Diocese of Cabanatuan
| Diocese of Cabanatuan Dioecesis Cabanatuanensis Diyosesis ng Cabanatuan | |
|---|---|
| Catholic | |
Cabanatuan Cathedral
| |
| Location | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Territory | Southern Nueva Ecija (Aliaga, Bongabon, Cabanatuan, Cabiao, Gabaldon, Gapan, General Mamerto Natividad, General Tinio, Jaen, Laur, Palayan, Peñaranda, San Antonio, San Isidro, San Leonardo, Santa Rosa, Talavera, Zaragoza) |
| Ecclesiastical province | Lingayen–Dagupan |
| Metropolitan | Lingayen–Dagupan |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 2,743 km2 (1,059 sq mi) |
| Population Total Catholics |
(as of 2021) 1,227,000 1,034,000[1] (84.3%) |
| Parishes | 30 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 16 February 1963 |
| Cathedral | St. Nicholas of Tolentine Catheral-Parishl in Cabanatuan |
| Titular patrons | St. Nicholas of Tolentino La Virgen Divina Pastora (Patroness) |
| Secular priests | 50 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Prudencio Padilla Andaya, Jr. CICM |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Socrates Buenaventura Villegas |
| Vicar General | Reynold H. Oliveros, JCD |
| Judicial Vicar | Reynold H. Oliveros, JCD |
| Bishops emeritus | Sofronio Aguirre Bancud, S.S.S., D.D. |
| Statistics from Catholic-Hierarchy.org | |
The Diocese of Cabanatuan (Latin: Dioecesis Cabanatuanensis) is a Latin Catholic diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. The diocese comprises 16 towns of Nueva Ecija including the cities of Cabanatuan, Palayan, and Gapan. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Lingayen–Dagupan.[2]
History
On February 16, 1963 Pope John XXIII, issued the apostolic letter "Exterior Ecclesiae" creating the Diocese of Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija separating from the Archdiocese of Lingayen–Dagupan, and then the Diocese of San Fernando. On June 3, 1963 the Diocese of Cabanatuan was canonically erected after that on June 4, 1963 Bishop Mariano Gaviola was ordained and installed as the first bishop of Cabanatuan. The Diocese of Cabanatuan was put under the patronage of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino and the Virgin Mary under the title Divine Shepherdess (Divina Pastora) which is popularly venerated in Gapan every May 1. The seat of the diocese is the St. Nicholas of Tolentino Cathedral in Cabanatuan with a feast day of September 10.
The diocese lost territory in 1984 when the Diocese of San Jose in the Northern Part of Nueva Ecija was formed.
The current bishop emeritus of the diocese and Apostolic administrator is Sofronio Aguirre Bancud, S.S.S., D.D. He was appointed as auxiliary bishop on 2004 and installed as bishop on January 25, 2005. He officially retired on December 8, 2024 after he reached his mandatory retirement age of 76.
On December 8, 2024, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Prudencio Padilla Andaya, Jr., CICM, D.D., until now the second Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk since April 16, 2003, to be the 6th bishop of this diocese.[3] Bishop Andaya was installed on February 3, 2025 at the Cabanatuan Cathedral.[4]
Ordinaries
| No. | Portrait | Name | Coat of arms | From | Until | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishops of Cabanatuan (March 8, 1963 – present) | |||||||
| 1 | 
|
Mariano Gaviola y Garcés 1922–1998 |
|
8 Mar 1963 | 31 May 1967 | 4 years, 2 months, 23 days | First bishop; later appointed Archbishop of Lipa. |
| 2 |
|
Vicente P. Reyes 1907–1983 |
|
8 Aug 1967 | 7 Apr 1983 | 15 years, 7 months | Died in office. |
| 3 |
|
Ciceron S. Tumbocon 1922–1990 |
|
7 Apr 1983 | 11 Nov 1990 | 7 years, 7 months, 4 days | Died in office. |
| 4 |
|
Sofio G. Balce 1941–2004 |
|
11 Nov 1990 | 25 Jun 2004 | 13 years, 7 months, 14 days | Died in office. |
| 5 | 
|
Sofronio A. Bancud, S.S.S. 1948– |
.svg)
|
6 Nov 2004 | 8 Dec 2024 | 20 years, 1 month, 2 days | Retired. |
| 6 |
|
Prudencio Padilla Andaya Jr. C.I.C.M. 1959– |
.svg)
|
8 Dec 2024 | Incumbent | ongoing | Current bishop. |
Coadjutor bishops
| No. | Portrait | Name | From | Until | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Ciceron S. Tumbocon 1922–1990 |
18 Aug 1982 | 7 Apr 1983 | 7 months, 20 days | Succeeded as bishop of Cabanatuan. |
| 2 |
|
Sofio G. Balce 1941–2004 |
21 May 1988 | 11 Nov 1990 | 2 years, 5 months, 21 days | Succeeded as bishop of Cabanatuan. |
Auxiliary bishops
| No. | Portrait | Name | From | Until | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Pedro G. Magugat, M.S.C. 1925–1990 |
23 Apr 1979 | 9 Dec 1981 | 2 years, 7 months, 16 days | Later appointed military vicar of the Philippines. |
| 2 |
|
Sofronio A. Bancud, S.S.S. 1948– |
24 May 2001 | 6 Nov 2004 | 3 years, 5 months, 13 days | Later appointed bishop of Cabanatuan. |
See also
- Catholic Church in the Philippines
- List of Catholic dioceses in the Philippines
- Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose (Nueva Ecija)
Canonical status and jurisdiction
Diocese of Cabanatuan is a diocese of the catholic church of the Catholic Church.[5]
External links
References
- Back to citation "Cabanatuan (Catholic Diocese)". gcatholic.org. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- Back to citation "Dioceses in the Philippines - Diocese of Cabanatuan" Archived 2014-01-11 at the Wayback Machine Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. Retrieved on 2013-01-11.
- Back to citation Lagarde, Roy (December 8, 2024). "Pope Francis appoints Bishop Andaya as head of Cabanatuan diocese". Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
- Back to citation "Diocese of Cabanatuan announced the Solemn Canonical Installation of the 6th Bishop of Cabanatuan".
- Back to citation Diocese of Cabanatuan, official website