Dominican Child development center

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 “Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all mankind…” (Mark 16:14).

“An easy mandate?”, so it seems to the 20th (or 21st) century minds but most probably, not to the faithful of the Middle Ages when only bishops were authorized to preach. Thus, Dominic de Guzman’s founding order of friar’s preachers in 1215 to combat the Albigensian heresy in Southern France, must have “made the headlines” so to speak. Later, as Spain’s colonial empire spread, the intrepid Dominican friars of the missionary Province of the Holy Rosary took their life in their hands sailing to mission lands in the Far East. 

And so, in 1863 we found them in China where infanticide for newly born baby girls was then customary. The fortunate ones who were found alive by Christians were brought to orphanages built by the friars. In 1891, a group of thirteen Dominican nuns affiliated with the Province of the Holy Rosary, responded to go to the other missions. In time, some went to China to assist in caring for the poor cast-off girls, while others worked in the schools in Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Eventually, the sisters increased in number and in 1934 became a diocesan congregation – the “Congregation of the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic.” Thirty years later, in acknowledgment of its usefulness, steadiness and stability, the Holy See issued the congregation the decree “Decretuum Laudis” in 1964, recognizing it as a congregation with pontifical rights. Today the institution has its apostolates also in: Italy, Spain, Portugal, the United States, Chile, South Korea, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Guam.

 Sr. Lourdes Untalan, O.P. a US citizen who was assigned to Taiwan, came to Guam to renew her US passport. At the airport, she met Bishop Felixberto Flores. In their conversation, the bishop expressed his wish to have Dominican Sisters work in his diocese. When Sr. Lourdes Untalan went back to Taiwan, she shared to her superior the conversation she had with Bishop Flores. This invitation was sent to Rome for study. Mother General Catalina Civit and her council approved having an apostolate in Guam. 

The first group of Sisters was sent to Guam. The first three sisters included: Sr. Josefina Lacsamana, Sr. Margarita Lacandola, and Sr. Paz Arribon. These Sisters were welcomed by the Notre Dame Sisters and stayed with them. They taught at St. Vincent Catholic School in Barrigada, close to the convent where they resided. Our sisters visited some Centers in the island for preschoolers and they found it is quite difficult to open a school at that time, so they conceived the idea of opening a center for young children. 

Through the Divine Providence, the owner of the building in Ordot with four rooms, and beside the building is a Day Care Center run by Mrs. Carmen de la Cruz who left for the United States. The Center had a capacity of 90 children and was provided with rooms where children can rest. It was an ideal Center and perfect place for Sisters, because across is San Juan Bautista Church. With the permission of General Curia in Rome, this property was acquired the year 1979. On June 13, 1980, Mother Vicar Remedios Ignacio and Mother Loreto Almira came to Guam to finalize the work of this Day Care Center to our Congregation.  

Warranty Deed was made and executed on the 26th of September 1980 by Crispin D. Nery President and authorized representative of Nery Construction Company as “Grantor” and Congregation of Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic as “Grantees.”On February 18, 1981, Mother Vicar Remedios Ignacio and Sr. Jacinta Micor came for the visit of Pope John Paul II, were invited by the diocese. 

On the 20thof April 1981, Mother General Catalina Civit came from Rome with her secretary Sr. Fe Dural for a Canonical Visit to the Sisters of Guam. On the 22ndof May 1982, the ground-breaking ceremony took place in the late afternoon at the future site of Dominican Sisters’ Convent and Dominican Child Development Center in Ordot. 

This was a significant milestone for the Dominican Sister in the Diocese of Agana. The monumental construction project was undertaken by Black Construction Company. Bishop Felixberto Flores signed the document, marking the beginning of the construction which took 10 months. 

The old building was demolished and constructed was a two-story building with 12 rooms on the second floor, and on the first floor a chapel, 2 classrooms, comfort rooms for boys and girls, a principal’s office, and two guest rooms.On March 9, 1983, the three Sisters who stayed with the Notre Dame Sisters were assigned to Ordot. The dedication and blessing of the convent took place on March 12, 1983. 

Vatican II Declaration of Christian Education states:

“Since every man of whatever race, condition and age is endowed with the dignity of a person, he has an inalienable right to an education corresponding to his proper destiny and suited to his native talents, his sex, his cultural background, and his ancestral heritage. At the same time, this education should pave the way to brotherly association with other people so that genuine unity and peace on earth may be promoted, for a true education aims at the formation of the human person with respect to the good of those societies of which, as man, he is a member and whose responsibilities, as an adult, he will share.” 

Dominican Child Development Center, in close partnership with parents and families, is committed in providing the highest quality of Catholic education for all children through innovative, engaging, and creative methods of teaching. At Dominican Child Development Center, the nurturing faculty and staff believe that all students can and will learn. They guide students to become faith-filled Christians and challenge them to develop and share their God-given gifts. Dominican Child Development Center aims that the students will reach their academic potential and become dedicated people of service who are prepared to help create a life-giving future for themselves and others.