PARISH VISION AND MISSION & PARISH HISTORY

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 The main task of the parish priest after the Moro destruction in 1753 to 1754 was to reconstruct the churches and conventos. The construction of the huge walls started in 1768 under the guidance and expert advise of Fr. Diego de San Jose. In August 1783, Fr. Jose dela Virgen del Olmo began the reconstruction of the church.

In 1806, through the request of the central government, the Recollect Fathers returned and they divided the whole island among themselves so that the parish of Calapan stretched as far as Dongon passing along the north coast.

In 1819 the Recollect Provincial, Fr. Nicolas Decerra, requested the central governor to establish a new town at the west coast where the people started settling down and thus reducing the parish of Calapan.

In 1872, Fr. Ezequiel Moreno y Diaz dela Virgen del Rosario became the parish priest of Calapan. After ordination as priest on June 2, 1871, he was immediately sent to his first mission in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. Fr. Ezequiel Moreno took the place of his brother Eustaquio with Fr. Marciano Landa assisting him. They had to look after the whole Calapan parish including Baco and Subaan. Fr. Ezequiel Moreno y Diaz dela Virgen del Rosario is one of the most remembered priest, he is now a canonized saint.

On August 12, 1881, the church and convent were burned down. The first step for its reconstruction was the demolition of wall that separated the priest’s quarters from the church-square, so there was access to convent other than through the church. The new convent was finished in 1882. The church was rebuilt within the old walls. This was all done by 1888.

Under Fr. Benito Ojeda in 1895, the interior of the church was drawn up in Gothic style painted in matching colors.

In 1902 American Archbishop of Manila, Monsignor Harty requested the superiors of the Recollect missionaries to retrieve the pastoral works in Mindoro.

In 1936, Mindoro province was entrusted to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) at the request of the Bishop of Lipa. The parish, with all the other parishes in the island were then administered by the SVD priests. The first SVD parish priest of Calapan, Fr. Alfonso Gassman was assigned with Fr. Adolf Urban, SVD, as his assistant. Calapan parish records indicate that the first pastoral activities of the SVD started on December 6, 1936. On July 2, 1936, Oriental Mindoro became an Apostolic Prefecture, with Bishop William Finnemann as its first Prefect. He requested the SSps Sisters to open a Catholic school under the parish to support the missionary work of the Divine Word Missionaries. On March 26, 1937, the congregation sent Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) Sisters to Calapan. The new school was named Holy Infant Academy, in honor of the Child Jesus, locally known as Sto. Niño. It started in May, 1937 with a kindergarten and primary school.

When war broke out in 1941, the Japanese forces came to Calapan. The priests assigned to the parish were German nationals and as such, Germany being an ally of Japan, they were left in relative freedom by the Japanese Imperial Forces.

In 1942, Japan invaded the Philippines. It was the start of World War II in the Pacific region. The war took Bishop Finneman by surprise, but he continued attending to his ministry. Inspite of his German origin, he did not adulate Japan, who was Germany’s ally and victor in Asia. Neither did he render tribute. Bishop Finneman strongly stood against these abuses and a number of times and because of this, Bishop Finneman became increasingly unpopular to the Japanese. They started harassing him after they realized that the German-born bishop had become a Philippine citizen.

On October 26, 1942, Divine Word priests were then told that Bishop Finnemann would be brought to Manila on a patrol boat. Soon, it was announced that the bishop was already dead, without any information as to when, where and how. When the war was over, the Apostolic Prefecture came under the administration of Fr. Benito Rixter. He also founded the Mindoro College (now, Divine Word College of Calapan) in April, 1946. In August, 1946 Msgr. Enrique Ederle, SVD was appointed as Prefect Apostolic of Calapan where he remained until October 1951.

In the meantime, Mindoro was raised to an Apostolic Vicariate by Pope Pius XII on July 12, 1951 and Monsignor William Josef Duschak, SVD, DD was installed as Vicar Apostolic on October 3, 1951 in the Cathedral of Japan. The bamboo organ 1 of 2 was known to be installed in Sto. Niño Cathedral in the early 1960s. The other was installed in the SVD Monastery but removed and is in another church but disassembled. The original to this instrument was partially destroyed in the late 1960s by a fire but rebuilt in the early 1970s and the façade changed to the present. It is a 21 stop instrument with 2 reeds, a trumpet and oboe.

On June 1, 1962, a new Minor Seminary dedicated to St. Augustine was solemnly blessed by the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines and on July 15 of the same year, the solemn consecration of the Calapan Cathedral of the Holy Infant officiated by Rufino Cardinal Santos, Archbishop of Manila took place.

