Bishop Emeritus Patricio Alo of Mati, who died on April 13, was laid to rest in the crypt of San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral on Monday, April 19.
The funeral service was presided over by Bishop Abel Apigo of Mati with Bishop Medel Aseo of Tagum and Bishop Guillermo Afable of Digos.
In his homily, Bishop Apigo highlighted the legacy of Bishop Alo whose episcopate spanned close to four decades.
Under his term, the parishes in the diocese had grown from 11 to 19, and more priests were ordained. He also invited more religious congregations to work in the diocese.
Known for his Catholic media apostolate, he established the diocesan AM and FM radio stations, and a cable television network.
“As the first shepherd of the Diocese of Mati, his memories are instilled in the hearts and minds of the people,” said Bishop Apigo.
Bishop Alo was ordained a priest in Rome in 1964 by Cardinal Julio Rosales, then archbishop of Cebu, with Cardinal Rufino Santos, then archbishop of Manila.
After receiving his doctorate in theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Bishop Alo was assigned chancellor of Cebu, a post he served for 13 years.
He was later assigned as parish priest at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish Church at the Capitol site, then at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Church in Lahug, Cebu.
In 1981, he was elevated to the episcopate and was ordained bishop on June 7, 1981, at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral to be assigned as Auxiliary Bishop of Davao.
Three years later, he was named as the first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Mati.
After 37 years of shepherding the diocese, Bishop Alo retired in October 2014. He died at the Bishop Joseph Regan Memorial Hospital in Tagum City at the age of 81.
