The Sisters of St. Paul arrived in the Philippines in 1904 and established their first foundation in Dumaguete. Over the following decades, they opened numerous schools, hospitals, and pastoral centers across the country. Today there are over 500 Sisters in the Philippines engaged in education, healthcare, and pastoral work, with additional Sisters serving in mission abroad. Through their ministries, the Sisters of St. Paul have greatly contributed to the Church and society in the Philippines for over a century.

2. Establishment in the Philippines
Historical Background
2> AmericanOccupation&Colonization
1> PhilippineRevolutionvs. Spain
3> AglipayanMovement&
EntryofProtestants
In Europe :
Secularization

3. Christianized by the Spanish missionaries
but oppressed by the colonizing powers,
the Filipinos sought to gain freedom.
Revolts and reform movements marked
the 400 years of Spanish occupation.
1> Philippine Revolution vs.
Spain
were among the first who
defied Spanish rule.
Lapu-lapu,
Chief of Mactan
and Sultan Kudarat

4. The Dagohoy revolt began
by Francisco Dagohoy lasted
for 100 years.
The martyrdom of Frs.
Gomez, Burgos and Zamora
who worked for Church and
ecclesiastical reforms, became
a rallying point for the
revolutionaries.
The Cavite mutiny inspired
many other uprisings.

5. The popular freedom movement
Katipunan led by Andres Bonifacio,
Emilio Jacinto, Apolinario Mabini
and the peaceful reforms
spearheaded by
Dr. Jose Rizal
and numerous unsung heroes who
gave their lives for the country,
bore fruit.
Marcelo H.del Pilar

6. Philippine Independence
was declared on
June 12, 1898.
Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
became President
of the First Philippine Republic.
However - the victory of the revolution
led to the departure of the Spanish
missionaries and religious.

7. 2> American Occupation & Colonization
These cost the lives of
Gregorio del
Pilar,
Antonio Luna,
Miguel Malvar
– and countless
other Filipino patriots.
Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States.
The United States came in as the New
Colonizers.
New battles were fought!

8. The Americans sought to establish a strong
foothold in the Philippines. With their
military entry came a new system of
education and protestantism.
Protestantism spread
through the American
teachers and schools.
Embracing protestantism
became a condition for free
admission in schools and in
some cases, free treatment
in hospitals.

9. 3>The Aglipayan Movement
Fr. Gregorio Aglipay’s nationalist efforts
against Spanish oppression resulted in his
separation from the Catholic Church –
and the founding of the Philippine
Independent Church.
The dangers to the Catholic
Faith of the Filipinos was real!

10. The Coming of the SPC Sisters
Bishop Frederick Rooker,
one of the first four American
Bishops assigned to the
Philippines
sought means
to preserve, nurture and
strengthen the Catholic faith
in his diocese – Jaro - which
comprised 8 provinces including
Dumaguete.

11. As the story goes:
making a stop-over in
Hongkong en route to the
U.S., Bishop Rooker saw a
Sister of St. Paul .
He asked how he could invite
sisters to his diocese.
The Sister directed him to
write the Principal Superior
who was then residing in
Saigon.
Mo. Candide Cousin
Principal Superior in
Asia (1845-1921)

12. Sailing to Philippine shores
Sisters sail aboard the “Minas de Batan”
Saigon - October 20, 1904

13. Manila – October 25, 1904
Archbishop Jeremiah J. Harty
welcomed the Sisters and
next day they set sail for
Cebu aboard the
“Pleguezuelo”
Cebu – October 28, 1904
Bishop Thomas A. Hendrick received the Sisters
and assured them of his support as they transferred
to yet another boat!

14. 29 October 1904: Arrival in
Dumaguete

15.  Cheering crowd, ringing bells,brass bands playing
 To the Church and their new home
Catechism -later a school – St. Paul Academy
A moment of great joy for the whole town!
 Sisters carried to the shore

16. The FIRST FOUNDATION
now St. Paul UniversityDumaguete

17. The PIONEERS to the
Philippines
Mother
Marthe de
St. Paul
Legendre
-French, Superior
Sr. Marie
Louise
du Sacre Coeur
Nivou
- French
Sr. Anna de
la Croix -
French

18. Sr. Charles Aho
-Chinese
Sr. Marie Josephine
Rappeport-
American
Sr. Ange Marie
Bannier -
French
(Author: “Shipboard
Diary”- account of their
Missionary Journey and
arrival in Dumaguete)
Sr. Catherine
de Gênes
Gutteres
-
Portuguese born
in Macau

