Sta. Monica Parish Church stands as a historical Landmark of the first evangelization of Christian Faith in the island of Panay, Philippines. In 1566, Padre Martin de Rada, an Augustinian missionary, was the first to proclaim the Gospel in the island at the river bank of Bamban, now known as the town of Panay, Capiz.
In 1581, the Spanish missionaries established Panay as a parish which had six (6) visitas; Suyson (Ivisan, Capiz), Aranguen (Pres. Roxas, Capiz), Sibra (Pilar, Capiz), Capis (Roxas City), Ipiong (Panitan), and Divingdin (Dao).
Of the 2,830 Augustians who came to the Philippines during the 333 years of Spanish rule, around 84 friars had served as minister in the town of Panay from 1566 until 1898. In 1581, Fr. Bartolome de Alcantara, O.S.A. was named first Prior with Fr. Agustin Camacho, O.S.A. as his companion; and in 1895, Fr. Gregorio Hermida, O.S.A. served as the last curate with Fr. Jose Garmendia, O.S.A.
The original ecclesiastical structure of Panay was built during the term of Fr. Manuel Lopez, consecutive O.S.A. between 1692 and 1698, and was rebuilt by Fr. Manuel Murguia, O.S.A. in 1774. In the past, the town of Panay was often visited by storms and earthquakes which destroyed the church and its convent several times. In 1884 after the destructive typhoon of 1875, the famous Augustinian builder, Fr. Jose Beloso, O.S.A., renovated the stone church. In 1895 Fr. Lesmes Perez, O.S.A., restored in its beautiful grandeur from the aftermath of the typhoons of 1874 and 1875.
The convent, made of rubblework, also constructed by Fr. Beloso, was destroyed also by these consecutive typhoons. It was elegancy reconstructed in 1892 by Fr. Miguel Roscales, O.S. A., and finished by Fr. Gregorio Hermida, O.S.A., but unfortunately was burned, alongside with the Municipal Hall, by the Spanish Governor General Diego de los Pios to dislodge the rebels from the town during the 1898 Philippine Revolution.
Fr. Beloso commissioned Don Juan Reina for the casting of the largest bell in the Philippines and in Asia and the third biggest bell in the world in 1878 ( aside from other bells under his name). The Dakong Lingganay (meaning, “ big bell”), as it is popularly known, was made from 70 sacks of coins donated by the townsfolk and measures seven feet in the diameter, five feet in height with a weight with of 10,400 kilograms. It carries a meaningful inscription whish reads: “Soy la voz de Dios que llevare ‘y ensalzare’ desde el principio hasta fin de este pueblo de Panay para que los fieles de Jesus vengan a esta casa de Dios a recibir las gracias celestials” ( “ I am God’s voice which I shall echo and praise from one end to the other of the town of Panay, so that the faithful followers of Christ may come to this house of God to receive the heavenly graces.”)
When the Philippines won its independence in 1898, the parishes of Capiz were now totally and completely under secular administration. The native clergy assumed the pastoral l care of the Capizenos. They were products of the real Seminario de san Carlos of Cebu (1779), and later on, the Seminario de San Vicente Ferrer of Jaro (1869). They belonged to the diocese of Cebu until 1865 when Jaro became a diocese. In the town of Panay, only two Filipino priest server as coadjutors of the Augustinian curates during the colonial era: Fr. Doroteo Carlos (1840) and Fr. Jose Reyes (1892).
On May 28, 1951, with the papal bull of Pope Pius XII Ex supreme apostolatus Capiz was finally created as a diocese. With the canonical erection of the new diocese, the parish church of Capiz became the metropolitan cathedral, the seat of the bishop of Capiz.
Most Rev. Manuel P. Yap, D.D. was appointed as the first bishop of Capiz (1951-1952), and was shortly transferred to the seat of Bacolod (1952-1966). He was succeed by Most Rev. Antonio F. Frondosa, D.D., a native of Dumalag, Capiz who also became its first archbishop when Capiz was elevated to the rank of an Archdiocese on January 17, 1976, with Kalibo and Romblon as sufraggan dioceses, through the papal bull of Pope Paul VI Nimium patens. Most Rev. Onesimo C. Gordoncillo, D.D. became the next Archbishop of Capiz on June 18, 1986.
Fr. Francisco Alba was the first Filipino Priest who served as the Parochial Vicar of the Parish of Sta. Monica and presently, Very Rev. Msgr. Benjamin F. Advincula, P.C. is the assigned Parish Priest with his Parochial Vicars, Fr. Robert B. Alba Jr. and Fr. Mark Q. Granflor.
A significant milestone, however, happened. In 1997, the Santa Monica Parish Church of Panay was declared a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute in its Resolution No. 3, series of 1997. The installed historical marker reads: “Pan-ay, originally called Bamban, was established in 1572. The first church, constructed in 1774 by Fr. Miguel Murguia, was heavily damaged by typhoon in 1875. The presents church was constructed in 1884 under the direction of Fr. Jose Beloso who townspeople. This bell, the biggest in the Philippines measure seven feet in diameter, five feet in height, and weighs 10,400 kilograms. By virtue of NHI Board Resolution No. 3, S. 1997, this church is declared a national historical landmark.”
In 2004 received another national recognition. The Parochial Church of Santa Monica of the historic town of Panay, “the best preserved complex in the province and boasts of the biggest bell in the country,” had been chosen as one of the 26 churches with the distinction as National Cultural Treasures in 2004 by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts.
Despite honors, the three-century old church is in deplorable condition. Weeds and fungi had slowly deteriorated its walls. Changing weather and climate had produced cracked surfaces. Bats and other creatures had transformed the Church as their own filthy shelter. The roofing system was about to collapse.
On April 18, 2001, Very Rev. Msgr. Benjamin F. Advincula, P.C. was appointed parish priest of Panay with the specific instructions among many, to start the renovation, reconstructed and restoration work of the church and the reorganization of the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) Program.
Indeed the specific instructions were all done in few years. In December 2004 was blessing of the renovated belfry, the repository of the biggest bell in Asia. On August 27, 2006 was the rededication of the newly-restored 3 century old Church and the Landmark of Evangelization 1566 in the Feast of Sta. Monica and 440th Anniversary Celebration of the Evangelization of Panay. And on December 14, 2008 was the blessing of the newly-restored and elegantly beautified Parish Convent, Re-opening newly-organized Museo De Santa Monica, Padre Martin De Rada, O.S.A. Hall and the exact replica of the “Dakung Lingganay.”
As regards the current construction, The Parish of the Sta. Monica Panay is restoring the Old Spanish Perimeter Wall (1 ½ meters thick and 8 feet high).
In terms of the reorganization of the Basic Ecclesial Communities’ (BEC) Program as the focal Pastoral Thrust of the Archdiocese of Capiz, Very Rev. Msgr. Benjamin Advincula, P.C. comes up an annual pastoral program to cater such purpose. The town of Panay has 42 Barangays which is presently under the pastoral care of Very Rev. Msgr. Benjamin Advincula, P.C. with the parochial vicars Fr. Robert B. Alba, Jr. and Rev. Fr. Mark Q. Granflor. Mr. Isidro Jore is president of the Parish Pastoral Council and 593 Non-Catholic. The Parish has 81 chapels with a 103 Basic Ecclesial Communities’ (BEC) Zones. More so, the parish has 18 Religious Organizations, Movements and Ministries and 1 Parochial School.
