New archbishop of Palo named

Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation presented by His Excellency Pedro R. Dean of the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Palo, and has appointed His Excellency Jose S. Palma, Bishop of Calbayog, as the new Archbishop of Palo.

Archbishop Dean tendered his resignation on February 2, 2005, his 75 th birthday. This was done in accordance with Canon Law. The resignation does not take effect until it is officially accepted by the Holy Father. Archbishop Dean’s resignation was accepted only 13 months later.

The news was published by the Vatican at 12 noon on Saturday, March 18, 2006 – this was 7:00 p.m. in the Philippines. It was released at that exact moment by Monsignor Jain Mendez, the Charge d’affaires of the Nunciature.

His Excellency Jose S. Palma was appointed Archbishop of Palo on the Eve of his 56 th birthday. Born on March 19, 1950, he was ordained a priest at the age of 26, and consecrated Bishop when he was 47 years old.

At same time, Benedict XVI appointed Monsignor Rodolfo F. Beltran as the Apostolic Vicar of Bontoc-Lagawe, succeeding Bishop Cornelio Wigwigan, who died suddenly after being appointed as Bishop of the Vicariate.

Monsignor Beltran is 57 years old. He entered the Minor Seminary in Tuguegarao at the age of 17, and studied Philosophy and Theology in Vigan. At that age of 27 he was ordained a priest, but went on to earn his M.A. in Theology at U.S.T., and his Doctorate in Philosophy at the Angelicum University in Rome. He served as Dean of Seminarians in Tuguegarao, as Dean of Studies and Rector in the San Pablo Regional Seminary in Baguio, and as the Oeconomous of Tuguegarao.

No dates have been set for the installation of Bishop Palma as Archbishop of Palo or for the installation of Monsignor Beltran as the Apostolic Vicar of Bontoc-Lagawe.