Roman Catholic Diocese of Imus - History

History

Through the zeal of the first missionaries of spreading the Catholic faith, they also helped in founding most of the towns of Cavite province. Among the religious orders that Christianized the Caviteños were the Franciscans, the Recollects, the Dominicans and the Jesuits. They established their first center of faith in Cavite Puerto (now Cavite City). The Catholic faith first came to Imus in 1571, then in Silang in 1581, in Cavite Viejo (now Kawit) in 1587, in Maragondon in 1611, Indang in 1655, Ternate in 1700 and in San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias) in 1758. As early as 1614, Cavite became a politico-military province.

The province of Cavite is rich with historical significance. It had been the site of many battles and uprisings against Spain, one of which was that of 1872, which resulted in the execution of three priests: Gomez, Burgos and Zamora (Gomburza). Cavite is also where General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the Philippine Independence from Spanish rule on June 12, 1898, in the town of Kawit.

The province is named after its shape, that of a hook – hence Kawit, meaning hook, in Tagalog. It is geographically situated at the very entrance to Manila Bay, a location which has made it, along with Bataan on the north, the scene of many battles in the past. It is bounded on the northwest by the Bay, on the northeast by the provinces of Rizal and Laguna, on the southwest by the province of Batangas. Its capital city is Imus, with the seat of the provincial government located in Trece Martires City.

Early in the American regime, a U.S. naval garrison was stationed at Sangley Point in Cavite City after a civil government was established in 1901. Because of mutual defense agreements, this base remained in Cavite long after the country was granted its independence in 1946.

The topography of the province is gentle upward sloping towards the south, peaking in Tagaytay Ridge and Mts. Palay-Palay - Mataas-na-Gulod Range, at the border with Batangas province. Areas near the coast are flat where rice is an important crop. Fishing is another major industry in the coastal towns. The language spoken is Tagalog, which is the basis for Filipino, the national language of the country. More than 60 per cent of the inhabitants live in urbanized areas because of its proximity to Manila. Today, Cavite is witnessing a more radical urbanization as factories, subdivisions, golf courses, resorts and an Export Processing Zone (EPZA) have sprung up in the province. Tagaytay City, with its cool climate and a scenic view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano, draws many tourists each year.

The Diocese of Imus was created on November 12, 1961. It comprises the civil province of Cavite and covers a land area of 1,287 km2 (497 sq mi), with a population of 1,643,549 of which 76 per cent are Catholics. Its titular patroness is Nuestra Señora del Pilar. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Manila.

There are five districts in the diocese, with 11 vicariates, 52 parishes, 8 quasi-parishes, and 9 pastoral centers served by a total of 110 priests. Among the religious organizations are the Legion of Mary, Catholic Women's League, Adoracion Nocturna, El Shaddai, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Youth Movement and Couples for Christ.

On April 8, 2013, Reynaldo Gonda Evangelista was appointed by Pope Francis as the next bishop of Imus. He will be installed as Bishop of Imus on June 5, 2013.