Diocese of Mati Laid to Rest First 34-Years Serving Bishop

His life was a vivid manifestation of his ardent passion in seeking the Kingdom of God, and after 81 years, he is finally in his dwelling place that he sought all his life.

On April 19, 2021, after the 1PM Funeral Mass, he was laid at the crypt of the San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral.

In his homily, Bishop Abel Apigo said that as he entered the religious life, until he became the first Bishop of the Diocese of Mati, Bishop Pat H. Alo, D.D. became a better half of the local church of Mati.

“True, we are mourning with Bishop Pat’s passing, but let us remember that he gave utmost importance in seeking God’s kingdom, through the propagation of the gospel and faith”, he added.

What best describes him as a shepherd to his flock is the 19 parishes and one quasi parish now in the Diocese, from the 11 parishes at the start of his episcopal life in the Diocese.

Bidding farewell to her dear brother, and speaking for the rest of her siblings who can’t come due to the pandemic, Sr. Marietta Alo was fighting back tears in giving a perfect description on the kind of life his brother has lived.

“Everything that Bishop did was done out of passion. He had put his heart in everything that he did. Our family would like to thank the people of the Diocese of Mati for accepting, welcoming, respecting, and loving Bishop Pat,” she said.

Nieces Benny Lon Alo Layao, Kristy Alo Manal, and Jennifer Alo Leyson gave brief messages for their “Tiyo Patty”.

In the ecclesial region of DADITAMA (Davao, Digos, Tagum, and Mati), Bishop Pat is known as the “Father of Social Communications”, having constructed the first AM radio (DXHM-AM) in the province in 1991, years later, the province of Davao Oriental welcomed its first cable service provider, the Trinity Cable Television, and in 2009, DXDV Spirit-FM was born, complimenting the mediums utilized by the Diocese in the thrust of evangelization.

More so, Bishop Pat Alo invited to Mati the different religious congregations, established Catholic schools, the Carmelite Monastery, and the Catholic health institution, the St. Camillus Hospital of Mati.

He firmly believed that people should not be deprived of access to truthful information and to the Word of God.

The remarkable initiatives of the Bishop Emeritus led to the sprouting of developments in the province of Davao Oriental, earning him the accolade “an institution”.

Due to kidney failure, he was brought to the hospital, the last of which was at the Bishop Regan Hospital in Tagum City, and on April 13, 2021, at 4:35 in the afternoon he breathed his last.

On April 14, 2021, he was brought back to Mati, at the Saint Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral where his wake was visited by the people whose lives he touched in his own ways, where they paid their last respect to him, and where he will savor his eternal rest.

Bishop Pat was ordained to the priesthood on March 14,1964, and into the episcopacy on June 7, 1981. He was then named Auxiliary Bishop of Davao in 1981. In 1984, he was appointed as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Mati.

Bidding farewell also to their contemporary and a brother were Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla of the Archdiocese of Davao, Bishop Emeritus Wilfredo Manlapaz, of the Diocese of Tagum, with Bishop Guillermo Afable of the Diocese of Digos, and Bishop Collin Bagaforo of the Diocese of Kidapawan.

Government officials led by Gov. Nelson Dayanghirang, Vice-Gov. Nino Uy, Congresswoman Cora Malanyaon of District 1, City of Mati Mayor Michelle Rabat, and Vice-Mayor Glenda Rabat—Gayta.

Considered already as an icon, Bishop Pat Alo will live in the hearts and minds of those who were part of his journey towards the after life. (Neela Duallo | Diocese of Mati)