Conversion’s love-hate rapport

As head of the Jesuit mission in Davao, Fr. Saturnino C. Urios, SJ, was well aware of the love-hate rapport the people showed towards the colonial authorities, in part due to the strictures imposed and the rough treatment some of the natives received for committing simple offenses. Still, the enthusiasm to bring more pagans to the Christian fold grew amid expected obstacles.

On 22 January 1895, Father Urios visited the valley of Talomo and met with the affluent families from Tagakpan and Catalunan with the Guianga tribe helping the priests set up a village at Oran, Garellano, and Guernica, a hamlet situated along the Davao River bank.

But the situation in Samal Island was different. The so-called Atas (Mandaya) of Samal fled to the mountains of Tuganay and joined Datu Babag (likely the origin of Babak) who was the leading datu of Alcira, now known as Babak.

The anger of the natives was an offshoot of the decision of another island leader, Mamayo to be baptized by his lonesome. But this sacramental rite, sadly, did not convince him to live as Christian but, instead, he ran to the mountains along with over 1000 people who joined him in the forest where he was allowed to stay in their houses whenever he wanted.

In the mainland, the atmosphere was different. The fugitives of Lasang and Ilang, when Father Urios visited these placed, came out of their hiding places to welcome the priest. They asked for safe conduct because they were not willing to surrender to the authorities. Knowing the Jesuit’s compassion, their wishes were granted and over 200 Moros in these two places were added later to the growing flock of Catholic converts in Davao.

Father Urios’ success in bringing new converts to the faith was expansive. From there, he baptized Moros in various places, namely 25 in Daliao, 25 in Santa Cruz, and 38 in Morella and Matina. He also converted Bagobos in Melilla, Santa Cruz, and Bayabas who formed themselves into a village in Loay, Santa Cruz, which the priest christened as Aviles, in honor of the director-general of the civil administration. Another Bagobo area the padre visited is recorded as “beyond Santa Cruz” where over 400 natives were baptized.

While doing conversions among the Moros and Bagobos, occasionally, Father Urios had to mentally process certain events that did not fit the mold of bringing people to the faith. In one instance, in February 1895, someone sent him a “flame-bladed kris which had already cut off more than twenty heads.” The knife was sent by Gubat, a top warrior or bagani whose mere mention of his name already terrified his tribe.

Gubat wanted to talk with the priest, using the kris as his calling card. He wanted a date set for the conference but the padre had to get first an assurance for protection from the governor just in case the bagani had an evil intention. There are no details of the outcome of the meeting but there are short narratives the event could have ended positively given the charm Father Urios had in dealing with tense and at times precarious situations.

The uncertain challenges notwithstanding, Father Urios was able to baptize “an additional five hundred” The baptisms conducted in Arapiles were tendered with the help of Ciriaco Lizada, a public official, and the Chinese of Santa Cruz who had also embraced the Catholic faith.

The successes earned in the south productively affected the missions on the eastern sea-board. When the missionaries returned Davao Oriental, they saw new Christian villages sprouting, which overjoyed the priests. Reductions after reductions, the Mandayas, the very first people in Davao to hear the Gospel in 1622, were starting to strengthen the foundation of Catholicism in that part of the Pacific. The seed of conversion was on a roll, so to speak.