Five centuries
Published Mar 18, 2021 12:10 am
’TOL Views
Senator Francis N. Tolentino
This month formally marks the 500 years of the Spanish Inquisition in Asia, which first brought Christianity and Catholicism in the Philippines.
Although the Inquisition had caused lives, persecutions, sufferings to the people, later to be known as “Filipinos,” during the first three centuries after the Spanish colonizers first came in March 1521, let us not forget that the institutions established during those periods had helped mold the country we live in now.
Catholic institutions like the University of Santo Tomas and Colegio de San Juan de Letran, which were both founded by Spanish Dominican Friars in 1611 and 1620 respectively, and the Ateneo de Manila University, which was established by the Spanish Jesuits in 1859, are responsible for educating the minds of the so-called “Illustrados,” with the likes of Jose P. Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Juan Luna inspiring the formation of the Propaganda Movement.
A few years later, the Propaganda Movement also inspired other Illustrados to seek reforms from the Spanish Colonial government, which eventually led to the creation of the Katipunan which helped spark the Philippine Revolution at the dawn of the 20th century.
Notable revolutionaries and military commanders like Emilio Aguinaldo and his cousin Baldomero Aguinaldo, Antonio Luna, Gregorio del Pilar, Artemio Ricarte, and Emilio Jacinto were also products of the above mentioned religious educational institutions.
It is a an accepted fact that the entry of Christianity and Catholicism had promoted the good values imbued within its very doctrine and these have helped nourish the kind of nation the Philippines is at present.
Speaking of the Jesuits, in his homily last March 14, Pope Francis branded Filipinos as “smugglers of faith” since “wherever they go to work, they sow the faith.”
The Pope’s remarks were evident as the country had also produced two saints — San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila and San Pedro Calungsod — who were both martyred overseas in the 17th Century while spreading the gospel together with their respective companions in foreign lands.
We are elated that the Pope has a special relationship with Filipinos. He reminded us that we should preserve our so-called blessed “infectiousness” which he described as part of our genes.
Senator Francis N. Tolentino
This month formally marks the 500 years of the Spanish Inquisition in Asia, which first brought Christianity and Catholicism in the Philippines.
Although the Inquisition had caused lives, persecutions, sufferings to the people, later to be known as “Filipinos,” during the first three centuries after the Spanish colonizers first came in March 1521, let us not forget that the institutions established during those periods had helped mold the country we live in now.
Catholic institutions like the University of Santo Tomas and Colegio de San Juan de Letran, which were both founded by Spanish Dominican Friars in 1611 and 1620 respectively, and the Ateneo de Manila University, which was established by the Spanish Jesuits in 1859, are responsible for educating the minds of the so-called “Illustrados,” with the likes of Jose P. Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Juan Luna inspiring the formation of the Propaganda Movement.
A few years later, the Propaganda Movement also inspired other Illustrados to seek reforms from the Spanish Colonial government, which eventually led to the creation of the Katipunan which helped spark the Philippine Revolution at the dawn of the 20th century.
Notable revolutionaries and military commanders like Emilio Aguinaldo and his cousin Baldomero Aguinaldo, Antonio Luna, Gregorio del Pilar, Artemio Ricarte, and Emilio Jacinto were also products of the above mentioned religious educational institutions.
It is a an accepted fact that the entry of Christianity and Catholicism had promoted the good values imbued within its very doctrine and these have helped nourish the kind of nation the Philippines is at present.
Speaking of the Jesuits, in his homily last March 14, Pope Francis branded Filipinos as “smugglers of faith” since “wherever they go to work, they sow the faith.”
The Pope’s remarks were evident as the country had also produced two saints — San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila and San Pedro Calungsod — who were both martyred overseas in the 17th Century while spreading the gospel together with their respective companions in foreign lands.
We are elated that the Pope has a special relationship with Filipinos. He reminded us that we should preserve our so-called blessed “infectiousness” which he described as part of our genes.