The story of the Redemptorist Church in Davao is a testament to the enduring mission of the Redemptorists—to preach the Good News to the poor and most abandoned. What began as a small foundation in the 1950s has grown into a vibrant center of missionary activity, formation, and faith for the Church in Mindanao.
In 1952, the late Bishop Clovis Thibault, PME, Bishop of Davao, invited the Redemptorists to establish a foundation in what was then the Prelature of Davao. Responding to this pastoral need, Fr. John Ryan, C.Ss.R., the Vice-Provincial Superior, sought the approval of the Redemptorist Superior General, Fr. Buys, who canonically accepted the foundation on June 21, 1952.
Three years later, in 1955, the first Redemptorist community arrived in Davao. It was composed of Fr. John Scanlan, Fr. Francis Burns, and later joined by Fr. Patrick Myers and Bro. Gerard Santamaria. They initially stayed with the PME Fathers until December of that same year.
In 1956, the Redemptorists moved to the Assumption Rectory and began administering the Assumption Church. By July, the community had acquired a two-hectare property in Bajada. Two years later, in 1958, construction began on what was intended to be a “temporary” church. It became the new home of the Redemptorists in Davao. The following year, in July 1959, the community embarked on their first missions—beginning in Tagum, followed by evangelization efforts in Mati (now Davao Oriental) and Malalag (Davao del Sur). The community also began offering enclosed retreats at the monastery, with the first one held during Holy Week of 1964.
As the Church in the Philippines faced social and political challenges, the Davao Redemptorists responded with renewed missionary zeal. In 1971, they adopted a new approach that integrated evangelization with social transformation—by forming and strengthening Base Ecclesial Communities (BECs) and engaging in community organizing. A year later, in 1972, Bishop Thibault challenged the Redemptorists to take on a parish. They accepted this mission and, together with lay collaborators, began establishing BECs across Bajada up to Callawa.
In 1980, construction began on a new parish church to accommodate the growing community of faithful. The following year, the new Redemptorist Church in Davao was blessed and consecrated, marking a milestone in the mission’s history.
Formation also became a significant part of the Redemptorist presence in Davao. In 1975, the Redemptorist Theologate was transferred from Cebu to Davao, with students attending classes at St. Francis Regional Major Seminary. Eventually, in 1987, the Redemptorists established their own formation center within the monastery grounds—the St. Alphonsus Theologate (SAT)—which provided a theological program tailored to Redemptorist spirituality and mission.
Today, this institution has evolved into the St. Alphonsus Theological and Mission Institute (SATMI), serving not only Redemptorist seminarians from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand but also students from other congregations such as the Franciscans, TORs, and Cavanis Fathers. SATMI continues to be a hub of theological formation, dialogue, and missionary preparation in the spirit of St. Alphonsus Liguori.
Recent years have also seen physical and pastoral renewal in the Davao community. The Day Chapel at the back of the church has been beautifully renovated, featuring larger confessionals and a newly elevated chapel above it—reflecting the Redemptorists’ continuing dedication to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to the people they serve.
From its humble beginnings in 1952 to its thriving ministries today, the Redemptorist Church in Davao stands as a living witness to the missionary zeal, pastoral creativity, and enduring faith that define the Redemptorist mission: to make the plentiful redemption of Christ known to all.
Source: The article “Davao Parish Church” published in Celebrating 100 Years of Redemptorist Mission in the Philippines and in Asia 1906-2006.