1983–2010: Priesthood
Santos was ordained priest on September 10, 1983, at the Manila Cathedral by the Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin. [4]
During his 27-year tenure as priest of the Archdiocese of Manila from September 10, 1983, to July 8, 2010, he became parochial vicar at the Immaculate Concepcion Parish in Pasig (1983–1986), chaplain of Pasig Catholic College (1983–1987), priest at San Antonio Abad Church in Maybunga (1986–1987), professor of church history, patrology, and homiletics at San Carlos Graduate School of Theology and Holy Apostles Senior Seminary in Makati, visiting priest at the EDSA Shrine and Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in Pilar Village, Las Piñas (1990–1997), prefect of discipline of the Philosophy Department of San Carlos Seminary (1990–1992), professor of church history at San Carlos Seminary (1990–1995), academic dean of San Carlos Graduate School of Theology, Library Director of San Gabriel Reyes Memorial Library at San Carlos Graduate School of Theology, chief archivist of the Manila Archdiocesan Archives and curator and director of the Manila Archdiocesan Museum (1992–1997), guest lecturer for novices and postulants in the mother house of the Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres in Antipolo (1992–1995), consultor of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church in the Vatican (1995–2005), vice-rector and oeconomus of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome, Italy (1997–1999), rector of the same college (2000–2010), and national coordinator of the Italian Episcopal Conference for the pastoral care of Filipino migrants in Italy (2003).
After several years in the Archdiocese of Manila, he was sent to Rome in 1987 for further studies and took up his licentiate in church history at the Pontificia Universita Gregoriana.
In 2005, he became a member of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses in the Vatican. He has also written a number of books regarding historical interests published by the Archdiocese of Manila and regarding homilies, prayers, and spirituality published by St. Paul's (SSP).
2010–2023: Bishop of Balanga
Pope Benedict XVI named Santos as the fourth bishop of Balanga on April 1, 2010, the Holy Thursday of 2010. He continued to serve as priest of the Archdiocese of Manila and rector of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino while being the diocese's bishop-elect from April 1 until he assumed office upon his installation as fourth bishop on July 8, 2010, ending the diocese's 8 months and 4 days sede vacante period or without a bishop in office under the diocesan administrator Victor Ocampo, and his 4 months and 7 days bishop-elect period. As bishop-elect and one month before his installation as bishop of Balanga, he received episcopal consecration on June 24, 2010.
Santos' installation ceremony or assumption into office as fourth bishop of Balanga on July 8, 2010 was presided by the then-Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga Paciano Aniceto. Also present in the installation are Bishop of Malolos Jose Francisco Oliveros having jurisdiction over Valenzuela and Santos' home province Bulacan, Santos' predecessors as Bishop of Balanga Honesto Ongtioco (also the former priest of Archdiocese of San Fernando during Paciano's (installation ceremony's main presider) tenure from January 31, 1989, to June 18, 1998, and future sede vacante apostolic administrator of Malolos from May 11, 2018, to August 21, 2019) and Socrates Villegas, and outgoing sede vacante diocesan administrator of Balanga and future Bishop of Gumaca Victor Ocampo. [3]
Santos decreed the creation and addition of five parishes, four more diocesan shrines (only Orani Church was the only diocesan shrine in the Diocese of Balanga by the time he was appointed as the diocese's fourth bishop on April 1, 2010 and assumed office three months later on July 8), and one minor basilica, national shrine and chapel were created during his tenure as bishop of the diocese, with Residencia Sacerdotal, Retirement Home for Priests (Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel) in Taglesville, Balanga started construction on late 2010 months after he assumed office as fourth bishop of Balanga on July 8 of that year and finished in 2011. He also designated old churches in Hermosa, Orani, Samal, Abucay, Balanga City, Pilar and Orion as seven pilgrim churches that thousands of pilgrims from other provinces visit, especially during the Lenten season. [5]
Few months after Santos assumed office as fourth Bishop of Balanga on July 8, 2010, he made few appointments on late 2010 at parishes and churches of the Diocese of Balanga, and that included the diocesan shrine and parish of St. Nicholas Tolentino (Mariveles, Bataan) where he appointed two parochial vicars or assistant priests for its rector and parish priest Msgr. Hernando Guanzon (last priest to be appointed by his predecessor Socrates Villegas in July 2009 at the said church) which are Rev. Fr. Jefferson A. Paule and Jhoen B. Buenaventura.
He made two quinquennial visit ad limina in Rome on December 2, 2010 (five months after he was installed or assumed office as fourth bishop of Balanga) and May 20, 2019.
Changes to the Balanga Cathedral were made during under Santos' tenure which are the improvement of its patio and numerous vendors were discouraged within the cathedral's premises. Walls and fences outside the cathedral were changed in 2012. It was also on that year where a statue of St. Gemma Galgani was added as the 16th and latest statue to be installed outside the cathedral due to St. Gemma Galgani Church in Mt. View, Mariveles, Bataan became a parish on July 21, 2012, which included on a roster of the diocese's churches and parishes. In 2014, the Santuario de San Jose was blessed. The Sacrestia de San Jose underwent renovation and blessed in 2015. Pavement of the ground on the exterior was made from 2017 to 2018, and the belfry added the bricks in 2019. [6] In 2020, the cathedral's roof were painted from green and white to red. The Cathedral Shrine's Rectory and Sacristy with its fence and patio were also built during his tenure. Months before his tenure as Bishop of Balanga ended on July 22, 2023, the cathedral's leftmost door was removed and replaced with a wall.
