Philippine Dominican Province to mark 40th year in 2011

Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, OP during the thanksgiving Mass for the 39th year of DPP.

ONE YEAR shy of reaching its fourth decade, the Dominican Province of the Philippines (DPP), or the Philippine branch of the Order of Preachers, recently marked its 39th anniversary with the view to consolidating its relatively still young legacy.

The indigenous Province was founded on Dec. 8, 1971. Before that, Filipino Dominicans were part of the Holy Rosary Province, now commonly known as the Spanish Dominican Province, the original missionary province formed when the Dominicans first came to the Philippines in 1587.

The founding of the Philippine province of the Dominicans was a historic milestone in the history of one of the Church’s greatest religious orders: It recognized the Filipino religious and their capacity to contribute to the Church and her mission.

Book celebrates Bataan history, Tomas Pinpin, and Church heritage

Photo by Jilson Tiu

THE LAVISH coffee-table book, “Peninsula of Faith and Valor: Bataan Through the Centuries,” documents the glorious heritage of the historic province west of Manila, noted for being one of the first to embrace Christianity, aside from producing the first Filipino author and printer and displaying courage and patriotism especially during the Dutch invasion in the 17th century and the Japanese invasion in the 20th century.

Dominicans launch film on St. Dominic to mark 40 years

MANILA, Dec. 8, 2010—Aside from the anticipated quadricentennial festivities of the University of Santo Tomas, the Dominican Province of the Philippines (DPP) is also looking forward to another milestone of its existence.

The province will be celebrating its 40th year of existence next year. DPP was founded on Dec. 8, 1971.

To mark the fourth decade of DPP, the province’s media board, headed by Fr. Jeff Aytona, OP, embarked on the first full-length period film project about the life of St. Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Order of Preachers.

Titled “Dominic: Light of the Church,” the film will also serve as DPP’s fitting gift to the Dominican Order for its forthcoming 800th year foundation anniversary in 2016.

“The film is much anticipated because it is the first of its kind. And for us (project staff), it was like St. Dominic was truly with us throughout the entire production,” Aytona, chairman of the Provincial Media Board, said in an interview.

Aytona also believes that in discovering St. Dominic during these times, the father for the Dominicans will still be faithful to his promise: “I will be of more use to you in death than I ever did in life.”