This book of DR. JOSE MARIO BAUTISTA MAXIMIANO will make us understand that the history of the Filipino Church is not just the story of Padre Damasos and Padre Salvis, but a precious story of numerous great leaders like Bishop Domingo de Salazar, OP, who exposed the abuses committed by his fellow Spaniards. It is a story of many other leaders like Fathers Pelaez, Gomez, Burgos and Zamora who championed equality and fairness. We recall that the Filipinos have manifested himagsikan through their Christian faith. The Spanish missionaries taught us to chant the Pasion text (Gaspar Aquino de Belen, 1704) about our suffering Messiah during the Holy Week, which somehow inspired our heroes, like the Gomburza, Rizal, and Bonifacio, to offer their lives for the sake of Inang Bayan. In this sense, religion has inspired people like Hermano Puli and numerous believers who gathered during the peaceful EDSA Revolution in 1986 to fight for their rights. So how can we not celebrate 500 years of Christianity, a milestone in Philippine history, when Christianity has become a significant part of our personal and national experiences? Yes, we are the People of God humble enough to admit the great need to purify ourselves (semper purificanda) and learn the hard lessons from the past. But we are also the People of God who should not be deprived of celebrating our triumphs and the gift of faith we have received.