The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has named a priest from the Archdiocese of Palo in Leyte province as its new secretary general.
The appointment of Monsignor Bernardo Pantin, 59, was confirmed during the CBCP’s Permanent Council meeting on Wednesday, November 25.
Monsignor Pantin replaced Father Marvin Mejia of the Archdiocese of Cebu, who served the post since 2013 and whose term ended on October 31.
Prior to his appointment, Monsignor Pantin was CBCP’s assistant secretary general.
Born in McArthur, Leyte, Monsignor Pantin took his Philosophy studies at Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo, and Theology at the Central Seminary in the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, where he earned his Licentiate in Canon Law.
He was ordained priest in 1986.
In 1990, he finished his Doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
He was installed as papal chaplain, with a title of monsignor, in December 1994.
Among the posts he previously held were rector at St. John the Evangelist School of Theology in Palo and vice president for the Visayas of the Canon Law Society of the Philippines.
Monsignor Pantin was rector of Palo Cathedral when super typhoon Haiyan struck the country in 2013.
