PGMA to attend canonical installation of new bishop of Legazpi diocese

by MA Loterte

Legazpi City (9 December) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will visit Thursday (December 10) this city to attend and witness the Canonical installation of Most Rev. Joel Z. Baylon D.D. as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Legazpi,

The President is expected to arrive at the domestic airport here and will be met by Albay Governor Joey Salceda, Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal, Representatives Al Francis Bichara, Edcel Lagman and Reno Lim of the Albay first, second, and third congressional districts, respectively, and Presidential Adviser for Bicol Tomasito Monzon.

The President will then proceed to the Saint Gregory the Great Cathedral in Old Albay district here for the Eucharistic Celebration and Canonical Installation rites.

Archibishop Leonardo de Legazpi of the Diocese of Caceres will preside over the Celebration of the Eucharist and Canonical Installation rites at 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon.

Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales of the Archdiocese of Manila and Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, along with some 31 bishops and 300 clergy from different dioceses across the country and abroad will also witness the installation of the new bishop of the diocese.

After the installation rites, the President will also pay homage to the newly appointed bishop of the Diocese of Legazpi.

Baylon, the former Bishop of the Diocese of Masbate, will be the 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Legazpi, and at 55 he is considered as the youngest senior Roman Catholic cleric to be installed in Bicol and among bishops across the country.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1978 and became Bishop on March 1998.

Baylon will take over the reigns of Acting Diocesan Administrator Bishop Lucilo Quiambao.

Diocese of Legazpi is comprised of 44 parishes in 15 towns and three cities of Albay province. (PIA V)