New Bishop of Mati: Davao bishops to ordain Bishop-elect Abel Apigo

Days of waiting are coming to an end as the third bishop to be ordained from the diocesan clergy of Davao will assume his new role as second bishop of the Diocese of Mati.

Fellow Davao grown bishops will join in the laying on of hands on the head of Bishop-elect Abel Apigo on April 24 at the San Pedro Cathedral.

Bishop of Digos Guillermo V. Afable and Bishop of Ipil Julius S. Tonel will join Archbishop Romulo G. Valles in ordaining the new bishop.

It can be noted that Bishop Afable and Bishop Tonel were priests from the Archdiocese of Davao prior to their appointment as bishops of their respective dioceses.

Bishop Afable was ordained to the priesthood April 24, 1976 and to the episcopacy on July 12, 2001 by Archbishop Antonio Franco, the then Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines and co-ordaining Prelates Archbishop Fernando R. Capalla and the late Bishop of Digos Generoso Camiña.

Bishop Tonel was ordained April 12, 1980 and ordained to the episcopacy on August 20, 2007. Archbishop Capalla is the principal ordaining prelate and Archbishop of Cagayan Antonio Ledesma and Bishop Angel Lagdameo as co-ordaining prelates.

Through the laying on of hands of the bishops to a new bishop, the bishop is consecrated similarly in a succession going back to the apostles, with the bishops being called as successors of the apostles.

This will be the third time that the Archdiocese of Davao will have a bishop among the ranks of her priests being ordained to the episcopacy.

Bishop-elect Apigo will succeed Bishop Patricio H. Alo who served for 30 years as bishop and retired due to health reasons in 2014.

Bishop Alo served Mati since November 9, 1984, being their first bishop when the diocese was created February 16, 1984.

Bishop-elect Apigo will assume the cathedra on his installation on April 25 at the San Nicolas de Tolentino in Mati City.