THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF CONCEPCION, TARLAC
BY WAY OF A HISTORY
Lino L. Dizon

The Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Concepcion, Tarlac can trace its prodigious beginning as early as 1605, almost forty years after the Christianization of the Philippines in 1565. Local historical traditions and extant annals of the Spaniards and Augustinians (the friars that commenced the evangelization of the area as well as the whole of the Philippines) mentioned the site of the pioneering visita in a pseudo-town (barrio-tienda) known as Magasang, among the barrios of Almacen, Malabug, and Sabang Tangul which came to be known as Magalang. A cataclysm of 1600, presumably the Andres Malong Rebellion, caused its initial abandonment.

By the 1700s, records show the sitio of Magalang to be San Bartolome and its church dedicated to San Bartolome the Apostle. Some of the early missionaries who labored in this church included the famous Augustinian Historians Fr. Casimiro Diaz, OSA (1714), and Fr. Jose Villanueva, OSA 1759. However, the earliest book of Bautismos de San Bartolome Magalang was only dated May 13, 1766 (with ex-Donosa) when, already being reduced in population, Crisolorao Gulod, Cruz, became the first ex-parish. The institutionalization of mission work in the pueblos of (Sta. Rosa) and Garlit (Murcia), which are presently under the Concepcion system, began in 1755.

The exact seat of the mission work was specifically transferred for the second time from the degraded San Bartolome to a more accessible location in a barrio known as Concepcion. It was in August 8, 1863, when the independent parish of Concepcion was created under the advocation of La Inmaculada Concepcion de Maria. This new pueblo was carved from the towns of Magalang, Mabalacat, Porac, Capas, Bamban, Tarlac, and Angeles. This independent parish was canonically created by decree of Manila Archbishop Gregorio Meliton Martinez on August 20, 1866, his independence ratified on September 10, 1866 by the Archdiocese of Manila.

Fr. Guillermo Masnou, OSA became the first parish priest of Concepcion. Thus, for the first time, an independent parish for the Immaculate Conception was founded in Concepcion, and Concepcion would be under the jurisdiction of Tarlac.

Other Augustinian friars who would be serving Concepcion as parish priests included Fr. Guillermo Blanco (January 30, 1880 – February 7, 1880), Fr. Guillermo Pallas (February 7, 1880 – August 17, 1881), Fr. Saturnino Domingo (August 23, 1882 – 1885), Fr. Pradas y Navas (1885), Fr. Santiago Blanco (1889).

During the Spanish-American war of 1898, Fr. Santiago Blanco became a prisoner of the Katipuneros and was later killed. Another friar, Fr. Pradas, was captured in Angeles and later died in captivity. In the meantime, Concepcion (together with Murcia), had a population of 18,671 with 7,355 tribute-payers.

During the Philippine Revolutionary and the subsequent American Period, the parish was under the care of Fr. Celedonio Mariano, who became its first secular Filipino priest in 1898. A group of Aglipayan priests later took over. His tenure lasted until September 1900. He was replaced by Fr. Juan Nepomuceno, who served as the first diocesan cura parocco of the town. His tenure lasted until September 1906. Fr. Divino was replaced by Fr. Francisco Diaz in 1907. In 1908 Concepcion Parish was placed under the care of Recollects, in place of the Augustinians who had earlier administered the parish.

Among the recollects that administered Concepcion during the American colonial period were: Fr. Manuel Gomez (October 1912 – September 1919), Fr. Eusebio Hernandez (September 1919 – October 1912, later on?), Fr. Manuel Aragon (September 1912 – 1936), Fr. Lucio Gomez (September 1936 – 1951), Fr. Macario Luyten (1951 – 1960), Fr. Manuel Diaz (1960 – 1966), and Fr. Felix U. Africa (1966 – 1969).

The succeeding diocesan priests included Msgr. Macario Paras (1969 – 1979), Msgr. Lucio Cruz (1979 – 1983), Msgr. Macario Macapagal (1983 – 1986), Msgr. Alfredo Ventura (1986 – 1989), Fr. Eugenio P. Manalo (1989 – 1992), Fr. Raymundo S. Ventura (1992 – 1998), Fr. George L. Vedo (1998 – 2005), Msgr. Melencio F. Sunga (2005 – 2007), Msgr. Angelito S. Santiago (2007 – 2015), and Msgr. Benigno D. Liza (2015 up to the present).

In time, Concepcion Parish has produced priest-vocations that include Fr. Juan Nepomuceno, Fr. Amado M. Calma, Fr. Ernesto Calma, Fr. Godofredo Cruz, Fr. Macario Luyten, Fr. Manuel Cruz, Fr. Gaudencio Cruz, Fr. Jerry Manalo, and Fr. Virgilio Manalo.

Today, Concepcion Parish stands proud with its beautiful church edifice at the town proper, under the patronage of Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepcion, with its convent and school buildings, and a large congregation of 120,000 Catholics.

Location

San Nicolas Poblacion
Concepcion, Tarlac

Ownership

Roman Catholic
Diocese of Tarlac