On my 44th year as bishop

I compose this article not to share a reflection but just to test my memory on how much I can recall and remember what happened from June 18 1975 till today.

I think it was in mid afternoon of June 18, 1975 that the then papal nuncio Archbishop Bruno Torpigliano ordained me bishop at the Jaro Cathedral in Iloilo City. He was assisted as co-consecrators by the archbishop of Manila Jaime L. Sin and the archbishop of Jaro Artemio Casas. There were several co-ordaining bishops whose names I cannot remember except Cardinal Julio Rosales of Cebu and Bishop Ricardo Vidal of Malolos and Bishop Alberto Piamonte auxiliary bishop of Jaro. Of course, all the clergy of Jaro and from other dioceses.

There were two guests among the clergy. One from the US Diocese of Brooklyn, New York, Fr. Charles Carmody, pastor of St. Francis de Sales parish in Belle Harbor, Rockaway Beach Blvd. Another was a relative from Tacloban Fr. Lilie Oledan.

Of course, my father, mother, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, etc. were there.

The next day June 19 the Jaro clergy together with my parents brothers and sisters brought me to Davao on a special PAL plane. The welcome reception rites at San Pedro Cathedral included a concelebrated Mass. After the Mass Archbishop Antonio Mabutas announced my appointments as Parish Priest of San Pedro succeeding Fr. Rey Tusoy, and chairman of the APAD II Pastoral Commission.

I cannot thank God and the Church enough for the blessing of being a bishop and for serving His people in the Archbishop of Davao, Diocese of Iligan and Prelature of Marawi. Likewise for the honor of serving as CBCP president (2005-2006) and FABC chair on interreligious dialogue commission (2009-2012) as Co-founder with Muslim Dr. Mahid Mutilan of the Bishops-Ulama Conference (29 November 1996).

I can remember even more. Thank God for my memory.