Pope Francis named new bishops for two dioceses in the Philippines, one in Mindanao and another in Palawan, on June 29, on the occasion of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.
Bishop Broderick Pabillo has been named bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay while Monsignor Noel Pedregosa was appointed new bishop for the Diocese of Malaybalay.
The appointments were announced in Manila on Tuesday by Archbishop Charles Brown, papal nuncio to the Philippines, during the Pope’s Day Mass at the Manila Cathedral.
Bishop-elect Pedregosa was ordained priest for Malaybalay in 1991.
Since 2017, the 56-year-old priest has been vicar general of the diocese and rector of the Malaybalay Cathedral.
The diocese has been without a bishop since August 2020 after the bishop-elect’s predecessor, Archbishop Jose Cabantan, formally assumed his post in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.
“We promise him the support of our prayers as he begins his mission in Bukidnon,” Archbishop Brown said of the appointment Monsignor Pedregosa.
Gratitude for chance to be missionary
Bishop Pabillo expressed his gratitude to the pontiff for giving him “a chance to work on a mission territory and to live poor among the poor.”
The prelate has been apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila until June 24 when Cardinal Jose Advincula took over as archbishop of Manila.
“I thank the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for his trust,” said Bishop Pabillo.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Palawanis is one of the biggest ecclesiastical jurisdictions under the Metropolitan of Manila.
Bishop Pabillo said it could be “the poorest in terms of material resources as Church” and is also “challenging in terms of the location of the Christian communities.”
In a word, it’s a mission territory,” he said.
“I thank the Holy Father that in the twilight of my life, I’m still given a chance to work on a mission territory and to live poor among the poor, the fisherfolk, the subsistence farmers and the indigenous peoples,” added the bishop.
He said the task waiting for him in his new assignment would be “totally different” from what he has been doing in the 15 years in the Archdiocese of Manila.
“As God is here in Manila, He is also there in northern Palawan. This is the basis of my confidence,” he said.
“My saying yes to this assignment is my small way of living out the missio ad gentes (mission to the world),” he said.
Cardinal Advincula said Bishop Pabillo deserves his appointment “after a job well done as auxiliary bishop and as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila.”
The cardinal said the long applause for Bishop Pabillo “was not only a confirmation of everyone’s appreciation for your sacrifice … but also an affirmation of your capability to lead and guide a diocese or an apostolic vicariate after the example of Jesus our Good Shepherd.”
Not new to Palawan
Bishop Pabillo is not new to Palawan. In 1999, he worked as a missionary priest and lived with small Christian communities in villages in the province.
He lived in Palawan for seven years until May 2006 when he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as auxiliary bishop of Manila in charge of the social action office.
Bishop Pabillo was born on March 11, 1955. He was ordained priest by Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila on Dec. 8, 1982.
On May 24, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him auxiliary bishop of Manila. He was consecrated bishop on Aug. 19, 2006, by Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales.
On Feb. 10, 2020, with the departure of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle following his appointment as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Bishop Pabillo was appointed by Pope Francis as the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, a post that he served until June 24 when Cardinal Advincula was installed archbishop of Manila.
