Third Filipino bishop in Papua New Guinea ordained, installed

A Filipino missionary priest has been ordained bishop in Papua New Guinea on Aug. 29, signaling the start of his new ministry.

In a ceremony held at the St. Gerard Cathedral, Bishop Joseph Durero formally assumed his post as the third shepherd of the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga.

He replaced retired Canadian Bishop Gilles Côté of the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, who served the diocese for 22 years.

The episcopal ordination was presided over by Cardinal Sir John Ribat of Port Moresby, with Archbishop Fermin Emilio Sosa Rodriguez, Apostolic Nuncio to PNG and Solomon Islands, and Bishop Côté as co-consecrators.

They were joined by nine other bishops from different dioceses across PNG, priests, religious, and laypeople from the diocese.

Born in Surigao del Norte province’s Dapa town, the 53-year old has been a missionary of the Society of the Divine Word in Papua New Guinea for more than 20 years.

The newly ordained is the third Filipino bishop in Papua New Guinea. He joins Vincentian Bishop Rolando Santos of Alotau-Sideia and Salesian Bishop Pedro Baquero of Kerema.

Pope Francis on May 23 appointed Durero as bishop of Daru-Kiunga, a suffragan of the Port Moresby archdiocese.

At the time of his appointment, he was the vicar general of the Archdiocese of Madang. (CBCP News)

A version of this article was first published on CBCP News.