Pope names Mallari bishop of Tarlac

MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Roberto Mallari of San Jose, Nueva Ecija to lead the Diocese of Tarlac.

According to the CBCPNews, the pope announced Mallari’s new assignment on Dec. 29 at the Vatican

The 66-year-old Mallari will replace bishop Enrique Macaraeg who passed away in October 2023.

As bishop of Tarlac, Mallari will oversee a diocese with about 60 parishes and a Catholic population of more than 1.2 million.

Meanwhile, bishop-elect Eugenius Cañete asked the Catholic faithful to pray for him as he takes on his new assignment as bishop of Gumaca, Quezon.

Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David was the principal consecrator during the ordination of the 58-year-old Cañete to the episcopate in a ceremony at the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo City on Dec. 28.

Cañete will assume as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Gumaca on Jan. 4, succeeding bishop Victor Ocampo who died in March last year. The Diocese of Gumaca covers eastern Quezon province.

In his first address as bishop, Cañete asked for prayers for himself and for the Diocese of Gumaca, saying, “I’m not a superman. I need your prayers. Pray for us shepherds in the Church.”

Bishop suffers heart tear during Christmas Eve mass

In Mindanao, Basilan Bishop Leo Dalmao was rushed to the hospital after falling ill while celebrating the Christmas Eve mass at the Sta. Isabel de Portugal Cathedral in Isabela City.

Fr. Rodel Angeles said the bishop was taken to the Ciudad Medical Zamboanga and later transferred to the intensive care unit of the Zamboanga Peninsula Medical Center.

Angeles quoted a medical test result that showed Dalmao as having suffered a “heart tear and a cerebral clot.”

“Efforts are underway to transfer him to Manila for specialized care, with emergency air transport being arranged,” Angeles said as he also asked the Catholic faithful to pray “for Bishop Dalmao’s healing, strength and swift recovery.”