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MANILA—Catholic congregation Sisters of Mercy in Omaha in the United States have returned to the Philippine government the Meycauayan Church bells taken in 1899.

“This artifact is a priceless piece of our heritage and its return at this point of our history is a demonstration of the commitment of both the the Philippines and the United States to further solidify our close relations for the mutual benefit of our peoples,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario.

Consul General Leo M. Herrera-Lim traveled to Omaha in Nebraska on October 8 to formally receive the artifact from Sister Judith Frikker, RSM, President of the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community.

The bells are attached to a hard black wood with a metal handle on top. It is not readily evident what purpose the bells serve in a church.

No research yet has been done towards the verification of the information contained in the inscription.

“We are pleased to return this treasure to the Philippine government and its people,” Sister Judith said during a turnover ceremony.

“Our hearts are heavy knowing the loss that this piece represents, and we pray for an end to all war. We appreciate the visit by Consul General Herrera-Lim and his wife Fidelis to retrieve these bells,” she added.

According to Archivist Monte Kniffen of the Sisters of Mercy in Omaha, he found the artifact in July from a set of properties that were originally in the possession of the Sisters of Mercy convent in Red Bluff in California.

It is unknown who gave the bells to convent but Kniffen said that perhaps a small museum or a family could have turned it over to the convent after noting that they were church bells.

“It is humbling for me to receive on behalf of a grateful nation, the bells of Meycauayan Church at the month that we are celebrating Philippine-American History Month,” Herrera-Lim said.

“We have the opportunity to reflect on the unfortunate episode in our history and renew the ties that bind our peoples. I thank the Sisters of Mercy for being God’s instruments of peace and healing,” he added.

He then revealed plans to give the Sisters of Mercy a replica of the bells as remembrance of the turnover event and to acknowledge the friendship and kindness of the Sisters of Mercy.

The artifact will be turned over by the Consulate to the Philippine National Museum.

The Sisters of Mercy have a history of ministry in the Philippines. In addition to a novitiate, there are 36 Sisters of Mercy living and ministering there. Sister Rita Pickhinke, RSM, of Omaha, who has spent most of her life ministering to the deaf, was in the Philippines for more than seven year during which time she worked with the deaf and set up a program of services called Catholic Ministry to Deaf People, Inc. The program, located in Quezon City, is in its 22nd year.

All photos are provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs.