Bishop Pat Alo, witness of generosity

Bishop Pat Alo, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Mati is truly an example of one who witnessed throughout his life this year’s theme of “Missio Ad Gentes”, gifted to give. Having been chosen from among the best priests in Cebu, he came to Davao in 1981 as auxiliary Bishop of Davao and started a new Diocese in Mati, sanctifying God’s people and proclaiming God’s word and using all means of social communications.

Indeed, the homily of then Archbishop of Davao, Antonio Ll. Mabutas during the Episcopal ordination of Bishop Pat became a challenge to this witness. “The coming generation has to be prepared for the shock of a new, complicated, and sophisticated living. Men and women, fathers and mothers as well as their children have to be instructed. Christian communities have to be nurtured and guided. The bishop must go out to his people to restore the luster of their faith through the witnessing of his own life. He should expand his labor to world-wide proportions inasmuch as he now belongs to the College of Bishops and to the Magisterium of the world. What he needs most is the witness of his own life – “forma facti gregis” – made a pattern of his flock – holy generosity, by which I mean generosity of labor, charity, zeal, and devotion.”

Rest in peace, Bishop Pat.