Majority of priests in Cebu to be reshuffled

THE Archdiocese of Cebu will implement a massive revamp for its more than 320 priests from 150 parishes in seven districts and archdiocesan commissions.

By Aug. 6, 2019, all the priests are expected to report to their new assignments.

The installations of new pastors in parishes will take place on Aug. 13-23.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has delegated vicars general, episcopal vicars and chancellors to preside over the ceremonies.

“It has been a long time since we had a reshuffling of this scale and magnitude. I sincerely hope and pray that everything will be accomplished with the greater good of our Mother Church in mind and all in the spirit of fraternal charity and understanding,” read a portion of Palma’s message to priests which saw print on Bag-ong Lungsoranon.

Last Friday, June 14, the reassignment was announced at the San Pedro Calungsod Chapel in the South Road Properties in Cebu City.

Msgr. Raul Go, an outgoing member of the team ministry of the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish in Barangay Poblacion Pardo, Cebu City, said it would good for the parish’s growth if there is a new team of priests.

“Kay bag-o na pud, fresh na pud, presko na pud ang pamaagi. Makasuway og lain na pud nga style ang mga parokyano (If the ministry is new, it would mean a fresh style. The parishioners will experience a new style),” Go told Superbalita last Sunday, June 16.

Not only will the revamp be the biggest that the archdiocese has seen, it will also be the first to be done simultaneously, Go said.

In the past, only 30 to 40 percent of priests were included in reassignments.

“This is actually what priests have been dreaming about. Before, if you were included in the reshuffling and only small parishes were involved, you wouldn’t have a chance of getting assigned in big parishes. The same can be said if the reshuffling only involved big parishes, priests wouldn’t have a chance to be assigned in small parishes,” Go said in Cebuano.

Go will remain as the judicial vicar of the archdiocese’s metropolitan tribunal.

Msgr. Ruben Labajo, the outgoing moderator of the team of pastors at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, said 20 percent of the priests who lead archdiocesan commissions will also be part of the revamp.

Labajo has been the leader of the cathedral’s priests in the past six years. He will be transferred to the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Balamban.

He will be replaced by Msgr. Camilo Alia, outgoing team moderator of the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel in Argao.

From Pardo, Go will be transferred to the cathedral where he will be joined by fellow priests Joseph Stephen Anore, Glenn Guanzon, Ulyses Desales, Earl Sevilla and Japheth Geonzon, the parochial vicar.

The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Msgr. Joseph Tan will stay as the archdiocese’s media liaison, but he has also been appointed as the new rector of the San Carlos Seminary College.

Msgr. Agustin Ancajas of the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish in Poblacion Pardo has been appointed as the new chaplain of the San Pedro Calungsod Chapel at the South Road Properties.

Ancajas will hold on to his post of chairman of the archdiocesan commission on social communications.

Among those who are staying as heads of their respective Curia offices and commissions are Fr. Joseph Stephen Anore of the Office of Economic Affairs-Oeconomus, Msgr. Renato Beltran as the archdiocesan chancellor, Fr. Brian Brigoli of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, Fr. Glenn Guanzon of the Commission on Worship and Fr. Murphy Sarsonas of the Commission on Environmental Concern, among others. (FROM SCG OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / KAL)