March 6, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan comes across the Pacific Island chain during his voyage
from Spain and calls it the "Isles of the Lateen Sails." In 1668 the name
was changed from the notorious "Ladrones" to "Marianas" by Blessed Diego de
San Vitores in honor of the Queen Mother of Spain, Maria Ana of Austria, and
the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom Blessed Diego called "the first missionary to
the Marianas."
1565
Captain Miguel de Legaspi makes a definite claim on the islands and stops briefly
in Guam for supplies. Father Andres de Urdaneta celebrates the first Mass in the
Archipelago and promises to send missionaries to the Chamorros.
1662
Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, SJ, stops in Guam on the way to the Philippines
and makes a resolve to return.
January 24, 1665
King Philip IV of Spain and Queen Maria Ana of Austria order in a decree to provide
for the establishment of a mission in Guam due to the insistence of Blessed Diego
Luis de San Vitores.
March 23, 1668
Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores and a party of missionaries set sail from Acapulco
to Guam.
June 15, 1668
Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores lands at the west coast of Guam near the ancient
village of Hagatna. He celebrates Mass on the beach the following day. Subsequently
many were converted into the faith, including Chief Quipuha, who donated an ample plot
of land for the construction of a church.
February 2, 1669
The church constructed by Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores was dedicated under the title
of "Dulce Nombre de Maria." Shortly after he sought to establish a seminary or a
boarding school for boys which was dedicated to St. John Latern.
January 24, 1670
Father Luis de Medina, SJ, 32 years old, and Hipolito de la Cruz were killed by hostile
people in Saipan. They were the first to receive the crown of martyrdom in the Marianas
in dying for the faith.
April 2, 1672
Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores was martyred. More killings and heroic witness of
missionaries and catechist were to follow until a relative peace occurred in 1679.
April 18, 1673
The Royal College of San Juan de Letran was founded and an annual endowment from
the Treasury of Mexico was allocated for its support.
November 11, 1680
A typhoon speeded reorganization of new towns. The church of Inarajan, (dedicated
to St. Joseph), the church in Umatac (dedicated to St. Denis the Areopagite), and
the church in Agat (dedicated to St. Rose of Lima) were founded. A church was soon
founded in Rota and dedicated to St. Francis Borgia.
July 1685
Fr. Peter Coemans of Flanders was killed in Saipan. In 15 years, 10 Jesuit priests
and 2 professed Lay Brothers, plus servants and lay catechist died in the hands of
assassins.
February 27, 1767
An edict of King Charles III banned the Jesuits from all colonial possessions. This
suppression was motivated by envy for the powerful Jesuit society on the part of the
enemies of the church, an international group called the Voltairians. It was a
stunning blow to the people who had accorded affection and confidence to the Jesuits
in Guam.
November 1769
The ship Guadalupe left with the companions and successors of Father San Vitores. It
was they who sowed the seed of God's truth to the natives and has inscribed their names
in the soil of the mission with their own blood.
1807
The Marianas mission was placed under the Diocese of Cebu, Philippines. In 1811,
the Spanish galleon trade between the Philippines and Mexico was discontinued.
1817
The home government of Guam was removed from Mexico and transferred to the Philippines. The change was brought about as a result of the political revolution in the Americas.
December 11, 1859
Jose Torres Palomo completed his studies in San Carlos Seminary in Cebu and was
ordained in the private chapel of the Bishop of Cebu, the Most Rev. Romaldo Jimeno.
1865
The first time a Bishop visited the Mariana islands in the person of the then
aged Bishop of Cebu, Most Rev. Romaldo Jimeno who traveled by canoe to Guam, Saipan,
and Rota.
1868
200th Anniversary of the arrival of Father San Vitores. The mission statistics reveal
6,914 Christians in the whole Marianas; 4,554 of whom are located in Agana.
1899
The Treaty of Paris ceded Guam to the US. The other islands in the Mariana group and
the Carolines in the south were soon purchased from Spain by Germany. The American
governor, Capt. Richard Leary, ordered the removal of the Reccolects. The venerable
and elderly Chamorro Padre Jose Palomo was left to the impossible task of solely supplying
the spiritual needs of his people. Father Daniel of Arbacegui, OFM Cap., came to the aid
of Padre Palomo by sending him missionaries in 1901.
August 11, 1901
The first group of Spanish Capuchin missionaries arrived at Apra Harbor. Padre Palomo
conducted the Friars to Agat were a solemn High Mass was sung the following day on the
feast of St. Claire. Escuelan Pale or catechism classes were set up.
1907
Guam was removed from the Diocese of Cebu, Philippines and placed under the spiritual
jurisdiction of the Prefecture Apostolic of the Marianas.
June 18, 1907
The new Prefecture was set up and committed to the Rhine-Westphalian Province of the
Capuchins. Rev. Paul of Kirchhasuen was appointed the first Apostolic Prefect with
residence in the German-held island of Saipan.
1909
St. Pius X named Padre Palomo a Papal Chamberlain with the title of Very Rev. Monsignor
on the occasion of the latter's Golden Jubilee in the priethood. This honor was conferred
in recognition of the superhuman effort he made to preserve the faith in the island
at the beginning of the century.
