Pope appoints new Zamboanga prelate

After losing their archbishop to the Archdiocese of Davao, the Archdiocese of Zamboanga will finally have their new shepherd to lead the flock.

Kidapawan Bishop, Romulo T. Dela Cruz is named as the new archbishop of Zamboanga by Pope Francis last March 15 (PH Time).

A priest for 42 years already, Bishop Mulong as he is fondly called has been the bishop of Kidapawan since June 18, 2008.

“I remember with delight my Ordination to the Priesthood on December 8, 1972 at the Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces Church in Kidapawan, a parish of the Diocese of Cotabato. Then Bishop Gerard Mongeau, OMI, DD ordained me after a beautiful homily where he said that he had spent no less than 400,000 pesos to produce one priest (he added all together he had spent for all his seminarians in the past),” writes Bp. Dela Cruz in one of his articles published in DCHerald.

Bp. Dela Cruz was also assigned Coadjutor Bishop of Isabela in Basilan then Bishop of Isabela in 1989. He was also appointed Bishop of San Jose de Antique before he came back to Mindanao to be the Bishop of Kidapawan when Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI appointed him.

In his six years in Kidapawan, Bp. Dela Cruz has ordained three diocesan priests and one deacon. He is set to ordain the deacon on May 5 prior to his installation in Zamboanga.

“I’m happy that he is appointed as Archbishop of Zamboanga. The Diocese of Kidapawan has become a good training ground,” said Rev. Edward Bacus, whom the bishop will ordain in May in Mary Mediatrix of All Graces Cathedral in Kidapawan City.

It can be remembered that Archbishop of Davao Romulo G. Valles was appointed bishop of Kidapawan before he was transferred to the Archdiocese of Zamboanga.

For almost two years, the Archdiocese of Zamboanga does not have an archbishop after Abp. Valles was transferred in Davao. Zamboanga is the first archdiocese in Mindanao.

“We feel lonely again because for many times we don’t have a shepherd (before Bp. Dela Cruz was appointed in Kidapawan) which is a difficult experience. It will be another adjustment and I hope the soonest time, we will already have another shepherd,” Rev. Bacus said adding:

“God will provide.”