Dumaguete has new bishop
Former Cebu auxiliary bishop Julito Cortes was installed as the new Bishop of Dumaguete Diocese yesterday morning.
The Dumaguete Diocese was left under the care of Msgr. Gamaliel Tulabing for a year and seven months after former Dumaguete Bishop John Du was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to become the archbishop of Palo in Leyte in May last year.
The ceremony, which started at 9 a.m., was attended by at least 300 religious and diocesan priests and 49 bishops and archbishops from Cebu, Dumaguete and neighboring provinces, including Archbishop Du, Marawi Archbishop Edwin dela Peña, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Most Rev. Giuseppe Pinto, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.
At the main entrance of St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral in Dumaguete City, Cortes was welcomed with a hug from Archbishop Palma and other church leaders.
Palma presided over the installation rites.
Cortes blessed the people with holy water while walking towards the altar.
In his homily, Cardinal Vidal said the installation was made with the twin calamities serving as backdrop to the joyful celebration. He said Dumaguete was no stranger to calamities as it also experienced a strong earthquake in February last year.
“Perhaps it is good to use the calamities we just experienced as a template for our reflection on the role of the pastor in the life of the Church,” Cardinal Vidal said. He also reminded Bishop Cortes that being a pastor means being a shepherd and a servant, but is not a call to comfort.
Rather, it is a call to “make up in our body what is still lacking in the suffering of Christ,” he said.
“The bishop must stay where there is little hope, for he must give his people hope,” he added.
In his message, Cardinal Tagle thanked Cortes for accepting the challenge. He said he re-scheduled most of his appointments just to attend the installation as he considered Cortes and Marawi archbishop Edwin dela Peña his brothers, as they were called triplets when the late Pope John Paul II appointed them bishops in December 2001. Cortes was ordained bishop on Jan. 8, 2002 at the Dumaguete Cathedral.
In his response, Bishop Cortes thanked Tagle for the reminder that God has visited, showing generosity to him and the people of Dumaguete.
He thanked the audience, including his family and the hundreds of parishioners at Sto. Rosario Parish church in Cebu City, where he was the parish priest for 12 years.
Before the Mass ended, Cortes told the people that he really felt blessed because wherever he goes Mother Mary would remind him that he needs God and the Blessed Virgin. This after the international image of Fatima which is touring around the world visited the Dumaguete Cathedral a day before he arrived in the place.
Cortes was appointed by Pope Francis to lead the Diocese of Dumaguete last Sept. 28.
Rosita Balderas, 66, shed tears after witnessing the canonical installation of their fourth bishop.
Balderas said witnessing the installation is an answered prayer for them as they have been longing for a new bishop after Bishop John Du was transferred to Palo, Leyte.
“Lipay gyud kaayo ko…Dugay na gyud mi inampo nga mahatagan na sa among Obispo nga maoy mangu ug mogiya kanamo sa among spiritual nga aspeto,” Balderas said while crying.
Dr. Rufina Babolar, 74, of Sambag Uno, Cebu City also cried saying that she will surely miss the bishop and his good deeds. But she said she is also happy for the bishop for being given another challenge in serving God and his people.
