Horacio de la Costa
Encyclopedia
Horacio V. de la Costa was the first Filipino Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus
in the Philippines
, and a recognized authority in Philippine and Asian culture and history.
A brilliant writer, scholar, and historian, Horacio de la Costa was born in Maúban, Quezon
on May 9, 1916 to Judge
Sixto de la Costa and Emiliana Villamayor. Ordained a Jesuit priest
at the age of 30, he became, at age 55, the first Filipino provincial superior of this religious order, the Society of Jesus
.
for his role in the resistance movement. He helped Rev. Fr. John F. Hurley, the Jesuits’ superior, in taking clothes and medicines to American
and Filipino
soldiers who had evaded capture by the Japanese or escaped from Japanese prison camps. For this, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the United States
government in 1946. Early in 1946, he left for the United States
to pursue further studies in theology
at Woodstock College
, Maryland
, where he was ordained a priest
on March 24, 1946 by American Bishop
John F. McNamara. He received his doctorate degree in history
at Harvard University
in 1951.
before moving on to the Ateneo de Manila
, where he distinguished himself for academic excellence and student leadership, particularly as a writer
and, later, as editor of the Guidon, the campus newspaper. After earning there his Bachelor of Arts
degree, summa cum laude, in 1935, he entered the Society of Jesus
at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches, where he completed his master’s degree. Afterward, he went back to the Ateneo to teach philosophy
and history
for two years. During this time, he also worked as a writer and radio talent for the Chesteron Evidence Guild, more specifically, the "Commonwealth Hour", for which he created the character of Teban, the calesa diver, at the height of the controversy over the 1940 divorce
bill. The program evolved into "Kuwentong Kutsero", consisting of satirical tales dealing mostly with life in Manila
.
, he served anew with the faculty of the Ateneo de Manila
in 1953, later becoming its first Filipino college dean while teaching history at the same time. In 1958, he was made a consultant of the Philippine province of the Society of Jesus
and, in 1959, assumed the editorship of its scholarly publication, Philippines Studies. Fr. de la Costa received a Smith-Mundt-Fuldright scholarship in 1960. In 1962, he became a research associate of the London School of Oriental and Africa Studies. During this period, he received honorary doctorates from the University of Santo Tomás
, Tokyo’s Sophia University
, and Dumaguete’s Silliman University
.
On December 8, 1969, he assumed office as provincial superior of the Philippine province of the Society of Jesus
. His election ended the long line of Spanish and American Jesuits who were elected to the said post in the Philippines.
and history
, which revealed his nationalistic bent, among which are:
He also contributed numerous articles on these subjects to various local and foreign scholarly publications, such as Philippine Social Sciences and Humanities Review, Bulletin of the Philippine Historical Association, Hispanic American Historical Review, Comment, Science Review, Theological Studies, and Philippine Studies. The Catholic Encyclopedia
carries his article on the Philippines
.
In 1965, he was presented the Republic Heritage Award by the then Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal
for his historical writings. In 1971 he became General Assistant to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus
, Pedro Arrupe
, in Rome
.
Fr. de le Costa was one of the founding members of the Philippine Academy of Science and Humanities, as well as the International Association of Historians of Asia. He was also a member of the National Research Council of the Philippines, Philippine Bibliographical Society, Philippine Historical Association
and the National Historical Society of the National Historical Commission.
of Jesuits from all over the world in Rome
. In need of a composition on "The Jesuits Today", the delegates entrusted him the preparation. He worked on it by himself for three days. When he was finished, he returned to the congregation and read his draft. His composition was accepted exactly as he had written it.
De la Costa died of cancer
on March 20, 1977 at the age of 60. He was buried in the Jesuit Novitiate
Compound in Novaliches, Quezon City
.
For his achievements in the Jesuit Philippine Province and the Jesuit congregation in general, the Loyola School of Theology
of the Ateneo de Manila University
was inaugurated while the Horacio de la Costa Hall in the same university was named, both in his honor.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and a recognized authority in Philippine and Asian culture and history.
A brilliant writer, scholar, and historian, Horacio de la Costa was born in Maúban, Quezon
Quezon
-History:Originally, what now forms Quezon was divided among the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, and Nueva Ecija. The area was first explored by Juan de Salcedo in 1571-1572, during his expedition from Laguna to Camarines provinces....
on May 9, 1916 to Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Sixto de la Costa and Emiliana Villamayor. Ordained a Jesuit priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
at the age of 30, he became, at age 55, the first Filipino provincial superior of this religious order, the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
.
