ST. RAYMOND OF PEÑAFORT PARISH

MANGATAREM PANGASINAN

Titular: St. Raymond of Peñafort, January 7

Tel. (075) 546-2378, 546-3061
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ST. RAYMOND OF PEÑAFORT

The Rev. Father Ramon Suarez, O.P, describes the origin of the town saying: “Mangatarem is one of the children of San Carlos”. The “pioneers, after many disputes and wars with the Negritos succeeded in settling on the other side of the Agno River, along the bank of the brook Niog (now Carayan Boris) which passes at the back of the church, they set up corrals for their cattle, to depend themselves and for any emergency in case of surprise attacks, they united and formed a barrio.
In 1872, the Rev. Fr. Mariano Pellicer, O.P., the parish priest of San Carlos, concerned over the welfare of his parishioners this side of the river, founded the Barrio of Mangatarem as a Visita dedicated to St. Raymond of Peñafort. This Visita has seven districts with 350 tributes. The following year, it increased to ten districts and continued increasing so much so that in 1835, it was made a Town with 20 districts. Its new status was officially accepted in the chapter of 1837 with Rev. Fr. Joaquin Perez as the first Vicar. Before him were other priest who took care of the people’s spiritual welfare. The population of the new town showed a marked increase: 1844 – 6,862, 1882 – 9,276, 1886 -10,665. At present, the population is around 70,000 souls.
The first church was built by Fr. Perez which was later burned. In 1851, the Rev. Fr. Manuel A. del Manzano laid the foundation of another church, which turned out to be on of the marvels of the land. The foundation is six yards deep and six yards thick. The walls are the ashlars (hewn, squared) stones. The exterior is of Doric style while the interior is Ionic. Inside it measures 82.40 meters long and 16 meters wide, the transept (cross part) is 51.70 meters long and 15.40 meters wide. The sidewalls measure 2.5 yards wide, the façade and the back walls are 3.5 yards wide. It is one nave church. The ashlars stone of this imposing edifice were hewn from the stone quarries of Malabobo, along the mountain ranges, 8 kilometers from this town. By 1880, the façade was completed; the two towers reached only six meters high and remain so up to this day. The construction, began by Fr. Manzano was terminated by Fr. Vicente Istiqui in 1875 – 1884.
Around the magnificient plaza, the Rev. Fr. Manzano also erected the station of the cross. These columns were Corinthian style and topped with large Cross. These are made out of grindstone six yards high, cut from one piece stones from the pedestal. The first rectory was built by Fr. Perez in 1847. It was made out of bricks and measures 45 yards long and 20 yards wide. This was also burned in 1862 together with the first church. The present rectory was built by Fr. Iztiqui on same foundation of the former. A school, burned during the great revolution of 1898, was also monument to Fr. Manzano’s building prowess.
From all these we could deduce how much love and affection the people had for Fr. Manzano, who died in Sual on July 29, 1861, just a few months after leaving Mangatarem. The people of this town brought home the body of their beloved pastor. He finally “rested in their arms” who in his life was too great in demand by other parishes, to live permanently in their midst. So to his mortal remains, the people of his town accorded him a hero’s welcome. The funeral was attended by no less than 3000 people. During the novena for his soul, the church was full as if it were like the Holy Week.