Pope Francis appoints 3 Borongan diocese priests as ‘papal chaplains’

Pope Francis has honored three priests of the Diocese of Borongan in Eastern Samar province by appointing them as “Chaplains to His Holiness” with the title of Monsignor.

The diocese announced the appointments on Friday, January 7.

The new papal chaplains are Msgr. Lope Robredillo, Msgr. Eutiquio “Euly” Belizar, Jr., and Msgr. Romeo Solidon.

Robredillo is the diocese’s Vicar General and chairman of two diocesan commissions: Liturgy and Cultural Heritage of the Church. He is also the parish priest at St. Nicholas of Tolentino Parish in Quinapondan town.

Belizar, who is currently on sabbatical leave, heads the diocese’s Commission on Doctrine of the Faith, while Solidon is a team ministry member of the Cathedral Parish of the Nativity of Our Lady.

Monsignor is a title bestowed on a diocesan priest who has distinguished himself by many years of exceptional service to the church or has provided a specific and specialized function in church governance.

It is also an honorary title and does not affect the priest’s duties or ministerial assignment.

And because the title historically designated a priest who served in the papal curia, the diocese said that all nominated monsignors are officially considered part of the papal household, whether they serve in the Vatican or elsewhere.

“In scaling back honorific positions within the Catholic Church in 2014, Pope Francis retained the category of ‘Chaplain to His Holiness” for any and all new nominated recipients,” it said.

In keeping with the pope’s reforms, a “Chaplain to His Holiness” is only granted to a diocesan priest who is over 65 years of age. (CBCP News)

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