OUR LADY OF THE PILLAR PARISH – CAUAYAN

It was September 8, 1739 when a group of Dominican missionaries landed in

Turayong, a barangay of this town which was later named Cauayan. From the very start
of their mission work, the missionaries managed to convert to the Christian Faith some
140 Gaddangs, the pioneer inhabitants of this city. In 1741, Dominicans declared
Cauayan a full-fledges parish—dedicating it to Our Lady of the Pillar. The first parish
priest was Fray Pedro Sierra. Until 1912, all parish priests were Spaniards. In 1912, the
first Filipino was named parish priest in the person of Fr. Proceso Cortes.
SAINT MATTHIAS PARISH – TUMAUINI
The first church of Tumuaini made of nipa and other light materials was built by
the Dominican priest Francisco Nuñez in 1707, and dedicated to Saint Matthias. The
current church was built under the auspices of another Dominican, Domingo Forto, in
1783 and later continued by the priest Antonio Herrera in 1788. The church was
completed in 1805. The church was damaged during the Second World War and
a faithful reconstruction programme followed, with undamaged parts of the church
building retained.
OUR LADY OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH – SANTA MARIA, ISABELA
The town of Santa Maria (Santa Maria de Luzon) was originally part of Cabagan
until it was made a separate town by a Royal Order dated March 6, 1878, thanks to the
efforts of Fr. Santiago Yutglá, OP, assistant parish priest of Cabagan. Earlier in 1877,
the poblacion of Cabagan was transferred from its old site (San Pablo, Isabela) to its
present site (Cabagan, Isabela) by Fr. Pedro Ricart, OP, parish priest of Cabagan. The
parish was created on May 11, 1878 with Fr. Ezequiel Pinilla, OP as the town's first
parish priest (1878-1879) and it was placed under the patronage of the Inmaculada
Concepción, the present patroness of the town.
ST. FERDINAND PARISH – ILAGAN CITY, ISABELA
The present town of Ilagan was founded by Fr. Pedro Jimenez, OP as a town in
1678 and as a parish on May 4, 1686 under the patronage of San Fernando Rey (St.
Ferdinand). He also founded the nearby mission pueblos of Itugud (Lenzon, Gamu,
Isabela) and Gamu. During his missionary enterprise in Ilagan, Itugud and Gamu, Fr.
Pedro Jimenez, OP introduced not only the Gospel of Christ but also the Gospel of
Western civilization.

STA. ROSA DE LIMA PARISH – GAMU, ISABELA

The present town and parish of Gamu was founded on December 5, 1741. It
included as barrios the former mission pueblos of Itugud (Lenzon) and Furao. Earlier on
August 4, 1741, the church and convent of Gamu were burned. The present structure
was built in 1743 by Fr. Martin Hernandez, OP. The same priest also made an inventory
of buildings, roads, and plots of land of Gamu and Furao.
 The La Salette Fathers, upon the invitation of Bishop Teodulfo Domingo, took
over the parish of Gamu and they governed it from 1962 to 1977. After them, the CICM
missionaries took charge of Gamu from 1978 to 1993.