Most Reverend Simeon O. Valerio, SVD, DD was ordained bishop on January 26 1974 and became Vicar Apostolic of Calapan,Mindoro. He became Provincial Superior for the SVD Philippine Province in ’72-’73.

On August 12, 1977 8:45pm when the entire old Provincial Capitol building and Holy Infant Academy was burned but the Cathedral was spared by fire which many of the parishioners believed was a miracle.

On June 21, 1989, Most Reverend Warlito I. Cajandig was ordained as Vicar Apostolic of Calapan at the Manila Cathedral. Before he was ordained as bishop, he became parish priest of San Agustin, Romblon from 1981-1988.

July 15,2006, was the launching of "Hapag ng Pamilyang Mindoreńo", a diocesan Core program which aimed to promote integral evangelization of the people of God through organizing MKK or Munting Kapitbahayang Kristiyano (Basic Ecclesial Community)  at DWCC Gymnasium. The launching was participated in by representatives at all parishes of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan.  Different activities were being done in line with partaking with Hapag ng Salita ng Diyos, Hapag Kainan ang Hapag ng Eukaristiya, group singing at the Sto.  Niño Cathedral Parish were the Holy mass was celebrated and the blessing of logo of HPM. The mass was officiated by most Reverend Warlito I. Cajanding. After of the communion was the unveiling of the Decree of launching of Hapag ng Pamilyang Mindoreño.

November 2, 2008, the formally launched of  the informative drive for Tapong sa Hapag,  the Stewardship of Time,  Talent and Treasure. Tapong sa Hapag was one of the core activities of Hapag ng Pamilyang Mindoreño i.e. giving of a regular and monthly pledge in accordance with the parishioners affordability to pledge. The Tapong sa Hapag was not only giving monthly pledges but the sharing of time and talent in assisting to various parish activities. The main purpose of Tapong sa Hapag was to augment various expenses of the Parish such as Administration,  Rectory,  Worship,  Formation,  Service,  Temporalities and Youth and to support different diocesan,  national and world commissions. It also eliminates contribution of Baptism,  Confirmation and Matrimony. The commitment Sundays was done on Nov.  9, 16, 23 and 30.

December 4, 2010, the first ever launching and fluvial parade of patron Sto.  Niño.  It remarks the month long celebration of the Feast of Sto. Niño de Calapan in coordination with the City Government of Calapan headed by Mayor Paulino Salvador Leachon and Vice Mayor Antonio S. Perez Jr. It waa started with the Holy Mass at the cathedral,  then a motorcade to Barangay Wawa. A fluvial parade had transpured from Wawa cruising the Calauangan lake going to Baeangay Tawagan where a short program had iccured. Then from barangay Tawagan there was a motorcade going back to the cathedral. 

December 16, 2010-December 16, 2011, declared as the Year of the Youth with the theme "Stand firm in the faith. Do all your work in love( 1.Cor. 16:13-14)" by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. National Youth Cross travelled in the whole Philippines and on Feb. 4, 2011 the said cross arrived at the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan. 

Hulyo 14, 2012, ginanap ang ika-50 taong anibersaryo ng pagkakatalaga at konsagrasyon ng Sto. Niño Cathedral na may temang “Ginintuang Pasasalamat, Simbahang Ipinunla, Hapag ng Pagpapala.” Ang misa ay pinangunahan ni Bishop Warlito I. Cajandig kasama ng mga kaparian at dinaluhan ng mga lider layko mula sa iba’t ibang parokya ng Apostoliko Bikaryato ng Calapan. Nagkaroon ng pagbabasbas at pag-eensenso ng buong Cathedral. Ang mga isinagawang pagsasaayos at paghahanda para sa re-consecration ng Sto. Niño Cathedral ay pinamahalaan pa rin ng dating kura paroko na si Fr. Nestor J. Adalia.

Hulyo 21, 2013, inilunsad ang Munting Paaralan ni Kristo (MPK). Nakita sa pag-uusap sa City Care Forum (CCF) na dumarami ang mga batang lansangan sa city. Nabuo ang MPK (acronym suggested by couple Milante and Frances Malaya Aceveda) sa pamamagitan ng PAPASCO na may main program na Dinner and Formation sa mga batang lansangan. Nakapaloob sa booklet ang detalye ng programa nito. Mula dito ay nagkaroon ng mga ugnayan kay Fr. Boyet Concepcion. Sa kasalukuyan (2017) may mga bata tayo na nasa kanyang pangangalaga sa St. Martin de Porres, Bulacan.