Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. Jaro is a district of Iloilo City, Iloilo on the island of Panay in the Western Visayas.

The Archdiocese of Jaro comprises the provinces of Iloilo and of Guimaras, an island off Iloilo. San Jose de Antique, San Carlos in Negros Occidental and Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, are suffragans. Out of its population of 1,761,419, 89% are Catholic. Its titutar patron saint is St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose feast is celebrated on November 17.

Bishop Mariano Cuartero, a Dominican, took possession of the diocese on April 25, 1868. The new diocese then included the entire island of Panay (today's Capiz, Aklan, Iloilo and Antique provinces), Negros Island, Romblon and Palawan in the Visayas: Jolo, Zamboanga, Cotabato and Davao on the island of Mindanao. This vast territory was later divided to form new ecclesiastical jurisdictions: Zamboanga in 1910, Bacolod in 1933, Capiz in 1951 and San Jose de Antique in 1962.

On June 29, 1951, a papal bull by His Holiness Pope Plus XII raised Jaro to an archdiocese, with the dioceses of Bacolod, Capiz and the then Prelature Nullius of Antique as suffragans. The Most Reverend Jose Ma. Cuenco was raised to the rank of Metropolitan Archbishop of Jaro.

The Archdiocese of Jaro today comprises the entire civil province of Iloilo and the sub-province of Guimaras, a small island off its south eastern coast. with San Jose de Antique, San Carlos of Negros Occidental and Kabankalan, also of Negros Occidental, as suffragans. Out of its population of 1,761,419,89 per cent are Catholics. Its titutar patron is St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose feast is celebrated on November 17.

The province of Iloilo occupies the southeastern portion of Panay Island in the region known as Western Visayas or Region VI, one of the richest regions in the country. It is separated from Guimaras Island by the Iloilo Strait, and is bounded on the north by the province of Capiz, on the west by Antique, on the east by Guimaras Strait and on the south by Panay Gulf. Iloilo City has been the capital of the province since 1688, and included within it are the towns of Manduriao, Jaro, La Paz, Arevalo and Molo.

Iloilo shares with her sister provinces the history of a Malay settlement on the Island of Panay on the 13th century, when ten Bornean datus bought the lowlands from the Negritos with gold and ornaments. This particular area, that of Iloilo, was called Irong-Irong which the Spaniards later changed to Iloilo. The political partition with Capiz took place in 1716, and that with Antique in 1796.

Iloilo City, of which Jaro is part, became a chartered city in 1936, although foreign trade already existed from this seaport since 1850. The original stock of Negritos and Borneans is now hardly recognizable, with Ilonggos, Visayans and Tagalogs predominating. Its old houses and churches still show traces of Spanish influence.

Ecclesiastically, the Archdiocese of Jaro holds some noteworthy historical notes showing the vibrant faith of its deeply Christian population. Its St. Vincent Seminary has produced one cardinal (Jaime Cardinal Sin), two archbishops and six bishops. In number of religious sisters it ranks second only to Manila; in number of parishes and secular priests it ranks third after Manila and Cebu. The first Carmelite Monastery and the first Trappist Monastery in the country were founded within the Archdiocese of Jaro.

With its Christian roots deep in fidelity to the Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Jaro today faces the challenges of Vatican II and the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines. It is strengthened by an enthusiastic response from the laity working in cooperation with the clergy in a renewal effort that reaches down to the parochial levels. Old historic churches stand side by side with new ones and are filled to overflowing by the young and old gathered before the Eucharistic table, singing in praise of the Lord in Ilonggo and in English.

Prelates of Jaro Archdiocese

Most Reverend Angel N. Lagdameo, D.D.

The Most Reverend Angel N. Lagdameo, D.D. (Born August 2, 1940) is the current president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and the Archbishop of Jaro in Iloilo.

He was born in Lucban (a town in the Province of Quezon) in 1940. He attended the San Jose Seminary, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, a degree in Philosophy in 1954, and a degree in theology in 1965. On December 19, 1964, Lagdameo was ordained as priest in Lucena City.

On August 12, 1980, Father Lagdameo was ordained in Lucena Cathedral as the titular bishop of Oreto. [1] He was an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Cebu from 1980–1986. In 1986, he was appointed the coadjutor bishop for the Diocese of Dumaguete, and succeeded to that see in 1989. He became the Archbishop of Jaro in 2000, before being elected as the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines in 2005.

Most Rev. Gerardo Alimane Alminaza, D.D.

Msgr.Gerardo Alimane Alminaza of the Diocese of Bacolod. Fr. Alminaza is presently assigned as Rector of Sacred Heart Seminary of the Diocese of Bacolod. He is nominated by Pope Benedict XVI on May 29, 2008 as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Jaro.

Bishop-elect Gerardo Alminaza was born in San Jose, Sipalay, Negros Occidental on 14 August 1959. He studied Philosophy at Sacred Heart Seminary in Bacolod and completed his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. He also had his post graduate studies at Fordham University in New York and obtained his Doctorate in Educational Management at the University of Negros Occidental in Bacolod City.

