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Diocese of Malolos Dioecesis Malolosinae Diyosesis ng Malolos Diócesis de Malolos | |
|---|---|
| Catholic | |
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 Coat of arms | |
| Location | |
| Country |  Philippines |
| Territory | |
| Ecclesiastical province | Manila |
| Coordinates | 14°50′34″N120°48′41″E / 14.84270°N 120.81147°E /14.84270; 120.81147 |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 2,672 km2 (1,032 sq mi) |
Population
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| Parishes | 120 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | December 11, 1961 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception |
| Patron saint | Immaculate Conception |
| Secular priests | 206 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Dennis Villarojo |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Jose Advincula |
| Vicar General | Narciso S. Sampana |
| Website | |
| Diocese of Malolos | |
TheDiocese of Malolos (Latin:Dioecesis Malolosinae;Tagalog:Diyosesis ng Malolos; Spanish:Diócesis de Malolos) is aLatin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction ordiocese of theCatholic Church in thePhilippines, encompassing the wholeProvince of Bulacan andValenzuela City in metropolitan Manila and is asuffragan to themetropolitanArchdiocese of Manila. Themother church of the Diocese is theCathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception located inMalolos City,Bulacan.[2] TheBlessed Virgin Mary, under the title ofImmaculate Conception is the principal patroness of the diocese.
It was excised from the Archdiocese of Manila on December 11, 1961, byPope John XXIII and was officially established on March 11, 1962, upon the installation ofManuel P. del Rosario, then-Bishop of Calbayog, bySalvatore Siino, the papal nuncio, as the first bishop of the diocese. Since August 21, 2019, the current and fifth Bishop of Malolos isDennis C. Villarojo, who wasappointed by Pope Francis on May 14, 2019.
As the Church of Bulacan needed a diocese of its own, Pope John XXIII, on November 25, 1961, issued the Apostolic ConstitutionChristi fidelium, separating the Diocese of Malolos from the Archdiocese of Manila and establishing it as its suffragan. The present territory of the diocese is the civil province of Bulacan composed of the cities ofBaliwag,Malolos,Meycauayan andSan Jose del Monte, and of the towns ofAngat,Balagtas,Bocaue,Bulakan,Bustos,Calumpit,Guiguinto,Hagonoy,Marilao,Norzagaray,Obando,Pandi,Paombong,Plaridel,Pulilan,San Ildefonso,San Miguel,San Rafael,Santa Maria andValenzuela City, formerly known asPolo, was later separated from Bulacan to be a component city of Metro Manila.Doña Remedios Trinidad was then created as a town for the portion near the Sierra Madre mountains.
For the new diocese,Manuel P. del Rosario, thenBishop of Calbayog in Samar was appointed as the first Bishop of Malolos. He was jubilantly welcomed by the newly gathered Bulakeño faithful that now formed the diocese. Governor Tomas Martin and the provincial government of Bulacan were present. Del Rosario's canonical installation was presided over by then Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Salvatore Siino. During his tenure, he established the Immaculate Conception Seminary (Minor) in 1962 at the Bulacan church convent, and was later transferred to the current seminary complex in Tabe, Guiguinto, Bulacan. Religious and monastic orders were soon invited to form communities here as Bulacan became a known producer of priestly and religious vocations. During this time, the diocese had eight (8) vicariates: Valenzuela, Malolos, Hagonoy, Sta. Maria, Baliuag, Meycauayan, Plaridel and San Miguel. In 1966, Del Rosario received Bishop Leopoldo A. Arcaira (+1994) as his auxiliary bishop. In 1971, Bishop Ricardo J. Vidal (who became Archbishop of Lipa, then Cebu) was appointed as coadjutor bishop due to Del Rosario's ill health.
As Vidal was assigned as the new Archbishop of Lipa, Malolos was given a young and energetic bishop from Cavite, Cirilo Reyes Almario, Jr., who was appointed Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Malolos and then became the second Bishop of Malolos. Several developments would in fact occur during Almario's term. One of his most known is the establishment of the diocese's own major seminary, the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary. The Institute of Formation was established in 1983 with Fernando G. Gutierrez as first rector. The college department followed the next year and its theologate in 1987. ICMAS, as it is called, is Almario's greatest legacy. Today the seminary houses future priests not only from Malolos but from neighboring dioceses as well.