December 10, 1909
An earthquake rocked Guam. The historic old church of Dulce Nombre de Maria in Agana
was damaged beyond repair. An ambitious project was undertaken to erect a large new
edifice on the ruins of the old church.
March 1, 1911
The Holy See, through Pope Pius X, erected the separate Vicariate Apostolic and committed
it to the Spanish Capuchin Province of Catalonia.
October 1, 1911
The Most Rev. Francisco Javier X. Villa y Mateu, OFM Cap., was consecrated Titular Bishop
of Adraha and Vicar Apostolic of Guam. In January 1, 1913, Bishop Vila died in Agana
after succumbing to a heart attack.
May 3, 1913
Most Rev. Agustine Bernaus y Serra, OFM Cap., was appointed Titular Bishop of Miletopolis
and Vicar Apostolic of Guam. On September 8, 1913, he was consecrated at the Shrine of
Our Lady of Montserrat the patroness of Catalonai.
1914
The Guam mission was handed over to a new Province, the Capuchins of Navarre, Spain.
September 16, 1914
The Most Rev. Joaquin M. Olaiz was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Guam and Titular
Bishop of Docimio by Pope Benedict XV. He was consecrated on November 30, 1914.
July 3, 1919
Father Jose Torres Palomo, the first Chamorro priest, suffered heart attack and died.
1929
The Holy Father commends and congratulates Bishop Olaiz for his "great" prudence and
colossal success in governing the Guam mission."
May 5, 1935
Most Rev. Miguel Angel Olano de Urteaga, OFM Cap., was consecrated Titular Bishop
of Lagina and Vicar Apostolic of Guam.
September 1937
A new church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was dedicated in Agat. The church of St. Francis
in Yona was enlarged. A new church of San Dionisio was begun in Umatac and foundations
were laid for the new St. Joseph Church in Inarajan. The little concrete chapel of
Assumption in Piti, built in 1930, underwent extensive repairs.
June 11, 1938
Ordination of Father Duenas, second native priest of Guam, by Bishop Olano. He
celebrated his first Mass the following day, Trinity Sunday. Father Oscar Calvo was
ordained two years later. The were destined to be the only two priests permitted to
remain in Guam during the Japanese occupation.
May 2, 1939
The first three Capuchin friars from the St. Joseph Province in Detroit arrive in Guam.
More replacements arrived in the years that followed.
September 6, 1941
The last three Spanish Capuchins left the Guam mission.
December 8, 1941
On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Sumay and Agana were bombed. State of war
existed between the US and the Imperial Government of Japan. Shortly thereafter, the
Governor signed a document of surrender and Guam passed over to Japanese rule.
December 22, 1941
Religious missionaries were interned in the Cathedral together with 500 American residents
of Guam. Fathers Calvo and Duenas remained free.
January 7, 1942
Bishop Olano, OFM Cap., and his secretary Fray Jesus OFM Cap., were arrested and interned
in the Cathedral. Three days later they were ordered to leave Guam with some of the
prisoners.
July 12, 1944
Father Jesus Baza Duenas was tortured and beheaded by the Japanese.
July 21, 1944
The American troops landed at Asan Point and at Agat beach. By August 10, all
organized Japanese resistence ended.
March 21, 1945
Bishop Olano, OFM Cap., returns to Guam.
August 15, 1945
The war which started on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception ended on the Feast of
the Assumption. On this day, President Harry S. Truman announced the surrender of Japan.
September 18, 1945
Most Rev. Apollinaris W. Baumgartner, OFM Cap., was consecrated Titular Bishop of Joppe
and Vicar Apostolic of Guam.
October 26, 1945
Bishop Olano left Guam to retire in a Capuchin Friary in Manila. His departure marked
the end of 277 years of Spanish missionary work in Guam. Subsequently he resided in
San Sebastian, Spain and died on Guam on May 21, 1970.
1946
Umatuna Si Yu'us(Praised be the Lord), a diocesan newsletter, began to be published
weekly. At this time three sisters of Mercy from Belmont, North Carolina came at the
request of Bishop Baumgartner.
1948
Bishop Baumgartner secured the services of Stigmatine Father of Waltham, Massachusetts
to open a minor seminary.
1949
The School of Sisters of Notre Dame, with headquarters in Milwaukee, sent a contingent of
seven sisters to Guam.
1955
The Franciscan Missionary Sisters from La Crosse, Wisconsin arrived in Guam.
October 14, 1965
The Vicariate was elevated to a Diocese, as suffragan of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
Bishop Baumgartner was appointed as the first Bishop of Guam and died on December 18, 1970
in Guam.
May 17, 1970
Most Rev. Felixberto Camacho Flores was consecrated Titular Bishop of Stonj. Succeeded
to See on May 15, 1971. On May 20, 1984 he was elevated as the First Metropolitan Archbishop
of Agana. In October 25, 1985, after the beautification of Blessed Dieo de San Vitores.
he died in San Francisco, California.
December 8, 1983
Most Rev. Anthony Sablan Apuron, OFM Cap., was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Agana and
was consecrated Titular Bishop of Muzuca on February 19, 1984.
April 18, 1984
Diocese of Agana was elevated to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Agana, with suffragan sees,
the Diocese of Caroline and Marshall Islands and the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa (subsequently
added on January 13, 1985.)