New bishop of Borongan named

His Holiness pope Benedict XVI has appointed Father Crispin B. Varquez as the new Bishop of Borongan. He succeeds Bishop Leonardo Yuson Medroso, who was transferred to the Diocese of Tagbilaran in October, 2006. The Diocese of Borongan has been without a Bishop, since that time.

The news was released in the Vatican at the high noon on Saturday, August 4, Rome time. It was announced simultaneously in Manila, at 6:00 p.m. Philippine time, by the Charge’ de’affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature, Monsignor Wojciech Zaluski. The Philippines has been without a Nuncio for the last month since Archbishop Fernando Filoni was appointed as Secretary of State in the Vatican.

Father Crispin Barrete Varquez is only 46 years old. Born in Sevilla, Bohol, he studied Philosophy at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Tagbilaran, and Theology at Saint Augustine Major Seminary in Tagaytay.

He was ordained at the age of 28, and then did Postgraduate studies on Seminary Formation, in Cebu, and on Family Counseling in the Center for Family Ministry at the Ateneo de Manila.

He served as Formator in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Tagbilaran, for four years. Then as Formator in Saint Augustine Major Seminary in Tagaytay, for five years more.

He became Vicar Forane of the Saint Joseph Vicariate, and then Vicar General of the Diocese of Tagbilaran. He was serving in that position when he was appointed as the new bishop of Borongan.

The Diocese of Borongan covers the civil province of Eastern Samar. It is served by 74 diocesan and religious priests, in 29 parishes, and by 58 sisters. It has 131 seminarians studying in the Diocese, and 27 more studying in Palo, and in Manila. It has a population of 362, 000 of whom are Catholics.

No date has yet been set for the consecration of Father Varquez as a Bishop, nor for his installation in Borongan.