MARAGONDON, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish

The name Maragondon is a Spanish approximation of the Tagalog word maragundong/madagundong which means "having a rumbling or thunderous sound". This refers to the noise coming from the Kay Albaran river in the village of Capantayan. This was initially the place on which the town was to be built. However, due to the floods caused by the frequent overflowing of the river, the town was later relocated to its present site.
Incidentally, Maragondon has three foundation dates; namely, 1. ) 1611 when the Franciscan Fathers from Silang established their first visita or chapel; 2.) 1690, the Fundacion Ecclesiastica or founding of the regular parish by the Jesuits, dedicating it to Our Lady of the Assumption; 3.) 1727, the Fundacion Civil, when the original barrio of Maragondon was separated from Silang during the administration of the Recollects and converted into an independent municipality with Gregorio Silvestre as the first gobernadorcillo. Maragondon belonged to the corregimiento of Mariveles (now Bataan province) until 1754 when Spanish governor General Pedro Manuel de Arandia (1754 - 1759) abolished the politico - military administration and restored Maragondon to Cavite Province. Alongside Silang, the town's territory was very large during its early decades.
In the second half of the 19th century the towns of Ternate, Magallanes, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo (formerly Bailen), Alfonso, and Naic were mere barangays of Maragondon. Ternate was the first town to attain full independence on March 31, 1857, under an agreement signed by Tomas de Leon, Felix Nigosa, Pablo de Leon, Florencio Nino Franco and Juan Ramos in behalf of the people of Ternate.
Furthermore, Bailen (now Gen. Aguinaldo) and Alfonso seceded from Maragondon in 1858. Naic then severed as a town in 1869. Magallanes was the last of the villages to attain independence, having been founded on July 15, 1879, under an agreement signed by Crisostomo Riel representing Maragondon, and by Isidro Bello and company representing Magallanes.
𝗦𝗜𝗠𝗕𝗔𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬
Before 1611 Maragondon was established as a separate town from Silang by the Jesuit Angelo Armano. Before this year the Franciscans were already actively evangelizing the area.[1] In 1630 a second church with more elaborate furnishings was completed. During this year hacienda in Looc, straddling the boundaries of Batangas and Cavite, bequeathed to the Jesuits’ Colegio de Manila, was added to Maragondon’s jurisdiction. In 1633 a new and bigger church was built to replace the older and smaller one, the church stone for some time between 1646 and 1649. The government ordered its demolition for fear that the Dutch, who were at war with Spain, would use it and other churches near Manila for fortification. The orders were apparently implemented because on May 16, 1650 a license was given to the Jesuits to build a house and church of wood in Maragondon to replace the one that had been demolished.
Repairs were made on the convent between 1666 and 1672. In 1687 another church was begun although the construction was interrupted; only in 1714 was it completed. The church was repaired a number of times but data on the renovation are sketchy. After 1860 the Recollect added windows with colored glass panes, and set these in a wooded frame decorated with a quail on a plate, the attribute of San Nicolas de Tolentino. ”
The secular priest de los Reyes also did some repairs probably during the convocation of the second Vatican Council which was commemorated in the Philippines with a jubilee year. To commemorate the event, a roof beam was emblazoned with inscriptions. ”
Additional data-note from a returning parishioner: While the Church is undoubtedly a Jesuit Church, it shows signs of previous care by the Franciscans. Up the doorway to the sacristy is the image of St. Anthony of Padua and opposite or across it at the other side of the altar is St. Claire. By the way, notably till the 1950s, there were practicing devotees of the Third Order of Franciscans which devotion seems to have disappeared with the death of the last Hermanos (Manong) and Hermanas (Manang). Maybe, we can invite some Franciscans to come and revive such devotions. While in this topic of revival, The Sodality which is a part of our Jesuit devotions seems to be at best anemic. Maybe, we can have a true revival of Marian Devotions by having The Sodality and the Legion of Mary working as one group as true Daughters/Servants of Mary.