The origin of the Diocese of Kidapawan goes back to the first Jesuit missionaries who introduced Christianity to Mindanao in the late 17th century.

In 1980, Bishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, was elected bishop-prelate, and ordained on Oct. 28, 1980 at the Cathedral of Kidapawan, North Cotabato.

It was actually caused by incidents connected to land-grabbing and to unscrupulous politicians organizing armed groups.

When martial law was declared in 1972, the National Democratic Front - NPA again made Mindanao a land of conflict.

This was the term of Bishop Federico Escaler, and he lost no time in convening the First Prelature General Assembly of Kidapawan in 1977.

This was a period of intense growth of the basic ecclesial communities (BECs) with an orientation for justice.