Roman Catholic Diocese of Cabanatuan

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Diocese of Cabanatuan

Dioecesis Cabanatuanensis

Diyosesis ng Cabanatuan
Catholic
Cabanatuan Cathedral, Nueva Ecija, April 2023.jpg
Cabanatuan Cathedral
Coat of arms of the Diocese of Cabanatuan.svg
Coat of arms
Location
CountryFlag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines
TerritorySouthern Nueva Ecija (Aliaga, Bongabon, Cabanatuan, Cabiao, Gabaldon, Gapan, General Mamerto Natividad, General Tinio, Jaen, Laur, Palayan, Peñaranda, San Antonio, San Isidro, San Leonardo, Santa Rosa, Talavera, Zaragoza)
Ecclesiastical province Lingayen-Dagupan
Metropolitan Lingayen-Dagupan
Statistics
Area2,743 km2 (1,059 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2021)
1,227,000
1,034,000 [1]  (84.3%)
Parishes30
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established16 February 1963
Cathedral Cathedral-Parish of St. Nicholas of Tolentino in Cabanatuan
Titular patrons Nicholas of Tolentino
La Virgen Divina Pastora (Patroness)
Secular priests 50
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Prudencio Padilla Andaya, Jr. CICM
Metropolitan Archbishop Socrates Buenaventura Villegas
Vicar GeneralNoel J. Jetajobe, SSL, MLS
Judicial VicarReynold H. Oliveros, JCD
Statistics from Catholic-Hierarchy.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cabanatuan (Latin: Dioecesis Cabanatuanensis) is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. The diocese comprises 16 towns of Nueva Ecija including the cities of Cabanatuan, Palayan, and Gapan. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan. [2]

Contents

History

On February 16, 1963 Pope John XXIII, issued the apostolic letter "Exterior Ecclesiae" creating the Diocese of Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija separating from the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, and then the Diocese of San Fernando. On June 3, 1963 the Diocese of Cabanatuan was canonically erected after that on June 4, 1963 Bishop Mariano Gaviola was ordained and installed as the first Bishop of Cabanatuan. The Diocese of Cabanatuan was put under the patronage of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino and the Virgin Mary under the title Divine Shepherdess (Divina Pastora) which is popularly venerated in Gapan every May 1. The seat of the diocese is the St. Nicholas of Tolentino Cathedral in Cabanatuan with a feast day of September 10.

The diocese lost territory in 1984 when the Diocese of San Jose in the Northern Part of Nueva Ecija was formed.

The current bishop Emeritus of the diocese and Apostolic administrator is Sofronio Aguirre Bancud, S.S.S., D.D. He was appointed as auxiliary bishop on 2004 and installed as bishop on January 25, 2005. He officially retired on December 8, 2024 after he reached his mandatory retirement age of 76.

On December 8, 2024, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Prudencio Padilla Andaya, Jr., CICM, D.D., until now the second Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk since April 16, 2003, to be the 6th bishop of this diocese. [3] Bishop Andaya was installed on February 3, 2025 at the Cabanatuan Cathedral. [4]

Ordinaries

NoNameIn officeCoat of arms
1.Mariano Garces Gaviola(8 March 1963 – 31 May 1967) Coat of arms of Mariano Gaviola y Garces as Bishop of Cabanatuan.svg
2.Vicente Posada Reyes(8 August 1967 – 7 April 1983) Coat of arms of Vicente Posada Reyes as Bishop of Cabanatuan.svg
3.Ciceron Sta. Maria Tumbocon(7 April 1983 – 11 November 1990) Coat of arms of Ciceron Santa Maria Tumbocon.svg
4.Sofio Guinto Balce(11 November 1990 – 25 June 2004) Coat of arms of Sofio Guinto Balce.svg
5. Sofronio Aguirre Bancud, SSS (6 November 2004 – 8 December 2024) Coat of arms of Sofronio Aguirre Bancud (Cabanatuan).svg
6. Prudencio Padilla Andaya, Jr., CICM (3 February 2025 - present) Coat of arms of Prudencio Padilla Andaya Jr. (Cabanatuan).svg

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Cabanatuan (Catholic Diocese)". gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  2. ↑ "Dioceses in the Philippines - Diocese of Cabanatuan" Archived 2014-01-11 at the Wayback Machine Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. Retrieved on 2013-01-11.
  3. ↑ Lagarde, Roy (December 8, 2024). "Pope Francis appoints Bishop Andaya as head of Cabanatuan diocese". Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines . Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Diocese of Cabanatuan announced the Solemn Canonical Installation of the 6th Bishop of Cabanatuan".

15°27′05″N120°57′10″E / 15.4514°N 120.9529°E / 15.4514; 120.9529

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