Pope creates Philippines 87th diocese in Agusan del Sur

MANILA, Philippines —  Pope Francis has created the 87th diocese in the country, the Diocese of Prosperidad, which will cover the province of Agusan del Sur.

The CBCPNews, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the Vatican named Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Ruben Labajo as the first bishop of the Diocese of Prosperidad.

The pontiff made the announcement at the Vatican on Tuesday.

The newly created diocese will be taken from the Diocese of Butuan, which now covers only Agusan del Norte.

The division of the Diocese of Butuan was Francis’ response to a request of Bishop Cosme Damian Almedilla, the CBCPNews said.

Almedilla described the division as a “strategic move” to foster the spiritual growth of the faithful and to improve administrative efficiency within the dioceses.

He described the province of Agusan del Sur as a “missionary frontier,” noting its remote communities spread across the landlocked and mountainous province.

The Diocese of Prosperidad has a population of about 800,000, mostly Catholics spread across 26 parishes.

It has 32 diocesan priests, 29 religious priests and six sisters.

In a post on social media, Labajo accepted the new mission entrusted to him by the Vatican.

“Whatever God wants me to do, I will do it, willingly and lovingly. Whatever is God’s will for me, wherever He wills me to go, I will go,” Labajo said.

In June 2022, Labajo was appointed auxiliary bishop of Cebu. He was ordained to the episcopate on Aug. 19 of the same year.