New Borongan bishop assumes post

Rev. Crispin Varquez was formally installed Thursday as the new bishop of Borongan in Eastern Samar, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced. In a statement on its Web site, the CBCP said Palo Archbishop Jose Palma led a concelebrated ceremony at the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral. Palma, in his homily, urged priests and lay people of Borongan to continue to be a “united church." “Borongan has many talented priests, religious and lay people. Put your gifts and charisms at the service of one another," he said. Varquez, 46, was ordained bishop last October 18 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Tagbilaran City. He succeeds Bishop Leonardo Medroso who has been transferred to the diocese of Tagbilaran in 2006. Also at the event were Calbayog Bishop Filomeno Bactol and Palo Auxiliary Bishop Isabelo Abarquez, CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura and CBCP spokesman Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III. Varquez, a native of Sevilla, Bohol, studied Philosophy at the Immaculate Heart Seminary in Tagbilaran City and Theology at St. Augustine Major Seminary in Tagaytay City. He did postgraduate studies on Seminary Formation in Cebu City and on Family Counseling in the Center for Family Ministry, at the Ateneo de Manila University. He served as Formator in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Tagbilaran for four years and as Formator at St. Augustine Major Seminary in Tagaytay for five years more. Varquez was Vicar General of the Tagbilaran diocese prior to his appointment as the new bishop of Borongan. Before his installation, Msgr. Lope Robredillo was the apostolic administrator of the diocese. Borongan diocese has 74 diocesan and religious priests in 29 parishes, and 58 sisters. It also has 131 seminarians studying in the Diocese, and 27 more studying in Palo and in Manila. - GMANews.TV