El provincial Tomás Gresa: La reacción contra "La Propaganda" filipina y la salvaguarda de la Orden de San Agustín (1889-1893)

Abstract

The anticlerical campaign of the filipino movement of La Propaganda marked an important change of juncture for the religious Orders of the Archipelago. This paper analyzes the response offered by the Augustinian Province of the Philippines during the term of provincial Thomas Gresa (1889-1893). First, it studies the answer of the Order against anticlerical and nationalist movement of La Propaganda, explaining specific measures, such as the connection with other religious institutes of the Philippines, the relations with captain-general Weyler, the negotiations with the Foreign Minister Manuel Becerra, and the draft of founding a newspaper in Spain to defend the interests of the regular clergy of the Philippines. Second, it exposes the provisions adopted by augustinians to safeguard the material assets of the Corporation. Similarly, in relation to this, it presents the diversification policy undertaken by the Order of St. Augustine in the Philippines to ensure their presence in theArchipelago through the establishment of a Secondary Education School, a further development of the charity tasks, the creation of a School of Arts and Crafts in Malabon, the exploring of new missionary fields inside and outside the Philippines, and the collaborative projects with the Government in the Tabacalera hacienda of Isabela or Spanish colonization programs.