Pro Tutela Fidei: St. Paul of Chartres's Missionary Zeal during the American Colonization of the Philippines(1904–1946)

The United States’ benevolent assimilation of the Philippines in the 1898 Treaty of Paris led to a huge backlash against the three centuries of Hispanic Catholicism in the country. Consequently, Protestant missionaries and the Aglipayans flourished in the archipelago while a huge number of Filipinos started to deflect from the Catholic faith. This colonial transition entailed protecting Catholicism and the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres (SPC) were among those who responded to the call of evangelization, dedicating themselves to education, care of the sick, and Catholic ministry among the underprivileged. The SPC Sisters were the first of European congregations to come to the Philippines with their missionary efforts during the American rule, forging a collective narrative of how the Church struggled and grappled with the social issues of the times. This study utilized interviews and dutifully examining the archives of the congregation to trace SPC’s journey in that period, chronicled the congregation’s odyssey as it relentlessly displayed evangelical zeal, courage, and valor while taking on the challenge of Pro Tutela Fidei (for the protection of the faith).