Father Efren Limpo has been appointed as general secretary of the Claretian Missionaries worldwide, the first Filipino to hold the post.
He assumed the position on June 5, three days after his appointment was ratified by the order’s superior general, Fr. Mathew Vattamattam.
The 43-year old replaced Fr. Joseba Kamiruaga Mieza, who served the post for the past four years.
As general secretary, he assumes the bulk of the functions the canon law assigns to the person of the notary, of the actuary and of the chancellor.
Born in Cagayan de Oro City, he made his first profession as a Claretian missionary in Zamboanga City in 2001 and his final vows in 2006 in Spain.
After finishing his theology studies at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid in 2007, Limpo was ordained priest on December 7 of that year at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Quezon City.
After his ordination, the priest served as postulant master from 2008 to 2010.
From 2010 to 2012, he studied Licentiate in Theology Major in Spirituality at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
When he returned to the Philippines, Limpo served as provincial secretary from 2012 to 2013 before he was assigned as local superior at the Claret Seminary community and took the role of Prefect of Seminarians and Professor at the St. Anthony Mary Claret College in Quezon City.
In 2014, he became the rector of the seminary. In 2016, he was once again appointed as the provincial secretary, as well as in 2019.
He also served as director of Claret School of Quezon City from 2016 to 2017.
When the Claretians started preparing the cause for the beatification of the Claretian Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, Limpo was appointed as the vice postulator of the province. CBCP News
Image credits: Clairetian Missionaries