Provincial Custody of the Immaculate Conception
and Bl. Bonaventure of Potenza in the Philippines
Mother Province: Province of the Seraphic Father St. Francis in Italy (Naples)
On August 24, 1979, the first group of Conventual Franciscan missionaries to the Philippines arrived in Manilla. They came from the Province of St. Francis in Naples and were hosted by Friars Minor in Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City until October 15, 1979. Later, on December 25, 1979, the St. Francis of Assisi Friary was canonically erected after the missionaries had been entrusted with the parish church they helped to build and had dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi and St. Quiteria (September 11, 1979). It is located in Baesa, Caloocan City, Metro Manila. The friars ministered there for almost four years and also opened a formation house at that location. On June 2, 1982, they established a parish church and seminary in Greenfields 1 subdivision, Novaliches. On June 1, 1987, the friars opened a second formation house in Tagaytay City. On August 15, 1988, they opened a third formation house in Parañaque City. Despite many obstacles, this growth, with the help of the missionaries and local friars, led to the erection of the Provincial Custody on April 10, 1989.
The Custody currently has forty-three solemnly professed friars, ten simply professed friars, six friaries and one filial house.
Novaliches: Immaculata Friary and St. Maximilian M. Kolbe Parish
This friary was built in October of 1981 and was blessed on June 2, 1982. The friars operate a spirituality center, serve at the St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe Parish, and conduct social and charitable activities through the St. Anthony of Padua Clinic. Recently, the friary opened the St. John the Baptist Filial House.
Parañaque City: St. Maximilian M. Kolbe Formation House
Founded in 1988, this friary is the seat of the Custodial Curia, the headquarters of the major seminary of philosophy and theology, and serves as a center for the Militia of the Immaculata (M.I.).
Tagaytay City: St. Joseph Friary
This friary was officially erected on June 1, 1987, and blessed on February 2, 1988. It is the seat the common novitiate of the Federation of Asian Minor Conventuals (FAMC) as well as the home of the Custody’s postulancy program. There is a spirituality center next to the novitiate.
Parañaque City: San Agustin, Friary and Parish
On December 15, 1996, the Diocese of Manila entrusted the parish church to the friars, while their residence was a filial house of the St. Maximilian Friary. The parish church was consecrated on August 27, 2000. The friary was erected on June 12, 2003.
Dolores: St. Anthony of Padua Friary
This Conventual Franciscan presence began in 1997. The friary was blessed in September of 2001 and was canonically erected on August 2, 2002. The friars assist in the pastoral activities of the parish and minister in the surrounding mountainous areas and nearby smaller islands. They are also involved in spiritual assistance to M.I. and collaborate in the pastoral care of inmates in the provincial prison. There is also a Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Center (JPIC) at this friary.
Binangonan: St. Francis of Assisi Friary and Parish
The parish was founded on October 29, 2011. It is part of the Archdiocese of Antipolo. The friary was canonically erected on August 11, 2022.
Franciscan Missionary Center
General Secretariat for Mission Animation