- Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo
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Diocese of Antipolo
Dioecesis Antipolensis
Diyosesis ng Antipolo
Location Country Philippines Territory Rizal, Marikina Ecclesiastical province Archdiocese of Manila Statistics Area 1,859 km2 (718 sq mi) Population
- Total(as of 2006)
2,410,000Information Denomination Roman Catholic Rite Roman Established January 24, 1983 Cathedral National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage of Antipolo Patron saint Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Current leadership Pope Benedict XVI Bishop Gabriel Villaruz Reyes Metropolitan Archbishop Gaudencio Card. Rosales, D.D.
Archbishop of ManilaAuxiliary Bishop Francisco Mendoza de Leon, DD, MS Vicars General Very Rev. Msgr. Rigoberto De Guzman, PC, STL, VG Emeritus Bishops Protacio G. Gungon, MA
Crisostomo A. Yalung, SSL, STDWebsite www.dioceseofantipolo.com The Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo (Lat: Dioecesis Antipolensis) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.
On January 23, 1983, during his Angelus message, Pope John Paul II announced the creation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo. It comprised the area of the whole province of Rizal, the entire Marikina City, and part of Pasig City (the former Vicariate of Santo Tomas de Villanueva, now belonging to the Diocese of Pasig). It is an area that was previously known in the Archdiocese of Manila as the Ecclesiastical District of Eastern Rizal. The diocese was canonically established on the June 25, 1983 and is a suffragan of the said archdiocese.
The first residential bishop of Antipolo diocese was the Most Rev. Protacio G. Gungon. On December 3, 2001, he was replaced by the Most Rev. Crisostomo A. Yalung as the second bishop. The third local ordinary of the diocese is the present bishop, Most Rev. Gabriel V. Reyes, former Bishop of Kalibo in Aklan. Bishop Reyes is assisted by his auxiliary bishop, Most Rev. Francisco M. De Leon.
The diocese had its First Diocesan Synod in 1993 held at St. Michael's Retreat House in Antipolo City. The diocese has experienced some jurisdictional changes since the time the Diocese of Pasig was created. Around six well-established parishes from the diocese within the civil boundaries of Pasig City was given to the newly-established Pasig diocese together with the diocesan priests serving in them.
Contents
Silver Jubilee
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage
The Diocese of Antipolo celebrated the Silver Jubilee of its foundation in 2008. The theme of its celebration was "25 Taon ng Mabuting Paglalakbay: Pasasalamat, Pagdiriwang at Panibagong Pagsasabuhay!" (25 Years of a Good Journey: Thanksgiving, Celebration and Renewed Living!). A big celebration was held on December 5, 2008 at the Cathedral of Antipolo to highlight the year-long festivities. The Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, the Most Rev. Edward Joseph Adams, D.D., graced the said celebration. Also, the Second Diocesan Synod is being planned to be held in 2010 to see the pastoral concerns and spiritual needs of the Diocese of Antipolo.
The Diocese today
At present, the Diocese of Antipolo is considered to be one of the largest local churches in the Philippines in terms of its Catholic population. Diocesan priests serving the diocese is number 76. There are about 30 major (college and theology) seminarians and 117 minor (high school) seminarians from the John Paul II Minor Seminary in the diocese. There are also around 50 religious congregations serving the diocese. A good number of lay men and women have dedicated themselves into serving the local church as lay ministers of the Word and communion, catechists, lectors, youth leaders among others.
Among the 86 ecclesiastical jurisdictions present in the Philippines today, the Diocese is the fifth largest local church in terms of its Catholic population after the Archdioceses of Cebu, San Fernando (Pampanga), Manila, and the Diocese of Malolos (Bulacan). The population of the whole area covering the diocese is 3,037,029, of which 2,429,665 (or 80%) are Catholics.
With 58 parishes that comprise the whole diocese within the whole province of Rizal and the City of Marikina, it has been a common desire among the flock that the Virgin of Antipolo, Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, may continue to lead each faithful to her Son, Jesus. The diocesan motto is Ad Jesum Per Mariam.
The Cathedral of Antipolo is one of the 12 cathedrals that was founded by the Order of Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines. It is also one of the most popular Marian shrines in the country where the much loved and venerated image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (the Virgin of Antipolo) is enshrined.
Ordinaries
- Protacio G. Gungon (June 25, 1983 to October 18, 2001)
- Crisostomo A. Yalung (December 3, 2001 to October 2002)
- Gabriel V. Reyes (January 29, 2003–present)
See also
- Catholic Church in the Philippines
- John Paul II Minor Seminary
Roman Catholic dioceses in the Philippines Province of Caceres Archdiocese of Caceres · Diocese of Daet · Diocese of Legazpi · Diocese of Masbate · Diocese of Sorsogon · Diocese of Virac · Diocese of LibmananProvince of Cagayan de Oro Province of Capiz Province of Cebu Province of Cotabato Province of Davao Province of Jaro Province of Lingayen-Dagupan Province of Lipa Archdiocese of Lipa · Diocese of Boac · Diocese of Gumaca · Diocese of Lucena · Prelature of InfantaProvince of Manila Archdiocese of Manila · Diocese of Antipolo · Diocese of Cubao · Diocese of Imus · Diocese of Caloocan · Diocese of Malolos · Diocese of Novaliches · Diocese of Parañaque · Diocese of Pasig · Diocese of San PabloProvince of Nueva Segovia Province of Ozamiz Archdiocese of Ozamiz · Diocese of Dipolog · Diocese of Iligan · Diocese of Pagadian · Prelature of MarawiProvince of Palo Province of San Fernando Province of Tuguegarao Province of Zamboanga Military Ordinariate Categories:- Roman Catholic dioceses in the Philippines
- Religious organizations established in 1983
- Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
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