War-time and post-war activities
During the war, the Japanese imprisoned him for two months in Fort SantiagoFort Santiago
Fort Santiago is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896...
for his role in the resistance movement. He helped Rev. Fr. John F. Hurley, the Jesuits’ superior, in taking clothes and medicines to American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
soldiers who had evaded capture by the Japanese or escaped from Japanese prison camps. For this, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government in 1946. Early in 1946, he left for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to pursue further studies in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Woodstock College
Woodstock College
Woodstock College was a Jesuit seminary that existed from 1869 to 1974. It was the oldest Jesuit seminary in the United States. The school was located in Woodstock, Maryland, west of Baltimore, from its establishment until 1969, when it moved to New York City, where it operated in cooperation with...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, where he was ordained a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
on March 24, 1946 by American Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
John F. McNamara. He received his doctorate degree in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1951.
Training
De la Costa first attended the public elementary school in BatangasBatangas
Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...
before moving on to the Ateneo de Manila
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
, where he distinguished himself for academic excellence and student leadership, particularly as a writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and, later, as editor of the Guidon, the campus newspaper. After earning there his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree, summa cum laude, in 1935, he entered the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches, where he completed his master’s degree. Afterward, he went back to the Ateneo to teach philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
for two years. During this time, he also worked as a writer and radio talent for the Chesteron Evidence Guild, more specifically, the "Commonwealth Hour", for which he created the character of Teban, the calesa diver, at the height of the controversy over the 1940 divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
bill. The program evolved into "Kuwentong Kutsero", consisting of satirical tales dealing mostly with life in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
Philippines
Back in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, he served anew with the faculty of the Ateneo de Manila
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
in 1953, later becoming its first Filipino college dean while teaching history at the same time. In 1958, he was made a consultant of the Philippine province of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
and, in 1959, assumed the editorship of its scholarly publication, Philippines Studies. Fr. de la Costa received a Smith-Mundt-Fuldright scholarship in 1960. In 1962, he became a research associate of the London School of Oriental and Africa Studies. During this period, he received honorary doctorates from the University of Santo Tomás
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
, Tokyo’s Sophia University
Sophia University
There are several rankings below related to Sophia University.-General Rankings:The university was ranked 61st in 2010 in the ranking Truly Strong Universities by Toyo Keizai...
, and Dumaguete’s Silliman University
Silliman University
Silliman University is a private research university located in Dumaguete, Philippines. Established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, it was the first American private school to be founded in the country. The University is named after Dr...
.
On December 8, 1969, he assumed office as provincial superior of the Philippine province of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. His election ended the long line of Spanish and American Jesuits who were elected to the said post in the Philippines.
Authorship
De la Costa was the author of a number of books, particularly on Philippine cultureCulture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, which revealed his nationalistic bent, among which are:
- The Jesuits in the Philippines, 1581-1768
- The Trial of Dr. Rizal, an edited translation of W.E. Retana’s transcription of the official Spanish documents
- Recent Oriental History
- Readings in Philippines History
- The Background of Nationalism, and Other Essays
- Asia and the Philippines
He also contributed numerous articles on these subjects to various local and foreign scholarly publications, such as Philippine Social Sciences and Humanities Review, Bulletin of the Philippine Historical Association, Hispanic American Historical Review, Comment, Science Review, Theological Studies, and Philippine Studies. The Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
carries his article on the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
In 1965, he was presented the Republic Heritage Award by the then Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal was the ninth President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, and the sixth Vice President, serving from 1957 to 1961. He also served as a member of the House of Representatives, and headed the Constitutional Convention of 1970...
for his historical writings. In 1971 he became General Assistant to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus
Superior General of the Society of Jesus
The Superior General of the Society of Jesus is the official title of the leader of the Society of Jesus—the Roman Catholic religious order, also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position carries the nickname of Black Pope, after his simple black priest's...
, Pedro Arrupe
Pedro Arrupe
Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. was the twenty eighth Superior General of the Society of Jesus. He was born in Bilbao, Spain.-Education and training:...
, in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Fr. de le Costa was one of the founding members of the Philippine Academy of Science and Humanities, as well as the International Association of Historians of Asia. He was also a member of the National Research Council of the Philippines, Philippine Bibliographical Society, Philippine Historical Association
Philippine Historical Association
The Philippine Historical Association is a professional association of historians in the Philippines. It was founded on September 18, 1955 by a group of prominent historians at Carbungco Restaurant located at Lepanto St., Manila...
and the National Historical Society of the National Historical Commission.
Death
A few years before his death, De la Costa attended the General CongregationGeneral Congregation
The highest authority in the Society of Jesus is the General Congregation, an assembly of the Jesuit representatives from all parts of the world. A general congregation is always summoned on the death or resignation of the administrative head of the order—called the Superior General—to...
of Jesuits from all over the world in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In need of a composition on "The Jesuits Today", the delegates entrusted him the preparation. He worked on it by himself for three days. When he was finished, he returned to the congregation and read his draft. His composition was accepted exactly as he had written it.
De la Costa died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on March 20, 1977 at the age of 60. He was buried in the Jesuit Novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
Compound in Novaliches, Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
.
For his achievements in the Jesuit Philippine Province and the Jesuit congregation in general, the Loyola School of Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
of the Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
was inaugurated while the Horacio de la Costa Hall in the same university was named, both in his honor.