Archbishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao received his sacred pallium on Thursday, January 14, exactly a year after formally assuming his post.
Archbishop Marlo Peralta of Nueva Segovia conferred the pallium on Archbishop Baccay in a liturgy at the Saint Peter Metropolitan Cathedral.
Fewer people attended the ceremony due to strict health protocols brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. The ceremony was, however, streamed live on social media.
The woolen band that symbolizes unity with the pope and responsibility to care for the flock was blessed by Pope Francis on the feasts of Sts. Peter and Paul last June 29 in Rome.
Due to travel restrictions, Archbishop Baccay was unable to travel to Rome for the papal blessing of the pallium, which was entrusted to Archbishop Peralta for conferral.
While the pope continues to bless palliums and give them to new archbishops as his predecessors did, he decided in 2015 that each archbishop receives it in his archdiocese, in front of the faithful and other bishops.
In his homily, Archbishop Peralta said the imposition of a pallium completes the installation of Archbishop Baccay as metropolitan archbishop of Tuguegarao.
The vestment, he said, implies that an archbishop has to be united with the pope in governing the Church “intended to be imbued with Christ’s mercy and compassion”.
Turning to Archbishop Baccay, he stressed that to be entrusted with an archdiocese, fairness and justice should play a role.
“You are to promote the common good. Fairness and justice should be part of the overall picture in the pastoral governance of your metropolitan archdiocese,” said Archbishop Peralta.
“While we need to be kind and merciful we also need to practice fairness because this is the only way that we can promote the common good,” he added.
Archbishop Baccay was appointed archbishop of Tuguegarao by Pope Francis on Oct. 19, 2019. He was installed to the post on Jan. 14, 2020.
