Pope Francis names new archbishop of Lipa

Pope Francis has appointed a new archbishop-elect of Lipa, Batangas to succeed Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, who has resigned at the age of 72.

The Pontiff named Bishop Gilbert Garcera as the new archbishop of Lipa, transferring him from the Diocese of Daet in Camarines Norte.

The appointment was announced on Thursday by the Vatican, after Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Arguelles.

Arguelles served the Archdiocese of Lipa for almost 13 years and was vocal in campaigning against mining and other environmental threats to the province of Batangas.

The Archdiocese of Lipa has a population of 2,815,235 Catholics.

Garcera, 58, was appointed bishop of Daet by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Born in Magarao, Camarines Sur in 1959, Garcera completed his seminary training at the Holy Rosary Seminary in Naga City.

He was ordained at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral when he was 24 years old.

Garcera was the former assistant secretary general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). He currently heads the CBCP’s Commission on Family and Life.

He also served as the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and became a member of the Superior Council of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Rome from 2004 to 2007.

In October 2015, Garcera was also among five Filipinos allowed by Pope Francis to attend the historic Synod of Bishops on the Family.

Arguelles welcomed Garcera’s appointment as his successor.

The prelate did not disclose the reasons for his resignation, simply saying that he submitted his resignation to the Vatican earlier. RAM/rga