Pope makes two appointments in the Philippines

Pope makes two appointments in the Philippines

Pope Francis on Saturday made two appointments in the Philippines.  Auxiliary Bishop Francisco Mendoza De Leon of Antipolo was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the same diocese, and Auxiliary Bishop David William V. Antonio of Neuva Segovia was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose in Mindoro.

Unlike an auxiliary bishop, a coadjutor bishop has the right to succession when the current bishop retires, dies or steps down for various reasons.  Antipolo Diocese is one of the 9 suffragans  that make up the ecclesiastical province of Manila. Bishop Mendoza de Leon was born on June 11,1947 in La Huerta, Paranaque. He studied philosophy in "Our Lady of ‎Guadalupe" minor seminary and theology in "San Carlos" major seminary.  He was ordained priest on June 28,1975 in the Archdiocese of Manila.

After serving as assistant parish priest in Santa Clara of Pasay for 2 years, he was appointed director of studies, then prefect of discipline and finally rector first at Our Lady of ‎Guadalupe minor seminary and then at San Carlos major seminary until 1991.  From 1991 to ’98 he was parish priest of St. Andrew’s at Makati, and then at Holy Eucharist at Moonwalk Village, Parañaque.  

Bishop Mendoza de Leon was back to San Carlos major seminary in 1998, and became rector of the shrine of Divine Mercy, Mandaluyong of Manila Archdiocese in 2001.  He returned again tTornato dal 1998 al ‎‎2001 alla guida del "San Carlos Seminary".   In June, 2007, he was appointed Auxiliary bishop of Antipolo and consecrated bishop on September 1 that year.   From Jan. 2013 to Oct 2015 he had been also Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Kalookan. 

www.en.radiovaticana.va