Diocese of Ifugao

The Apostolic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe (in Latin: Vicariatus Apostolicus Bontocensis-

Lagavensis) is a Latin Rite Catholic missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction in the Philippines.

It is exempt, i.e. directly dependent on the Holy See, not part of any ecclesiastical province, and
directly under the jurisdiction of the Pope who exercises authority through the bishop-in-charge
known as the Vicar Apostolic. Yet, for the purpose of apostolic cooperation, usually grouped with
the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. It also has a working partnership with the Apostolic Vicariate
of Tabuk and the Diocese of Baguio, both in the Cordilleras, to coordinate Catholic missions
among the Igorot tribes. The Apostolic Vicariate operates a liaison office in the compound of the
Baguio Cathedral.

Signages of CICM

The letters CICM are an abbreviation in Latin of the name Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae
or Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Rev. Theophile Verbist, chose this name for
his newly founded missionary institute as a way of honoring Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ,
and placing his institute under her patronage.

The CICM missionaries are also known by several other names depending on the country where
they are working.

In Europe and Africa they are widely known as the “Missionaries of Scheut” or “Scheutist”,
Scheut being the name of the locality near Brussels where the institute was founded. In the past
CICM missionaries were sometimes known as the “Belgian Fathers” since the institute was
founded in Belgium and most of its members were Priest. However, the institute was never an
exclusively Belgium institute and includes both priest and brothers. Thus this name has fallen out
of use, especially as the institute becomes more and more multicultural.

In North America the institute is known as “Missionhurst – CICM” and its members referred to as
“Missionhurst Priests and Brothers”.

Hurst is an old English word meaning a small hill or a wooded rise. As the headquarters of the
missionary institute in North America are located on a small wooded hill, this became the
popular name of the institute in that part of the world.

CICM Song: One Heart, One Soul

One heart one soul one love

At what God has planned

He will make us one angel

One soul one heart one love

He will make us one angel

And forever it will be

One soul one heart and one love

Together

As the sunsets rise

Or as we see them fall

We will blow those candles

Until we leave this world

We will always be together

Perfect from the day we met

These are precious moments

On our way to eternity

Chorus

This life is only the beginning

At what God has planned

He will make us one angel

One soul one heart one love

He will make us one angel

And forever it will be

One soul one heart and one love

Together

This is only the beginning

Of an endless love affair

Because we will always be

One soul one heart one love

Together

Cor unum et anima una

Cor unum et anima una, my column in the Freeman, Cebu, Nov 12

The expression is taken from the Acts of the Apostles (4,32). It means “one heart and one soul.”
It was used to describe the way the early Christian believers lived. The full text is as follows:
“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that
any of the things that belongs to him was his own, but they had everything in common.”

This is the spirit of unity we should develop and have in any grouping we may belong to, be it a
family, a class, an office, a community, etc. Our sense of unity should not just be in the level of
the physical, professional, social, political, etc. It should involve our heart and soul. In other
words, it should involve our whole being. (Fr. Roy Cimagala, November 11, 2018)