19. After Dumaguete, one foundation
followed another….
The harvest is great !

20. 1905: Vigan
Rosary College – “Colegio de
las Ninas” left by the
Dominicans - now St. Paul
College of Ilocos Sur

21. 1905: Manila, Intramuros
8 French missionaries came to found St. Paul Hospital,
at the request of Archbishop Jeremiah Harty of Manila

22. 1906: Culion
- to care for the lepers (and their children) - exiled to this island.
Mo. Damien Lelievre worked here for 48 years

23. 1907: Tuguegarao
Colegio de San Pablo

24. - then
Sacred
Heart of
Jesus
Institution
later St. Paul
College of
Tuguegarao

25. now St. Paul University Philippines
lead university in the St. Paul schools system

26. ILOILO: 1911
First a hospital -

27. then a School of Nursing in 1946
– now St. Paul University Iloilo

28. 1911: Manila
First - St. Paul Novitiate

29. -then St. Paul’s Institution in 1912
later St. Paul College of Manila
- now St. Paul University Manila

30. 1904 Oct. 29 : St. Paul Academy, Dumaguete
1905 March 14 : St. Paul Hospital, Manila (w: April 24,1927)
1905 June 5 : Colegio de las Ninas (Rosary
College) 1906 April 22 : Capiz (c:December 1906)
1906 May 25 : Culion Leper Colony
1907 April 16 : School in Tayabas (c:1913)
1907 May 10 : Colegio de San Pablo, Tuguegarao
1911 Feb. 15 : St. Paul Hospital, Iloilo
1911 June 21 : St. Paul Novitiate, Malate, Manila (…to QC)
1912 Jan. 3 : St. Paul Institution, Malate, Mla.
Ten SPC foundations were opened within
the first decade, 1904-1913

31. 1913: The Philippines became an
independent province!
Mo. Alice
de St. Paul
Huchery,
1935-1947
Mo. Charles de Jesus Weiss, 1959-1965
Mo. Bernard du Sacre
Coeur Bricard, 1947-1959
The 1st Provincial was Mo. Theresa Verdier,
1913-1917.
Mo. Marthe de St. Paul Legendre, 1917-1923
Mo. Saint XavierVermeersh, 1923-1935
She was followed by 5 other Europeans:

32. 51 years after the Philippines
was constituted as a Province,
1965
Mo. Madeleine Denoga
became the 1st
Filipina
and 7th
SPC Provincial.
She served from 1965-1978.
Foundations were opened in her
13 years stint as Provincial.

33. building the House of Studies & the Vigil houses,
opening new foundations, especially in Mindanao,
and undertaking new apostolates such as
communication media, campus ministry
in the universities, etc.
A woman of great vision,
Mo. Madeleine implemented the
changes after Vatican II.
She initiated many changes such as the
professionalization of the Sisters,
sending them for studies both in the
Philippines and abroad,

34. Twice elected as Chairman of the
Assn. of Major Rel. Superiors of
Women in the Philippines,
she promoted theological formation
for Sisters and experiments on inter-
congregational endeavors such as the
Rural Missionaries and other
social action projects.
More especially, she led the Philippine Province
to respond courageously to the Church’s call
to foreign missions!

35. Sr. Mary Magdalen Torres
1999-2004
Mo. Marie Javelosa
1978-1988
Sr. Agnes Therese Teves
1988-1999
Provincial Superiors

36. Today, there are
36 Paulinian
schools all over the
archipelago
10 Hospitals
Number of Houses from
time of Foundation – 110
Total number closed - 54
11 Pastoral Centers
8 Formation
& Other houses

37. embodying the
best of Filipino
Paulinian
traditions ...
Our schools, through
the decades, have
produced Paulinians

38. Paulinians seeking
knowledge
art & culture
pursuing science
promoting and

39. …celebrating
community

40. - becoming competent, responsible citizens
at the service of Society and of the Church

41. The Paulinian tradition of Excellence
has made our schools competitive.
8 PAASCU Accredited
5 Centers of Excellence in Teacher
Education, Nursing, Engineering,
Information Technology and
Business
4 ISO 9001-2000 Certified

42. 5 granted Full Autonomy
and Deregulated Status
by the CHED
Consistent high passing rate in board
examinations
6 schools (SP Quezon City, SPC Manila, SP Iloilo,
SP Dumaguete, San Nicolas Surigao, with SP University
Tuguegarao as lead institution) became the first
University System in the Phil. recognized by the
Commission on Higher Education.

43. Forming the spirit
Developing competencies

44. increasing access to
Paulinian education
… reaching out to
the underserved and
the underprivileged

45. … empowering others
as they themselves have
been empowered.

