The parish of Mexico was founded on 24 April, 1581.

It was founded along the

banks of Sapang Matulin with San Jose Matulid and Masang sang as its first visitas.
The first Agustinian missionaries were Fathers Quevado, Heredero, Montoya,
Peralta, Montes de Oca, Zabala, Gutierrez, and Bendoya.

The parish was later moved to its present site in Parian due to perennial flooding
in San Jose Matulid. The first concrete church was built in 1665, and was improved
by Father Jose dela Cruz. Although Augustinian records such as the Estado of 1612
indicates that Mexico has one convent and two priests at that time. The church was
destroyed by a powerful earthquake in 1880. It was the intense desire of Fr.
Esteban Ibeas to build a much bigger church but was never realized because he
was afflicted with illness. Fr. Ibeas built the temporary church that is presently
used by the parishioners. He was succeeded by Fr. Juan Torero who intended to
continue the unfinished works of Fr. Ibeas if not for the uprising that occurred
against the Spaniards.

In 1922, Rev. Fr. Felipe Roque built the facade of the church. During the period of
Father Quirino Canilao, the construction of the big church started. Father Melencio
Garcia continued the construction began by his predecessor.

The parish was then relocated to its present site in Parian due to continuous
floods in San Jose Matulid. The first stone structure was said to have been built
by Padre Jose dela Cruz, OSA. Although Augustinian records such as the Estado of
1612 indicates that Mexico has one convent and two priests during that time.
The structure was destroyed in the great tremor of 1880 leaving intact the bell
tower and old convent. It was the intense desire of Fr. Esteban Ibeas to build a
much bigger church but was never realized because he was afflicted with illness.
Fr. Ibeas built the temporary church that is presently used by the parishioners.
He was succeeded by Fr. Juan Torero who intended to continue the unfinished
works of Fr. Ibeas if not for the uprising that occurred against the Spaniards. In
1922, Rev. Fr. Felipe Roque built the facade of the church. During the period of
Father Quirino Canilao, the construction of the big church started. Father
Melencio Garcia continued the construction began by his predecessor. The
church was inaugurated in the 1960’s. During the 70’s to 80’s, the parish suffered
succeeding thefts beginning with the golden monstrance, four silver panels, and
finally the ivory head and one hand of the altar image of Santa Monica. It was at
this time that the original black vestment of the image was changed into white.
During the term of Rev. Msgr. Antonio Bustos, the parish mortuary was
constructed and the altar was rededicated. In 2006, Rev. Msgr. Damaso Jongco
reconstructed the facade to a more modern, rather unimpressive facade. Rev. Fr.
Larry Sarmiento, the dynamic parish priest of Mexico from 2007-2011,
reconstructed the Parish Hall. It was during his term that the image of Santa
Monica visited the homes of her children and her vestment was reverted back to
black. The devotion to different Augustinian saints and the Virgin of Consolation
was re-introduced by Rev. Fr. Mark Manabat. It was at his term that the devotion
to the Virgin and the Augustinians flourished. In 2015, during the term of Rev. Fr.
Eduardo Musni, the vestment of Santa Monica was again changed to white. And
the old retablo was demolished giving way to a larger wooden retablo. The
centuries old bells were also decomissioned and new bells and a new bell tower
were commissioned.