17 years after the Recollection was formed in the Chapter of Toledo, 10 priests and 4 consecrated brothers said to the Philippines in order to heed the request of the Archbishop of Manila to help in the Christianisation of the islands. And with their arrival on 12 May 1606 in the Island of Cebu, they became the fifth order to be the stalwart of Philippine evangelisation. Together with the Augustinians (who arrived first in 1575), the discalzed Franciscans (1578), the Jesuits (1581) and the Dominicans (1587), they performed the heroic task of not only Christianising the Philippines but also to lay the foundations of many of its modern-day towns and cities.
The first Recolect mission to the Philippines was led by no less than if very first Prior Provincial Fray Juan de San Jerónimo. Together with him was Fr. Rodigo de San Miguel, a man well versed not only in Theology but in other sciences as well. Unfortunately, Fr. Andrés de San Nicolás did not make it to his destination but perished at sea.
Though they first set foot in the island of Cebu in 1606, the Recoletos built their first priory in the same year in Bagumbayan outside the walls of the present-day Intramuros. The house is still preserved by the national government until today, though it is in an unihabitable state. The Priory was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and became one of centre of devotion to the Lady of Health for many years.
Three years later, they founded another house within the walls which became their Provincial House until the end of World War II. In 1616, they also founded a house in Cavite and went back to Cebu in 1621 to found yet another one. In the same year, they also began constructing the order's most prominent sanctuary in history, the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian.
In reality, the Recollection was not meant to be active. The Fifth Determination of the Chapter of Toledo, itself it was clear that the original motive of its creation was to be more contemplative [1]. Their main plan was to live more radically their life of prayer and community. Because of this, their original priories were not parishes by contemplative houses.
However, the difference in setting of the Philippines was so different that the missionaries in the Philippines needed to have a more active role. Filipinos flocked to their doord every Sunday to attend the Holy Mass and they had no choice but to open their doors. In 1607, they were officially given the charge to Christianise the towns of Bagac, Bataan. They also founded in the same year a community in Masinloc, Zambales, Zambales, which is considered their first real parish. And finally, at the end of the decade (1609), they also were made in charge of Bolinao, Pangasinan.
On 1 March 1621, the colonial government divided the Island of Mindanao into two. The Northeastern section of the Island was given to the Recollects while the rest was given to the Jesuits. Their most prominent area was in Butuan City, Cateel and the Dinagat Islands. However, during the Jesuit Expulsion, the task was left solely unto their shoulders.
Perhaps, the province that carries the heaviest imprints of the Recollect mission is the island of Negros (now divided into Negros Occidental & Negros Oriental). Given to them in 1626, the Recollects not only founded parishes but also the very towns they have today. Today, most of the names of their towns bear the same names as those of Spain, mainly those areas where the missionaries came from.
Other areas that were given to them were the Island of Romblon, Banton and Tablas in 1635. Mindoro was added to their charge in 1679 and eight years later, the island of Masbate. Finally, they were also given some areas in the present-day Quezon Province in 1658.
By 1898, the year that the Filipinos declared their freedom from Spain, the Recollects were attending to about 1,203,399 souls in 203 towns and 20 provinces in the Philippines.[2]
The Recollect missionaries in the Philippines did not content themselves to Christianise the Philippines. They also embarked an ambitious mission to other areas, most notably in Japan. Despite the scarcity of resources, they began an arduous mission to the said country 1623. The mission was begun by Spanish Fr. Francisco de Jesús and the Portuguese Fr. Vicente Carvalho and sow the seeds of Christianity in the Unzen, in the island of Kyushu. Their mission blest the order with its very first martyrs in Japan. The two priests were subjected to slow fire on 3 September 1623.
Their fate was repeated in the person of Fr. Melchor de San Agustín and Fr. Martín de San Nicolás in 1632. However, before the two died, they were able to give some catechetical instruction to a young girl named Magadalene in the Prefecture of Nagasaki. She later became a member of the Tertiary and became the order its very first saint.
Aside from Japan, the Philippine Province is also in charge of the mission in Taiwan and Sierra Leone.
Founded by the Dionisia Talangpaz and her sister Cecilia Rosa in 16 July 1728, the Augustinian Recollect Sisters is the second oldest congregation in the Philippines after the Religious of the Virgin Mary. It also holds the honour of being the third oldest Congregation founded in Asia.
It was originally an organisation of Tertiaries but later on developed into a full congregation. The Congregation is perpetually united to the Order of Augustinian Recollects in many ties. It is one of the active congregations belonging to the Augustinian Recollects family and a fruit brought forth out of the missionary zeal of the Order.
The primitive Augustinian Recollect Fathers guided the two foundresses and the first community of beatas. They directed the Beaterio from its earlier stage of growth and development until it was canonically erected as a diocesan religious congregation on 19 August 1929 through the recommendation of the Reverend Father Gerardo Larrondo, the incumbent Prior General of the Recollect Friars; and through the benevolence of the Most Reverend Michael O'Doherty, then, Archbishop of Manila.
Still with the nurturing assistance of the Augustinian Recollect Order, juridical autonomy was procured for the congregation which subsequently was declared an Institute of Pontifical Right by the Holy See on 20 November 1970, under the pontificate of Pope Paul VI.
The Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity is the Third Order or Tertiary of the Order of Augustinian Recollects. Founded as early as the 1650s in the town of Bolina0, Pangasinan, these pious men and women share in the charism of the Recoletos in their daily lives.
In fact, the history of the Secular Augustinian Recollects is so fruitful in the province that it is from this province that the first martyr and saint of the Order came from this province in the person of Magdalene of Nagasaki.
Aside from this wondrous saint, the Secular Augustinian Recollect was also blest with other heroic people like Calara Calima and Isabel. In fact, the modern-day Augustinian Recollect Sisters were members of the SARF during their earlier times.
Today, with more than 400 members scattered all over the archipelago, the Philippines Tertiaries are the second most numerous both in terms of nationality and provincial affinity.
Considered the Fourth Order, this organisation aims to form the modern youth with the spirituality of Saint Augustine.
Aside from administering parishes, the OAR though that a good way to really help the Philippines is to educate their people. Therefore, the Recollects began founding learning institutions as well. Scattered all over the country, these institutions are considered to be one of the centres of learning in their respective areas.