46. Our hospitals have become leaders and
vanguards in advanced health care.

47. Promoting healing for
both body and spirit ..

48. - Reaching out
to bring health
care to the grass
roots …

49. Family Apostolate
Evangelization
& Catechetics
Home
visitation

50. Women
empowerment
Voter Education
Pastoral Guidance
Self-help &
sustainability

51. Community
organization
Leadership
training
Advocacy Work for
Indigenous Peoples
Solidarity
for Political
reform

52. Total number of Sisters
from the time of foundation - 1,032
Total departed or separated - 502
LIVING PROFESSED - 530
Perpetual - 496
Temporary - 36
IN FORMATION - 28 : 18 Novices
8 postulants
7 aspirants

53. Education - 249
Health Care - 85
Pastoral Work - 59
Prov’l Admin.Formators - 23
Retired/Sick - 90
Students - 16
On exclaustration - 2

54. 21 years after its foundation, the Philippine Province began
sending missionaries abroad:
Present No.
Thailand: 1925 4
Korea, Hongkong, Taiwan, Japan 2
Indonesia/East Timor 13
Cameroun, Brazil 6
Peru/Columbia 15
USA 4
Ireland, England, Italy, France 18
Israel 4

55. Today, there are 66 Filipina missionaries
in 13 countries
Peru

56. Columbia

57. Indonesia
East
Timor
-with East Timorese
children
-and the Australian
peacekeeping force
(female soldiers)

58. France
Italy
Bethlehem

59. Brazil
Africa

60. Ireland
England
United States

61. Perhaps the “crown” on
SPC Philippines’ missionary
efforts is the mission in
Indonesia which the
Philippines initiated in 1967.

62. Where there are now 9
houses (with 2 in East
Timor) and 53 Indonesian
Sisters.

63. Catechists, Educators
Social Workers,
Priests, Bishops
Religious Vocations
Missionaries
SPC CONTRIBUTIONS to the CHURCH

64. Managing
Church Programs
Service to the Vatican

65. Work among migrant workers
Training of catechists &
campus ministers
Women
Empowerment

66. Paulinians are in all walks of life –
As Teachers,
Doctors, Nurses
Artists, Writers
Media practitioners
Engineers, Lawyers
Accountants, Managers
Government &
Civic leaders
SPC CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY

69. Sharing in the Paschal Mystery
1. Adjustments to different cultures, language difficulties,
uncertainties and deprivations of the first foundations
2. Fires, storms, earthquake and other natural calamities
3. The WAR YEARS
4. Martial law years that saw the death of many freedoms
enjoyed by the people
5. Closure of some houses due to lack of resources,
misunderstandings with the bishop or parish priests
6. Realities of the human condition, struggle with human
weakness and limitations within and without the
community

72. Knowing in whom we believe,
we rise from the ashes

73. from Death – to NEW
LIFE!

74. Guided by leaders with
vision and compassion -

75. … we journey
towards the
New Heavens
and the
New
Earth…

76. Challenged to live and model the
values of ST. PAUL
and our FOUNDERS …

77. The Paulinian 5Cs
Community-orientedness: we live and work with others to
build a better world
Commitment to Mission: spirit of service, sense of mission
to spread the good news of Christ
Charism: developing one’s gifts to the full, to become the
best person one can possibly be, to do one’s best in
whatever one does - for the good of the community
Charity: loving and serving with the heart of Christ, being
brother/sister to all, esp. the underprivileged
CHRIST-centeredness: Christ is our Lord
and Saviour; we strive to be like him in all
things, in His obedience, compassion, love and
suffering

78. Always and
everywhere
in LIFE,
LOVE,
WORK!
To proclaim

80. The Centennial
celebrates our
Story…

82. … and
remembering,

83. we
rediscover
ourselves

84. reclaim
our
Spirit

85. and gain
new
pastoral
perspectiv
es
ECCLESIA IN ASIA
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86. for a
continuing,
ever
renewing
Mission!

87. “We pray to remain
grateful of the past and
be daring towards the
future, so that our
Philippine Province will
continue to respond to
new challenges and
vibrate according to the
signs of the times”
Centennial Prayer Year 3

88. Lord, allow us to
offer ourselves as a
community of people
whom you have called
to live more
meaningfully, and to
do Christ’s mission
more zealously
in the 21st
century.
*Sr. Mary Magdalen Torres, spc

89. I am with you
always -
until
the end of
the ages!
Mt. 28:20

90. the Beginning …
… and
The
End…

91. Sr. Flordeliza C. Deza,
SPC CENTENNIAL TEAM
Heritage Committee
2004