Carcar parish priests

Parish Priests of Carcar

Facing up to the Carcar church for some months now, one will not miss two big horizontal slabs of black marble (granite?) on both frontages. While the left tells of a short history of the edifice, the one on the right serves as a plaque etched with the list of the priests who had served as Carcar parish priest.

The list was based on what first appeared in a Carcar fiesta souvenir program in 1950 as compiled by then Municipal Secretary Galileo Varga. The published list did not state the source of Varga. The souvenir program for fiesta 2009 carried a continuation of the list.

The priests in that listing start only from 22 August 1759. Since it is well known that Carcar had been a parish a hundred and fifty-some years before that, there must have been many more curas than these. Carcar history writer Jerry Martin Alfafara was asked by the parish priest to dig what he could find about this and he did manage to come up with a list which started from 1607 up to 1665, albeit the exact dates for their respective terms could no longer be determined. And, ending as it did in 1665, even Jerry Martin’s detective work still failed to fill the gap between 1665 and 1759 – 94 years. But from which old tracts he got it, still our knowledge was in fact expanded by this Alfafara list.

Anyway, despite Alfafara’s yoeman’s effort, some decision must have been reached and what finally (and permanently) appeared in the granite was 1759, the Varga list plus the 2009 addition.

In recognition of Alfafara’s efforts, however, I must bring up his list here. (diacritical marks are mine as are the abbreviations denoting religious congregations and some contemporary spellings of names)

Additions and corrections to this list are most welcome.

Juan de Ricobayo, OSA –           1607

Diego de Dávalos, OSA –           1620

Juan Ruiz, OSA –           1624

Cristóbal Rivera, OSA –           1626

Tomás de Villanueva, OSA – 1627

Fulgencio García, OSA – 1628

Francisco Manzanares, OSA – 1638

Juan Torres Navarro, OSA – 1641

Alonso Clemente, OSA – 1645

Pedro Martínez, OSA –           1647

Pedro de Mesa, OSA –           1651-1659

Bartholemé de la Torre, OSA – 1662

Juan Ponce, OSA – 1665

From the Varga list and onwards:

Narciso Mañozo, OSA – August 22, 1759 to November 20, 1761

Gerónimo López y Mercado, OSA – November 24, 1761 to October 30, 1762

José Gorrovare, OSA –           November 16, 1762 to November 3, 1769

Francisco Espina, OSA – November 10, 1769 to November 27, 1789

Bonifacio Gascón, OSA – November 29, 1789 to August 29, 1801

Julián Bermejo, OSA –           September 9, 1801 to November 22, 1802

Mateo Pérez, OSA – November 26, 1802 to January 2, 1810

Mariano de Asunción, OSA – January 6, 1810 to February 6, 1813

Francisco Álvarez, OSA – April 1, 1813 to June 30, 1819

Juan Facundo de Quimbo y Agustín Doria, OSA – July 6, 1819 to November 30, 1822

Mariano de Asunción, OSA (2) – December 4, 1822 to August 28, 1831

José Basilio, OSA – September 10, 1831 to March 14, 1840

José Carbonell, OSA –           March 21, 1840 to March 23, 1844

Julián Bermejo, OSA (2) –           March 30, 1844 to June 22, 1844

Simón Aguierre, OSA –           June 29, 1844

Juan Nepomuceno Tecsón –           July 6, 1844 to January 30, 1847

Benito Pérez, OSA – February 6, 1847 to April 14, 1855

Casimiro Herrero, OSA – April 21, 1855 to August 25, 1855

José Mieljo, OSA – September 1, 1855 to October 16, 1858

Antonio Manglano, OSA – October 16, 1858 to November 16, 1865

Gabriel Gonzales, OSA – November 17, 1865 to July 25, 1871

Mariano Dimás Bamba, OSA – July 26, 1871 to August 31, 1871

Blas Cabada de Castro, OSA – September 1, 1871 to October 14, 1872

Lino Codilla –           October 15, 1872 to April 30, 1874

Mariano Dimás Bamba, OSA (2) – May 1, 1874 to November 25, 1874

Manuel Fernández, OSA –           November 26, 1874 to November 9, 1898

Mariano Ruiz –           July 8, 1900 to March 28, 1901

Emiliano Mercado –           March 28, 1901 to April 15, 1901

Fr. Anastacio del Corro                      –           April 16, 1901 to December 11, 1948

Fr. Eliseo Cimafranca (interim)           –           December 12, 1948 to March 16, 1949

Fr. Julio Fernandez                             –           March 16, 1949 to August 24, 1949

Fr. Jesus P. Alquileta (int.)                  –           August 24, 1949 to October 16, 1949

Fr. Jose M. Abad                                –           October 16, 1949 to August 19, 1962

Fr. Francisco Boltron                          –           August 22, 1962 to May 4, 1966

Msgr. Juan Boltron HP                       –           May 7, 1966 to February 15, 1976

Archbishop Teofilo B. Camomot        –           February 19, 1976 to September 27, 1988

Msgr. Cayetano S. Gelbolingo PA     –           October 30, 1988 – February 7, 1998

Fr. Marion S. Mejia (moderator)         –           February 7, 1998 – July 7, 2001

-Fr. Paul Eric F. Pedroza (co-moderator)        –           February 7, 1998 – July 7, 2001

Bishop Camilo D. Gregorio                –           July 7, 2001 – September 1, 2004

Fr. Constantino R. Navales Jr. (adm.)            –

Bishop Emilio L. Bataclan                  –           September 1, 2004 – January 30, 2008

Msgr. Rolando A. Jimenez HP VG (moderator) – January 30, 2008

1-Fr. Filomeno G. Ybañez, Jr. (co-mod) –      January 30, 2008 – November, 2009

2-Fr. Nelson B. Ortizano (co-mod)     –           November, 2009-2010

Msgr. Rolando A. Jimenez HP VG    –           2010

Msgr. Carlito V. Pono HP (moderator) –        July 25, 2014

-Fr. Teogenes T. Herrera (member)

-Fr. Mario B. Montecillo (member)

-Fr. Paul M. Tuñacao Jr. (member)