Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate
Diocese of Masbate Dioecesis Masbatensis Diyosesis san Masbate Diócesis de Masbate | |
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![]() Coat of arms | |
Location | |
Country | Philippines |
Territory | Masbate |
Ecclesiastical province | Caceres |
Metropolitan | Caceres |
Statistics | |
Area | 7,000 km2 (2,700 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members) | (as of 2010) 835,800 approx. 710,430 |
Parishes | 28 regular parishes, 1 chaplaincy |
Information | |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | March 23, 1968 (created), September 25, 1968 (canonically erected) |
Cathedral | Saint Anthony of Padua Cathedral |
Patron saint | Anthony of Padua |
Secular priests | 77 |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | José S. Bantolo |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Rolando Joven Tria Tirona |
Vicar General | Rev. Fr. Eusebio Llonoso |
Website | |
Official Website of Masbate Diocese |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate (Latin: Dioecesis Masbatensis) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. The seat of the bishop is the Cathedral Parish of Saint Anthony of Padua along Quezon Street, Masbate City.
The diocese has experienced no jurisdictional changes and is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Cáceres. Its patron is Saint Anthony of Padua.
History[]
With the other provinces of Bicol, Masbate once belonged to the Archdiocese of Caceres. When Cáceres was elevated to the status of an archdiocese on June 29, 1951, Masbate became part of the newly erected Diocese of Sorsogon. Pope Paul VI created the Diocese of Masbate on March 23, 1968. It was formally inaugurated on September 25, 1968, with Msgr. Porfírio Rivera Iligan, a priest from the Archdiocese of Cáceres, as its first bishop.
Ordinaries[]
- Porfírio R. Iligan (17 June 1968 - 14 February 1998, retired)
- Joel Zamudio Baylon (14 February 1998 - 10 December 2009, appointed Bishop of Legazpi)
- Jose S. Bantolo (15 June 2011 – present)
Vicars-General[]
The Vicar-General assists the bishop in the administrative duties over the diocese. The Offices of the Vicar General and the Episcopal Vicars temporarily ceased upon the vacancy of the episcopal see.
- Very Rev. Msgr. Anacleto Golimlim, P.A (†)
- Very Rev. Msgr. Arturo Lachica, H.P (†)
- Very Rev. Msgr. Claro Caluya III, H.P (1984–2009)
- Very Rev. Msgr. Ismael Misolas, P.C (2009)
- Very Rev. Fr. Eusebio Llonoso (2011–present)
See also[]
Resources[]
- The 2010–2011 Catholic Directory of the Philippines (published by Claretian Publications for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, 2010)
- Religion in Masbate
- Christian organizations established in 1968
- Roman Catholic dioceses in the Philippines
- Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
- Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Cáceres