TACLOBAN CITY—Pope Francis has appointed Msgr. Rex Ramirez, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Palo, as the new bishop of Naval to replace Bishop Filomeno G. Bactol whose resignation takes effect at the end of the year.
The Diocese of Naval, which has the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Biliran province, is among the newest dioceses established on November 29, 1988, with Bactol as its first bishop.
The Vatican Press announced the appointment of Ramirez last Friday at the same time that it was also announced by the Vatican’s nunciature in Manila to the secretariat of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
“We are very happy to have a new bishop,” says Palo Archbishop John Du upon learning of the announcement. He added the appointment of a new bishop from the ranks of priests of Palo is an affirmation of the “commitment shown by our local priests”.
“I am very proud of my priests in the archdiocese of Palo,” Du said.
Ramirez, 49, is currently the rector of the Transfiguration of our Lord Cathedral and the second highest-ranking priest in the archdiocese next to Du. He will succeed Bishop Bactol who is already two years beyond the mandatory retirement age of 75.
“What we are witnessing is a communion among the priests. And because of that, God has blessed us to be privileged, a gift to have a bishop,” Du said.
After high school and courses in philosophy at the Sacred Heart Seminary of Palo, Ramirez studied theology at the Loyola School of Theology at Manila University.