CICM PROVINCIAL APOSTOLATE

From the early days, Scheut Missions-CICM in the Philippines has accepted
challenges outside the Mountain Province in many lowland parishes which have been
without priests for years. And from that concerted effort towards the evangelization of the
Igorots and the revitalization of whole Christian areas, the greatest achievement CICM is
proud of are the more than 150 natives Philippine CICM members, Of whom about eighty
priests are missionaries in other countries today. In addition, there are about three dozen
native Igorot diocesan priests working among their own people in the Apostolic Vicariates
of the Mountain Provinces under the leadership of native bishops. one of whom is a member
of CICM. Father Francis H. Lambrecht, CICM (1895-1978) was one of the most energetic
CICM missionaries in the mountains Of Luzon. Ordained in 1923, he arrived in the
Philippines the next year. For seventeen years, he evangelized the Ifugao people, at the same
time mastering their language and ancient traditions.

In 1941, he became secretary and procurator bf the Apostolic Prefecture, later

Vicariate, of the Mountain Province. He founded St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Baguio
City and for thirty years he was involved in the training of native priests for the Mountain
province. At the same time, he taught anthropology at Maryhurst (CICM) Seminary, St.
Louis University and Baguio Colleges

Father Francis' anthropological researches were published in scientific periodicals

of several universities worldwide. Among his lasting anthropological contributions are his
research on the lfugao Epic Sagas which he called remarkable pieces of primitive literature."
Father Francis' scientific research, however, was always for "the purpose of being a better
missionary" as he said in his acceptance speech after being awarded a doctor's degree of
Humane Letters, honoris causa, by the Ateneo de Manila University in 1976. His life was a
priestly journey, a pilgrimage of the spirit, of sacrament and service.

"Bishop William Brasseur has been an indispensable factor in the development and
Christianization of the Mountain Provinces." This is how Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of
Manila, characterized this zealous missionary during the homily at Bishop Brasseur's golden
jubilee as a priest. Born in 1903, Father "Willy" was ordained a priest in 1929 and arrived in
the Philippines in 1931, where he worked tirelessly in several missions among the Benguet
tribes until on June 20, 1948 when he was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Mountain
Province and ordained a bishop in Baguio Cathedral two months later.

A warm, simple-living, kind and prayerful man, Bishop Brasseur had a dream for
the Mountain people which he was able to see come true. His first challenge was to
reconstruct the physical plants of the missions, eighty percent of which were destroyed by
the war. He established farmers cooperatives. Under his administration, eight rural hospitals
and twenty dispensaries were erected. He established Catholic school system which now
counts thirty-six high schools, twenty-four primary schools, three colleges and one
university, prestigious St. Louis University in Baguio City. He also founded the native
Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which counts fifty-five
professed sisters.
 Catholic Education is probably the single most effective factor for change in the
Mountain Provinces towards a more Christian mentality and more openness to the modern
world. In 1911 Fr Seraphin Devesse, CICM, founded a one room elementary school in
Baguio for ten local boys. From this humble origin the Saint Louis School system began.

Apart from the Saint Louis University, the CICM

Missionaries also run the Saint Mary's University in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, and the
Saint Louis College in San Fernando, La Union, and the Saint Louis College in Tuguegarao,
in the Cagayan valley, thus covering major part of Northern Luzon with outstanding
educational institutions.

The century long commitment of the CICM Missionaries has produced impressive
fruits and major developments for the people of the Mountain Provinces.

Filipino CICM Missionaries in the World Today In the early 1950's, the CICM
missionaries in the Philippines decided that it was time to share their charism and
missionary vision with Filipino young men. A juniorate for possible candidates for the
foreign missions was started. On March 6, 1953, the General Council of the Institute
officially erected the CICM novitiate in Baguio City, which opened in May of that same
year with eight novices.

Today there are over 150 native Filipino members in the Institute, several of whom
have important positions in the administration of the Philippine CICM province and in the
formation of novices and candidates. Over eighty Filipino CICM priests are engaged in
missionary work in Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Cameroon, Congo,
Nigeria, Zambia, Mongolia, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Indonesia.