MINDORO, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE of. - Situated on the island of M., in the Philippine archipelago, it comprises the civil province of M. and the island of Maestro de Campo, belonging to the province of Romblon. This mission was canonically erected on 2 July 1936, detached from the dioceses of Lipa and Jaro, and entrusted to the Society of the Divine Word.
It has an area of 10,099 sq. km. and a population of 185,000 inhabitants, who, with the exception of the aborigines living among the forests of the mountains and commonly called Mangyani, speak the Tagalog language. There are 130,000 Catholics and approximately 30,000 Protestants and schismatics. The personnel consists of 2 national and 24 foreign priests (Americans and Germans); 3 national and 18 foreign sisters; and 125 catechists. There are 5 elementary schools; 3 middle schools and one secondary school; 9 primary and 52 secondary stations; 10 churches and approximately 75 chapels. The capital of the province of M. is Calapan, which is also the residence of the Ordinary.