Pope names two new bishops for Calbayog, Abra

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed two new bishops to head Philippine dioceses in Calbayog and Abra provinces, the Archdiocese of Manila disclosed Friday evening. The Pope named Bishop Isabelo Caibon Abarquez, who previously served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Palo in February 2003, to the Diocese of Calbayog in Samar province. Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Filoni made the announcement Friday evening immediately after the appointments were published at noon, Vatican time. Abarquez will succeed Archbishop Jose Palma, who was the Bishop of Calbayog from 1999 until March of 2006, when he was appointed Archbishop of Palo in Leyte. Palma had been the Diocesan Administrator of Calbayog until the appointment of Bishop Abarquez. Abarquez is presently Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Palo and the parish priest of Santo Niño Parish in Tacloban City, Leyte. On the other hand, Benedict XVI also appointed Fr. Leopoldo Jaucian S.V.D., the Superior of the Central province of the Society of the Divine Word, as Bishop of Bangued in Abra. Father Jaucian is now based at Catholic Trade, in Manila’s Sta. Cruz district. He will take over from Diocesan Administrator Rev. Pablo Nilo S. Peig. - GMANews.TV