HISTORY OF ST.
PAUL PARISH
CAUAYAN, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
The name of the town was derived from the native word kawayan, (bamboo thickets), which
surrounded along the seashores that protect the natives from invading Moro Pirates who used to
abduct people (natives) to be their slaves. One of those pirated was Tan Tinong (Florentino
Decena) who was been the second Capitan Del Puelo from 1845-1850 and brother of Don
Vicente Paulo Decena, the firt Capitan Del Pueblo since the establishment of the town. Cauayan
was established in 1813 by 30 families who came from the town of Ilog. Don Vicente Paulo
Decena being the first Capital Del Pueblo formally founded the town in 1824, as found in the
Manila Archives. He was a trader from Cebu who got married to a beautiful native girl of the
place in the person of Nepumocena Omileg.
The first Municipal Hall that time was located on the corner of plaza just after the present bridge,
as seat of Municipal Government with Isio and Guiljungan. Isio is privilege because it was more
populated but a Gobernadorcillo was accorded to Cauayan. Though there were only few arable
lands to till in the area, most of the inhabitants in the past were farmers who produced rice corn
and sugarcane. There were those who sold carabaos and horses to sugarcane owners in the north.
The Catholic Church at that time was facing the rising sun with the “orna” of St. Paul in the front
top wall of it, being the patron saint of the parish. There were two images of St. Paul, the green
color was placed in the front top wall of the church and another image of red paint was
devotionally placed on the front of the sanctuary near the wall together with the image of the
Holy Family and Blessed Virgin Mary inside the church. It was said that the image was
miraculously protect the natives from the Moro pirates who came to rage the place.
On the other hand, Cauayan was separated from the parochial administration of Ilog and became
an independent parish on March 28, 1851 where the barrios of Isio, Inayawan, Sipalay, Taongon,
Campomanes, Hinoba-an, Culipapa and Asia were under her spiritual administration.
The Recollects were the first missionaries came to administer the spiritual needs of the town in
1851 with Fr. Juan Juseu as the first recollect parish priest until 1853. Other recollect
missionaries succeeded him as parish priest, namely; Fr. Rafael Hernandez (1853-1864), Fr.
Nicanor Arciniega (1864-1876), Fr. Bernardino Ramirez (1877-1878), Fr. Francisco Rada (1879-
1885) and Fr. Pablo Vicente (1885-1898).
At the outbreak of 1898 revolution, Fr. Pablo Vicente, the parish priest of Cauayan and Fr. Angel
Fabo, his coadjutor and administrator of Inayawan were incarcerated along with other recollect
priests who were arrested and tortured.
After the revolution the Mill Hill missionaries took over the administration of the parish with Fr.
Antonio Verheyen as the first parish priest until December of 1936. There were two other Mill
Hill missionaries succeeded him in the administration of the parish namely; Fr. Antonio Omen
(1936-1941) and Fr. Dunstan Hubert Jonkerjouw (1941 until July of 1942).
After the great contribution of the Mill Hill missionaries the parish was administered temporarily
by Fr. Antonio Mamigo a diocesan priest and a native of Cauayan from July 24, 1942 until 1950.
In 1950, the then bishop of Bacolod Casimiro Lladoc, invited the Columbans to take over the
area especially the southern part of Negros. The parish of Cauayan was one of those parishes
entrusted to their care. The Columban missionaries took over the parish from Fr. Antonio
Mamigo in the same year with Fr. Augustine Rowe as the first Columban parish priest until
March 1963. Other Columban missionaries succeeded him as parish priest or coadjutor within
more than 50 years namely; Fr. Patrick Hurley (Nov. 1950 – Feb. 1951) and other on March
1980, Fr. Colum O’Halpin (Dec. 1950 – Aug. 1953) and (Dec. 1973 – Apr. 1984), Fr. Patrick
Haynes (Sept. 1953 – Apr. 1957), (Nov. 1960 – Jan. 1961), (Jan. 1963 – Feb. 1963) and (Mar.
1984 – Nov. 1985), Fr. Colm Rafferty (Feb. 1956 – 1957), Fr. Desmond Quinn (Jan. 1957 – Jun.
1958) and (Oct. 1980 – Dec. 1980), Fr. Michael Doohan (Jul. 1961 – Nov. 1961), (May 1987 –
Aug. 1990) and (Jan. 1991 – Apr. 2006), Fr. Mark Kavanagh (Mar. 1963 – Feb. 1964) and (Oct.
1973 – Nov. 1973), Fr. Joseph Coyle (Feb. 1964 – Jul. 1964), Fr. John Doohan (Jul. 1964 – Apr.
1973), Fr. William Hefferman (Nov. 1965 – Dec. 1968), Fr. Bernard Callanan (Oct. 1971 – Dec.
1971), Fr. Donal Hogan (Apr. 1972 – Sept. 1973), Fr. Theodore Caffarelli (Nov. 1975 – Dec.
1975), Fr. Declan McNoughton (Apr. 1980 – Jun.1980), Fr. Geoffrey Revatto (Nov. 1985 – Jan.
1987) and Fr. Thomas Revatto (Nov. 1990 – Dec. 1990). After the Columban missionaries the
parish was turned over to the diocese during the Solemnity of Easter Sunday of 2006 with Fr.
Rembert Rivera as the first diocesan parish priest.
At present, Cauayan parish is now under the charge of diocesan priest after Fr. Michael Doohan
as parish priest of St. Paul’s Parish for 19 years for three terms. Within these long years in the
parish made him decide to celebrate his sacerdotal golden Jubilee to complete his meaningful
and faithful stay in the parish.
Through the intercession of St. Paul, the parish is well known of producing priests both diocesan
and religious namely; Fr. Antonio Mamigo, Fr. Antonio Santes, Fr. Carlos Allones, Fr. Anthony
Atillaga, Fr. Huberto Decena, Fr. Ramon Olam, Fr. Francis Perez, Fr. Segio Millarez, Fr. Redgie
Zaspa and Fr. Eugene Lucerna II, Fr. Angel Guerrero and Fr. Mauricio Zuyco, Fr. Venancio
Lumbo-an, MSH, Fr. Oscar Tabujara, MSH, Fr. Reynaldo Treyes, CICM. It continues until now
with the vocation of young people who are always ready to respond God’s calling to become
priest and religious as well.
The parish comprises a total of Kristiyanong Katilingban of 50 areas both active and non-
active. The total populace has now reached about 104,761, the Catholic are almost 91,005
and non-catholic about 13,756 as projected based on the 2006 parish survey. This eminent
parish covered 5 barangays of Cauayan and divided into 5 zones. This parish has 1 parochial
school the St. Columban’s Academy which has a total enrollment about 744 students, 574
secondary, 101 elementary and 69 kindergarten based on the 2008 enrollment records.
At the moment, the parish is in the preparation for the implementation of Revised Diocesan
Pastoral Plan. This preparation is spearheaded by their energetic and missionary in spirit parish
priest Fr. Rembert Rivera together with the PPC (Parish Pastoral Council), LOMAS (Lay
Orgamizations, Movements and Associations), PFC (Parish Finance Council) and Kristianong
Katilingban.