In 2015, he opened the first diocesan theology seminary called Virgen Milagrosa del Rosario College Seminary.
He founded a foundation named Ad Seminandum RCS 10 Foundation, Inc., with the name being a reference to his motto as the diocese's bishop (Ad Seminandum), initials (RCS), and 10 being the month number of his birthday (October which is the 10th month of the year) and part of a number of a year when he became Bishop of Balanga (2010). His motto is also used as the name of an award (Ad Seminandum Award - Bishop's Award).
Santos became a governing council member for Asia of the International Migration Commission, Vatican from 2015 to 2022.
He continued written a number of books regarding homilies, prayers, and spirituality published by St. Paul's (SSP). In addition to spiritual books, he also wrote about the Diocese of Balanga and its churches, and Bataan province where the diocese has jurisdiction with.
From June 5, 2020, to June 4, 2023, he served as acting or interim rector and parish priest of the diocesan shrine and parish of St. Nicholas Tolentino in Mariveles on a concurrent capacity. During his 3-year tenure as acting or interim rector and parish priest of the parish church, he had six substitute priests which are the five priests of Sto. Niño Parish Church in Alas-Asin named Robert Laracas, Ponciano G. Balmes, Marvin Gomez, Gerald Cuenca and Christopher Alday (with Alday was demoted from being parochial vicar or assistant to simply a substitute priest under Regin L. Tenorio), and Jay Quicho. As in charge of the parish church, he initiated changes within the parish such as the change in mass schedules (with Sunday Mass being temporary), and changing of the church's facade and a new church bell from Royal Bells Philippines. On February 25, 2023, he declared and elevated the said church into a diocesan shrine. [7] [8]
In January 2023, the Diocese of Balanga mourned the passing of Pope Benedict XVI who appointed Santos as the diocese's fourth bishop on April 1, 2010, saying that amid sorrow and sadness, “we are assured of his eternal peace and rest in Heaven.” He said that the Bataan faithful were in grief over the death of the pope emeritus on Sunday morning at the Vatican at 95 on December 31, 2022. [9]
In March 2023, Santos presided over the farewell trip and mass of Bishop of Gumaca Victor Ocampo who also served as the diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Balanga from November 4, 2009, when his predecessor Socrates Villegas became archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan until Santos assumed office as fourth Bishop of Balanga on July 8, 2010, at Balanga Cathedral. Also on that same month, the mass for the 48th Canonical Erection Anniversary of the Diocese of Balanga was held with Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga and future Apostolic Administrator of Balanga by July 22, 2023 Florentino Lavarias as main celebrant where the coat of arms for the diocese's 50th anniversary by 2025 was unveiled.
On April 1, 2023, coinciding with Santos' 13th and final year as fourth Bishop of Balanga, the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. John Paul II in Roman Superhighway, Brgy. Culis, Hermosa, Bataan was elevated into the national shrine on a mass presided by Bishop of Kalookan Pablo Virgilio David through the authority of Santos, and its second parish priest and first rector Anthony Sibug.
While awaiting for the date of assuming his new office or installation as fifth Bishop of Antipolo, Santos served as the apostolic administrator of the diocese during his last three months as Bishop of Balanga from May 24 to July 22, 2023. He also held his last mass as the diocese's bishop during the transition. It was also during Santos' last months as fourth bishop where the diocese's association of Catholic schools in Bataan which is Diocesan Schools of Bataan (DSOB), established in 2006 by his predecessor Socrates Villegas, changed its name to Diocesan Schools of Bataan and Educational Foundation, Inc. (DSOBEFI).
On July 21, 2023, one day before Santos ended his tenure as fourth Bishop of Balanga to assume office as fifth Bishop of Antipolo the following day in July 22, another former diocesan administrator of Balanga named Msgr. Antonio "Tony" Dumaual who served when Honesto Ongtioco became Bishop of Cubao on August 28, 2003, until Socrates Villegas assumed office as third Bishop of Balanga on July 3, 2004, died at 3:30 pm and 80 years old.
After Santos stepped down as Bishop of Balanga and assumed his new office as Bishop of Antipolo on July 22, 2023, Bataan temporarily returned to the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of San Fernando after 48 years and 8 months through the sede vacante apostolic administration of its archbishop Florentino Lavarias which will last until the installation of Santos' successor as Bishop of Balanga. The version of Santos' coat of arms of the Diocese of Balanga that is used since April 2010, however, continued to be used by the diocese as placeholder during sede vacante period or his coat of arms as Bishop of Antipolo is used on some churches of the diocese if referencing Santos to establish and maintain continuity while awaiting for the installation of his successor as the diocese's bishop. The mass for the repose of Dumaual's soul and his funeral, and blessing of the body were presided by Santos' predecessor Socrates Villegas who returned to Balanga, Bataan for the repose on July 25 and Lavarias for the blessing and funeral mass on July 23 (a day after Santos became Bishop of Antipolo) and 31, respectively.
