Dominican Sisters of the Trinity, Philippine Region and San Pedro Hospital of
Davao City, Inc., celebrate 60th Diamond Jubilee

The congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Trinity,
Philippine Region and the San Pedro Hospital of Davao City,
Inc. commemorate 60 years of existence (1948-2008). San
Pedro Hospital bannered a theme:”60 years of Healing Ministry:
Reliving the Past with Gratitude, Inspiring the Future”. The
diamond celebration kicked off in September 25, 2008 and
culminate on October 1, 2008 .

The General administration of the congregation represented
by the Superior General, Mother Raymonde Dussault, OP,
Sister Jeanne Blouin, OP former missionary to the
Philippines for 20 years, Sister Lydia V. Arcader, OP
General Council member, Sister Dora Maria Aguirre
Cordero, OP representative of the Peru Mission graced the
celebration.

The Invitation of Archbishop Luis del Rosario, SJ

It can be recalled 60 years ago, the series of events that
made up the story on the coming of the Dominican Sisters of
the Trinity and the evolution of San Pedro Hospital .
Archbishop Luis del Rosario, SJ, Archbishop of Zamboanga,
saw the need of Catholic hospital in Mindanao , thus, he
earnestly requested the PME Fathers, who were working in the
mission around Davao , to look for a religious congregation that
will establish a Catholic hospital. The PME Fathers interceded in behalf of Archbishop del Rosario, SJ to the congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Trinity (formerly known as Dominican Sisters of the Infant Jesus) in Quebec , Canada .

Msgr. Edgar Larochelle, PME Superior General interceded to the Mother Superior of the Dominican Sisters to send missionary sisters to Davao . The invitation went through discernment in the General Council, in the words of the Mother General she said, “if this is the will of God, let it be”. Before retiring for the night, on the day of discernment, the Council decided to accept the invitation. In October 1947, Mother General submitted a request to open a mission in the Philippines to Archbishop Maurice Roy, Archbishop of Quebec. In November 20, 1947 , the formal approval to open the mission was obtained.

The Pioneering Dominican Sisters from Quebec Canada

In 1948, Mother Marie de la Paix, OP General Prioress commissioned Sr. Pauline Guilmette, OP, Sr. Marie St. de Pierre( Sr. Cecile Denise), Sr. Gabriele de L'Annonciation (Sr. Rita Blais), Sr. Blanche Marie ( Sr. Therese Naud), Sr. Pauline Therese ( Sr. Therese Corriveau) for the mission in Davao, Philippines.

The five sisters left Canada on May 15, 1948 , they went through Montreal by train to Chicago , then to San Francisco , USA . On May 18, they boarded SS General Gordon for the Philippines . There were Maryknoll Sisters and PME Fathers ( Frs. Conrad Cote, Eloi Montembault, Robert Lemay) in that ship.

Arrival in the Philippines

The five missionaries arrived Manila on June 8, 1948 . Franciscan Sisters welcomed the Dominican Sisters in Manila . The following day, five Dominican Sisters left Manila for Davao by plan which took them almost 6 hours due several stops over along the way.

In Davao , the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) Sisters provided temporary home to the Dominican Sisters until such time when they settled in an old house on Claveria St. across the site of the present San Pedro Cathedral. The house was owned by Mrs. Corazon Torribio-Estrada. The sisters stayed in the second floor while the ground floor was used by the Bank of the Philippine Islands.

Hospital de San Pedro, a 15-bed hospital located in San Pedro Street near the corner of Legazpi Street owned by Dr. Alfredo Rivera was bought by the Dominican Sisters. The site is where the present UCPB-Cocolife Building is situated. Dr. Rivera remained as the Medical Director of the hospital.

San Pedro Hospital in Sta. Ana Avenue

In 1949, San Pedro Hospital was transferred to its current location in C. Guzman St. which had expanded into a 50-bed hospital. Through the help of Msgr. Clovis Thibault, PME and the PME Fathers, Sr. Pauline Guilmette, OP acquired the piece of land were the San Pedro Hospital is located.

In 1954, the hospital expanded its capacity to 100-bed. In 1956, the hospital added a new wing to accommodate 190 beds. On the same year, San Pedro Hospital gave birth to the first Catholic school of nursing in Mindanao , the San Pedro Hospital School of Nursing-currently known as the San Pedro College .

In 1964, upon the return of the founder, Sr. Pauline Guilmette, OP from Canada , four-storey concrete building was constructed that expanded the capacity of San Pedro Hospital . This edifice constitute the main building of the present hospital. Continued expansion of its physical plant and acquisition of equipment and facilities, San Pedro Hospital becomes one of the reliable health services provider in Southern Mindanao and its neighboring provinces and cities.

On its 60th year, San Pedro Hospital has an approved capacity of 295 beds as a tertiary hospital. In 2002, the hospital was ISO certified. The theme on gratefulness of the past and the hope on the future capped the spirit and attitude of the San Pedro Hospital community as it celebrates the Diamond jubilee.