Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate

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Diocese of Masbate

Dioecesis Masbatensis

Diyosesis san Masbate
Diyosesis ng Masbate
Diócesis de Masbate
Catholic
Masbate Cathedral.jpg
Diocese of Masbate coat of arms.svg
Coat of arms
Location
Country Philippines
Territory Masbate
Ecclesiastical province Caceres
Metropolitan Caceres
Coordinates 12°22′08″N123°37′08″E / 12.36877°N 123.61887°E / 12.36877; 123.61887
Statistics
Area7,000 km2 (2,700 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2021)
983,172
917,532 [1]  (93.3%)
Parishes35
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
EstablishedMarch 23, 1968 (created), September 25, 1968 (canonically erected)
Cathedral Saint Anthony of Padua Cathedral
Patron saint Anthony of Padua
Secular priests 60
Current leadership
Pope Francis
BishopJosé S. Bantolo
Metropolitan ArchbishopArchbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon
Vicar GeneralEusebio Llonoso
Map
Diocese of Masbate.png
Territorial jurisdiction of the Diocese of Masbate
Statistics from Catholic-Hierarchy.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate (Latin: Dioecesis Masbatensis) is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. The seat of the bishop is the Cathedral Parish of Saint Anthony of Padua along Quezon Street, Masbate City.

Contents

The diocese has experienced no jurisdictional changes and is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Cáceres. Its patron is Saint Anthony of Padua.

The former coat of arms of the Diocese of Masbate features a gold island (masbad-a lot of gold) topped with a church upon an agitated sea, in canton a book and lily, the symbols of St. Anthony of Padua. Coat of arms of the Diocese of Masbate.svg
The former coat of arms of the Diocese of Masbate features a gold island (masbad‒a lot of gold) topped with a church upon an agitated sea, in canton a book and lily, the symbols of St. Anthony of Padua.

History

With the other provinces of Bicol, Masbate once belonged to the Archdiocese of Cáceres. When Cáceres was elevated to the status of an archdiocese on June 29, 1951, Masbate became part of the newly erected Diocese of Sorsogon. Pope Paul VI created the Diocese of Masbate on March 23, 1968. It was formally inaugurated on September 25, 1968, with Porfírio Rivera Iligan, a priest from the Archdiocese of Cáceres, as its first bishop.

Ordinaries

NoNameIn officeCoat of arms
1.Bishop Porfirio R. IliganJune 17, 1968 – February 14, 1998 Coat of arms of Porfirio Rivera Iligan.svg
2.Bishop Joel Z. Baylon February 14, 1998 – October 1, 2009 appointed Bishop of Legazpi Coat of Arms of Joel Z. Baylon.svg
2.Bishop José S. BantoloJune 15, 2011 – present Coat of Arms of Jose Bantolo.svg

Vicars-general

The vicar-general assists the bishop in the administrative duties over the diocese. The offices of the vicar general and the episcopal vicars temporarily ceased upon the vacancy of the episcopal see.

See also

References

  1. "Masbate (Catholic Diocese)". gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2023-09-11.

Resources