In 1987, Almario headed the diocese's Silver Jubilee in celebration of its 25 years as a local church. Special jubilees were held during the event such as Jubilee Days for Men, Women, Children, Priests, Religious and Seminarians. On March 11, the diocese celebrated its anniversary date with much joy and festivity. Donations for the poor were also held on the next day and preparations for the diocese's first synod was held.
On the occasion of the diocese's 25th anniversary, the first synod was held in June to July 1987, with the theme, "Prepare for the Lord a Perfect People" (Lk. 1:17) that was prepared by all the faithful as means of receiving the reform of the Second Vatican Council. Almario divided the aspects of Christian life and formed the WESTY (Worship-Evangelization-Service-Temporalities-Youth) formation. During this time, the diocese was again divided, adding another vicariate: St. Martin of Tours (Bocaue).
With Almario's resignation in 1995, then Manila Auxiliary Bishop Rolando Octavus Joven Tria Tirona was appointed as the third Bishop of Malolos. Despite his short tenure, much of his pastoral work in the Bulacan local church involved fulfilling most of the plans Almario left of, part of which is the elevation of the Malolos Cathedral into a minor basilica. During this time, the tenth vicariate of the diocese was formed, San Jose del Monte.
In December 1999, at the inauguration of the Great Jubilee Year 2000, the Diocese of Malolos witnessed the elevation of its cathedral as minor basilica granted by Pope John Paul II together with the episcopal coronation of its patroness, La Virgen Inmaculada Concepcion de Malolos.
Together with the basilica at present, there are eight (8) more shrines in the diocese: the Parish of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City (1976); the National Shrine and Parish of St. Anne, Hagonoy, (1991); the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Marilao; the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, San Rafael (2000); the Diocesan Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist & Grace, Sta. Maria (2006); the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepcion de Salambao, Obando (2007); the Diocesan Shrine of Mahal na Poon ng Krus sa Wawa in Bocaue (2008) and the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. John the Baptist, Calumpit (2013).
In 2004, Jose Francisco Oliveros, then Bishop of Boac, replaced Bishop Tirona, who would later be assigned as Prelate of Infanta and then Archbishop of Caceres. Oliveros became Apostolic Administrator sede vacante before assuming office. It was in his term that the Diocese of Malolos prepared for its Golden Jubilee. During his time, the diocese was divided into four ecclesiastical districts (West, East, South and North).
The diocese had five preparatory years dedicated to the priests, religious, laity and the youth of the Diocese. During the journey of the Diocese, the Jubilee Cross and the replica image of La Virgen Inmaculada Concepcion de Malolos joined the community in its journey towards the different religious, social, cultural and beneficial gatherings held during the five-year preparation, which was a remarkable opportunity for people to renew their faith in the Lord.
The diocese fulfilled four jubilee projects: the Jubilee Shelter Program in Plaridel, Bulacan under the Commission on Social Action, for those who need homes due to the devastation of Typhoon Ondoy; the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Malolos City under the Diocesan Curia; the Diocesan Formation Center in Guiguinto, Bulacan, under the Commission on Formation for different seminars and events of the Diocese and the Bahay Pastoral in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, a home for retired and sickly priests.
Oliveros remained in office until 11 May 2018 when he was received into the hands of the Creator. He is the first Bishop of Malolos to die in office. The Diocese of Malolos then came into sede vacante. Pope Francis assigned the diocese temporarily to the current Bishop of the Diocese of Cubao, Honesto F. Ongtioco, as the Apostolic Administrator of Malolos, from 11 May 2018 to 21 August 2019 upon the installation of the 5th and current bishop of Malolos, Dennis C. Villarojo.
On May 14, 2019, Pope Francis appointed then Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cebu and Titular Bishop of Gisipa, Dennis C. Villarojo, as the fifth Bishop of Malolos. Villarojo once served as personal secretary to the late CardinalRicardo Vidal who was former Coadjutor Bishop of Malolos. He was canonically installed at the Malolos Cathedral-Basilica on August 21, 2019, by then Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle and Apostolic Nuncio, Gabriele G. Caccia, marking a new chapter in the history of the Diocese of Malolos.
