POPE FRANCIS CREATES NEW PH DIOCESE, NAMES ITS FIRST BISHOP

THE Vatican announced Tuesday that Pope Francis has established the new Diocese of Prosperidad in the Agusan region and appointed its first bishop, Ruben Labajo, who until now is auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

The new diocese, which comprises the province of Agusan del Sur, was carved out of the 57-year-old Diocese of Butuan, which now covers only Agusan del Norte.

The Pope’s decision to split the Butuan diocese into two stemmed from a petition filed by Bishop Cosme Damian Almedilla of Butuan in 2023.

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

He also referred to Agusan del Sur as a “missionary frontier,” noting its far-flung communities spread across the landlocked and mountainous province.

About one-third of the province’s population are indigenous peoples, the bishop added.

Prosperidad will be the country’s 87th diocese and will be a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.

The diocese has a population of nearly 800,000, of whom around 486,000 are Catholics spread across 26 parishes, one quasi-parish, and three mission stations. It also has 32 diocesan priests, 29 religious priests, and six sisters.

Labajo, 58, was ordained priest for the Cebu archdiocese on June 10, 1994.

In June 2022, Pope Francis appointed him as auxiliary bishop of Cebu. He was ordained to the episcopate on Aug. 19, 2022. CBCP News