CathNews New Zealand

Last week Father Rolando Santos CM was ordained a bishop and installed as Bishop of the Alotau-Sideia diocese in PNG where he has served as formator of seminarians and as executive secretary of the Episcopal Conference of PNG and the Solomon Islands from 2000-2010. He has most recently served as the Provincial of the Lazarist Congregation’s Philippine Province.

Santos was born in Malabon City in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1974. He served as director of the Daughters of Charity from 1988-2000 before volunteering for missionary work in PNG.

Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales gave the bishop-elect his blessings.  “God works in mysterious ways. We thank you for accepting to be bishop to the people of PNG. We may not be there in person but rest assured that our prayers go with you,” the cardinal said.

Alotau-Sideia covers an area of 20,000 square kilometres with a population of 245,000. There are  41,137 Catholics,  23 priests, and 43 religious in the diocese.

Source

• UCAnews
•  Image: CMGlogal.org

Additional reading

• Bishop elect ready for new mission
• Filipino bishop for diocese in Papua New Guinea

News category: Asia Pacific.