Marcelino Antonio Maralit
| His Excellency, The Most Reverend Marcelino Antonio Maralit, Jr. D.D. | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of San Pablo | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Province | Manila |
| See | San Pablo |
| Appointed | September 21, 2024 |
| Installed | November 21, 2024 |
| Predecessor | Buenaventura Famadico |
| Other posts | Chairman, Episcopal Commission on Youth, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (2025–present)[1] Member, Dicastery for Communications (2026–present) |
| Previous post | Bishop of Boac (2015–2024) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | March 13, 1995 |
| Consecration | March 13, 2015 by Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Marcelino Antonio Malabanan Maralit, Jr. May 18, 1969 Manila, Philippines |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Education | Saint Francis de Sales Minor Seminary, Lipa, Batangas |
| Motto | Fiat Mihi Secundum Verbum Tuum (Be it done unto me according to thy word, Luke 1:38) |
| Ordination history | |
| History Priestly ordination Ordained by Gaudencio Rosales Date March 13, 1995 Place San Sebastian Cathedral, Lipa City Episcopal consecration Principal consecrator Gaudencio Rosales Co-consecrators Luis Antonio Tagle Ramon Arguelles Giuseppe Pinto Date March 13, 2015 Place San Sebastian Cathedral, Lipa City | |
| Styles | |
| File:Coat of arms of Marcelino Antonio Malabanan Maralit (San Pablo).svg | |
| Reference style | His Excellency The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
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Marcelino Antonio "Junie" Malabanan Maralit, Jr. (born May 18, 1969) is a Filipino prelate who currently serves as the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo since November 21, 2024.
Education
Maralit attended Canossa Academy for his primary elementary education from 1976 to 1979, and then transferred to De La Salle Lipa for his intermediate elementary education from 1979 to 1981. He attended St. Francis de Sales Minor Seminary in Lipa, Batangas for his high school education from 1981 to 1985.
Following high school, he pursued a degree in Philosophy at St. Francis de Sales Major Seminary in Lipa from 1985 to 1989. He then continued his studies in Sacred Theology at the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, from 1989 to 1994. He furthered his education with postgraduate studies, focusing on Licentiate and Doctorate courses in Ecclesiastical History at Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy, from 1999 to 2003.[2]
Priesthood
Maralit was ordained to the priesthood on March 13, 1995 at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa.[3] He first served as parochial vicar of the Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Bauan, Batangas from 1995 to 1996 and concurrently as a professor at St. Francis de Sales Major Seminary in Lipa until 1999. He became Assistant Director of Archdiocesan Commission on Vocation from 1996 to 1998, and Director from 1998 to 1999. From 2003 to 2009, he served as a professor, priest, formator, vice chancellor, and Dean of Studies at St. Francis de Sales Theological Seminary, where he also chaired the Construction Committee from 2006 onwards. He became the Rector of the seminary in 2009, serving until 2013. He then served as parochial vicar of the Parish of Santo Niño de Lipa in Barangay Marawoy, Lipa, from 2011 to 2013. In 2013, he became the parish priest of Invención de la Santa Cruz Parish in Alitagtag, Batangas, and was appointed member of the Council of Priests of the Archdiocese of Lipa.[2]
Episcopate
Maralit was eventually appointed as Bishop of Boac on December 31, 2014. On March 13, 2015, he was ordained a bishop by Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, Archbishop Emeritus of Manila, at San Sebastián Cathedral in Lipa, coinciding with his 20th sacerdotal anniversary. He was installed as Bishop of Boac on March 17, 2015, succeeding Reynaldo Evangelista, who was appointed the Bishop of Imus.[3]
On September 21, 2024, Pope Francis appointed him as the fifth Bishop of San Pablo, succeeding Buenaventura Famadico, who had resigned exactly a year prior for health reasons.[4] His canonical installation was held on November 21, 2024 at the Saint Paul the First Hermit Cathedral,[5] presided over by Archbishop of Manila Cardinal José Advincula, and Mylo Hubert Vergara, the Bishop of Pasig and Apostolic Administrator of San Pablo.[6]
On April 9, 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Maralit as a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication.[7]
References
- Back to citation "CBCP Chairmen of Episcopal Commissions / Committees / Offices (ECCOs)". CBCP News. July 7, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
- Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 "Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit". UCA News. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
- Back to citation occurrence 3.0 Back to citation occurrence 3.1 "Bishop Marcelino Antonio Malabanan Maralit". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
- Back to citation "Pope Francis gives new bishop to Laguna, plucks him from Marinduque". Rappler. September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
- Back to citation Lagarde, Roy (November 21, 2024). "Laguna's new bishop veers into 'relationships' in the face of challenges ahead". Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- Back to citation "San Pablo diocese to install new bishop on Nov. 21". CBCP News. September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
- Back to citation Sarao, Zacarian (April 9, 2026). "2 Filipino church leaders named new members of Vatican comms body". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved April 9, 2026.