In February 2020, Pope Francis granted the canonical coronation of the image of La Purisima Concepcion in Santa Maria, Bulacan and in September 2021, he also granted the diocese a new minor basilica, the Minor Basilica of La Purisima Concepcion, Santa Maria, where the image is enshrined.
On March 11, 2022, the diocese celebrated its 60th anniversary with a Mass presided by theApostolic Nuncio to the Philippines,Charles John Brown Also in the ceremonies were the two surviving bishops of Malolos, Dennis Villarojo, and Caceres Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona, and bishops who served or came from the diocese.
On February 27 up to March 2, 2023, the diocese hosted the 29th Canon Law Society of the Philippines [CLSP] National Convention.
On February 14, 2024, Luneta Morales, a choir member, 83 years old was killed due to chest injuries while 63 attendees suffered multiple injuries when the "Vicariate of Saint Joseph"Saint Peter the Apostle Church (San Jose del Monte, Bulacan) 30-year old balcony-gallery, weakened by infestingtermites collapsed during anAsh Wednesday service past 7 a.m.Dennis Villarojo said "those affected and their families are being assisted by the Diocese of Malolos with then-parish priest Fr. Romulo Perez and then-parochial vicar Fr. Divino Cayanan.[3][4][5]
VICARIATE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
VICARIATE OF ST. ANNE
VICARIATE OF ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE
VICARIATE OF ST. AUGUSTINE
VICARIATE OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL
VICARIATE OF ST. MARTIN OF TOURS
VICARIATE OF SAINT JOSEPH
VICARIATE OF LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION
VICARIATE OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
VICARIATE OF SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA
| No. | Name and Coat of Arms | Period in Position | Appointed By | Ordained by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manuel Platon del Rosario (1915–2009) |  | March 11, 1967 – December 15, 1977 (1967-03-11 –1977-12-15) 10 years, 9 months and 4 days | Paul VI | Pedro Paulo Santos(Caceres) | Del Rosario resigned in 1977 after suffering a stroke while attending theSecond Vatican Council in Rome that left him paralyzed. He died in 2009. |
| 2 | Cirilo Reyes Almario Jr. (1931–2016) |  | December 15, 1977 – January 20, 1996 (1977-12-15 –1996-01-20) 18 years, 1 month and 5 days | Paul VI | Alejandro Olalia(Lipa) | The longest serving bishop of the Diocese of Malolos for eighteen years and one month. He resigned from the position in 1996 due to failing health. He's well known for founding the Immaculate Conception Major and Minor Seminaries in Guiguinto and theImmaculate Conception School for Boys in 1989. He died in 2016. |
| Upon the resignation of Almario, the Archbishop of CaceresLeonardo Zamora Legaspi was appointed apostolic administrator of the Diocese during its period of sede vacante. He served as apostolic administrator until the appointment of Rolando Tria Tirona as the third ordinary of the Diocese on December 14, 1996. The latter would ultimately succeed him in 2012 as Archbishop of Caceres. | ||||||
| 3 | Rolando Octavus Joven Tria Tirona (1946–) |  | December 14, 1996 – June 28, 2003 (1996-12-14 –2003-06-28) 6 years, 6 months and 14 days | John Paul II | Anastasio Ballestrero(Turin) | Tirona is the shortest serving ordinary of the Diocese of Malolos with an official term of six years and six months. He was appointed apostolic administrator following the resignation of Almario. In 2003, he was appointed thePrelate of theTerritorial Prelature of Infanta and the latterArchbishop of theArchdiocese of Cáceres in 2012. He is the only living bishop-emeritus of Malolos. |
| Upon the transition of Tirona to the Prelature of Infanta, Jose Francisco Oliveros, who was the Bishop of theDiocese of Boac was appointed apostolic administrator and eventually was appointed as the next ordinary of Malolos on August 5, 2004. | ||||||
| 4 | Jose Francisco Oliveros (1946–2018) |  | August 5, 2004 – May 11, 2018 (2004-08-05 –2018-05-11) 13 years, 9 months and 6 days | John Paul II | Giovanni Battista Montini(Rome) | Oliveros is the only ordinary from the Diocese of Malolos thus far to be ordained by the sitting pontiff. He is the second-longest serving ordinary of the Dioecese from 2004 to 2018. He died while in office in 2018, the first ordinary to do so. |
| Upon the death of Oliveros,Diocese of Cubao BishopHonesto Ongtioco was appointed apostolic administrator during theSede vacante period of the diocese that lasted for one year and four months. He later returned to the Diocese of Cubao following the appointment and canonical installation of Cebu's auxiliary bishop Dennis Villarojo as the succeeding ordinary to the Diocese. | ||||||
| 5 | Dennis Cabanada Villarojo (1967–) |  | August 21, 2019 – present (2019-08-21 – present) 7 years, 5 months and 24 days | Francis | Jaime Sin(Manila) | Villarojo is the present ordinary of the Diocese of Malolos. He is the first among the ordinaries to have come from theArchdiocese of Cebu, formerly serving as anAuxiliary bishop to ArchbishopJosé S. Palma. |
The Diocese of Malolos received two coadjutor bishops in its history with one of them being transitioning to the Archdiocese of Lipa and the other being appointed to the ordinary see of Malolos.