He was ordained to the Sacred Order of Presbyters on April 29, 1996 for the Diocese of Bacolod.

He was assigned as Parochial Vicar of the Parish of St. Francis Xavier in Kabankalan. He also served as Dean of Studies, then Spiritual Director, and then before the nomination as Rector of Sacred Heart Seminary in Bacolod City. He is also the Chairman of the Commission on Clergy of the Diocese of Bacolod.

Bishop Alminaza holds the title as Titular Bishop of Maximiana in Byzacen

Archbishops of Jaro

The following is the list of bishops and archbishops of Jaro:

*Mariano Cuartero y Medina, O.P. † (20 Sep 1867 Appointed - 16 Jul 1884 Died)
*Leandro Arrúe Agudo, O.A.R. † (27 Mar 1885 Appointed - 24 Oct 1897 Died)
*Andrés Ferrero Malo, O.A.R. † (24 Mar 1898 Appointed - 27 Oct 1903 Resigned)
*Frederick Zadok Rooker † (12 Jun 1903 Appointed - 20 Sep 1907 Died)
*Dennis Joseph Dougherty † (19 Apr 1908 Appointed - 6 Dec 1915 Appointed, Bishop of Buffalo)
*Maurice Patrick Foley † (6 Sep 1916 Appointed - 7 Aug 1919 Died)
*James Paul McCloskey † (8 Mar 1920 Appointed - 10 Apr 1945 Died)
*José Maria Cuenco † (24 Nov 1945 Appointed - 8 Oct 1972 Died)
*Jaime Lachica Sin † (8 Oct 1972 Succeeded - 21 Jan 1974 Appointed, Archbishop of Manila)
*Artemio G. Casas † (11 May 1974 Appointed - 25 Oct 1985 Resigned)
*Alberto Jover Piamonte † (2 Apr 1986 Appointed - 17 Dec 1998 Died)
*Angel Lagdameo (11 Mar 2000 Appointed - )

In 2005, the Most Rev. Angel Lagdameo, D.D., Archbishop of Jaro, began a term as president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

=Affiliated Bishops, Living=
*Fernando R. Capalla (Priest:18 March 1961 to 2 April 1975)
*Angel N. Lagdameo (Archbishop: 11 March 2000)
*Jose Serofia Palma (Priest: 21 Aug 1976 to 28 Nov 1997
*Emmanuel Celeste Trance (Priest: 17 May 1978 to 14 May 2004)

=Affiliated Bishops, Deceased=
*Leandro Arrúe Agudo, O.A.R. † (Bishop: 27 Mar 1885 to 24 Oct 1897)
*Teofilo Camomot Bastida † (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Mar 1955 to 10 Jun 1958)
*Artemio G. Casas † (Archbishop: 11 May 1974 to 25 Oct 1985)
*Mariano Cuartero y Medina, O.P. † (Bishop: 20 Sep 1867 to 16 Jul 1884)
*José Maria Cuenco † (Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Nov 1941; Bishop: 24 Nov 1945; Archbishop: 29 Jun 1951 to 8 Oct 1972)
*Dennis Joseph Dougherty † (Bishop: 19 Apr 1908 to 6 Dec 1915)
*Andrés Ferrero Malo, O.A.R. † (Bishop: 24 Mar 1898 to 27 Oct 1903)
*Maurice Patrick Foley † (Bishop: 6 Sep 1916 to 7 Aug 1919)
*James Paul McCloskey † (Bishop: 8 Mar 1920 to 10 Apr 1945)
*Juan Nicolasora Nilmar † (Auxiliary Bishop: 20 Feb 1959 to 3 Jan 1967)
*Alberto Jover Piamonte † (Priest: 22 Mar 1958; Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Dec 1974; Archbishop: 2 Apr 1986 to 17 Dec 1998)
*Frederick Zadok Rooker † (Bishop: 12 Jun 1903 to 20 Sep 1907)
*Jaime Lachica Sin † (Priest: 3 Apr 1954; Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Feb 1967; Coadjutor Archbishop: 15 Jan 1972; Archbishop: 8 Oct 1972 to 21 Jan 1974)

External links

* [http://www.cbcponline.net/jurisdictions/jaro.html Archdiocese of Jaro] "
* [http://masstimes.org Mass Times] "
* [http://masstimes.org/dotnet/showchurches.aspx?type=INTLCITY&q=&country=Philippines&countrycode=PH&city=Jaro&friendlyChurchName=&churchName= Mass Times at the Jaro Cathedral] "
* [http://www.cbcponline.net/bishops/archbishops/lagdameo.html Most Rev. Angel N. Lagdameo, D.D., Archbishop of Jaro] "
* [http://www.cbcponline.net Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines] "
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08323d.htm Archdiocese of Jaro on the Catholic Encyclopedia] "
* [http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about_cultarts/articles.php?artcl_Id=3 About Culture and Arts, Iloilo City] "
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/djaro.html Archdiocese of Jaro on Catholic-Hierarchy.org] "
* [http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3423/1224/1600/Jaro%202.jpgPhoto of Cathedral] "