| No. | Name and Coat of Arms | Period in Position | Appointed By | Ordained by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ricardo Tito Jamin Vidal (1931–2017) |  | September 10, 1971 – August 22, 1973 (1971-09-10 –1973-08-22) 1 year, 11 months and 12 days | Paul VI | Alfredo Obviar(Lucena) | Vidal was appointed the first coadjutor bishop in 1971 by Pope Paul VI in an aide to then bishop Manuel del Rosario. He later transitioned in 1973 as the new ordinary to the Archdiocese of Lipa and in the latter, a part of theconsistory, being elevated to the cardinalate in 1985. He was later the archbishop of Cebu until his retirement in 2010. He died in 2017 |
| 2 | Cirilo Reyes Almario Jr. (1931–2016) | | August 22, 1973 – December 15, 1977 (1973-08-22 –1977-12-15) 4 years, 3 months and 22 days | Paul VI | Alejandro Olalia(Lipa) | Almario is the longest serving and the most recent coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Malolos, replacing Vidal after his transition to the archdiocese of Lipa. He served for four years under the guidance of Bishop Manuel del Rosario. He was elevated to the ordinary seat in 1977 upon the resignation of del Rosario. |
The Diocese of Malolos had three auxiliary bishops in its history as a diocese. The most recent auxiliary bishop isDeogracias Iñiguez, the bishop-emeritus of theDiocese of Kalookan.
| No. | Name and Coat of Arms | Period in Position | Appointed By | Ordained by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leopoldo Arayata Arcaira (1902–1994) | | October 17, 1966 – January 25, 1988 (1966-10-17 –1988-01-25) 21 years, 3 months and 8 days | Paul VI | Rufino Santos(Manila) | Arcaira previously served as the auxiliary bishop to the Diocese of Zamboanga before being appointed as auxiliary bishop to the Diocese of Malolos. He is the longest serving auxiliary bishop for the Diocese lasting for twenty-one years before his reitrement in 1988. He died just six years later. |
| 2 | Leoncio Leviste Lat (1917–2002) | | October 30, 1980 – 1985 approx. 4 years | John Paul II | Bruno Torpigliani(Malliana) | Lat concurrently served as auxiliary bishop with Arcaira to the Diocese of Malolos. In 1980, he was appointed auxiliary bishop to the Diocese and served for an approximate four years before being appointed as auxiliary bishop of Manila in 1985. He retired in 1992 and died in 2002. |
| 3 | Deogracias Soriano Iñiguez Jr. (1946–) |  | July 3, 1985 – December 27, 1989 (1985-07-03 –1989-12-27) 4 years, 5 months and 24 days | John Paul II | Bruno Torpigliani(Malliana) | Iñiguez was a parish priest at the Diocese of Malolos and was ordained as such in 1963. He is the only parish priest to serve as auxiliary bishop to his mother diocese during his tenure from 1985 to 1989. He concurrently served as auxiliary bishop with both Arcaira and Lat. He was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Iba in 1989 and in the latter, Bishop of Kalookan in 2003. He resigned in 2013 and remains the only living auxiliary bishop-emeritus of the Diocese. |
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