By Roy Lagarde
April 7, 2018
Manila, Philippines
Pope Francis has appointed a US-based Filipino priest as the new bishop of the Diocese of Tagum in Davao del Norte province.
Father Medel Aseo, 63, of the clergy of the same diocese will be the fourth bishop of Tagum, replacing retired Bishop Wilfredo Manlapaz, who just turned 77 years old today.
The bishop-elect is currently on mission at the Saint Mary Parish which is under the Greensburg diocese in Pennsylvania, USA since 2017.
In the meantime, the pope named Manlapaz as the apostolic administrator “sede vacante” of the diocese until Aseo takes canonical possession.
The new bishop’s appointment came as he also marks his 39th priesthood anniversary on Saturday.
Aseo was born in Kapaong town, also in Davao del Norte. After his minor and major seminary formations at St. Francis Xavier College Seminary, he studied theology at St. Francis Xavier Regional major seminary, both in Davao City.
Immediately after his ordination in 1979, he served as parish vicar at the Santo Niño parish in Panabo and, between 1980 and 1983, parish priest first in Manay and then Cateel in Davao Oriental.
He then became vice-rector and procurator at the Seminary College of Tagum between 1983 and 1985 and from 1986 to 1988, he was parish priest in Maragusan, in the Davao del Norte.
Subsequently, between 1988 and 1991, he did his postgraduate studies at the Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM) at the Loyola School of Theology of the Ateneo de Manila University.
Other posts he held include diocesan director of the Apostolate for the Family, vicar forane and member of the College of Consultors from 1991-1996 and chaplain for Filipino sailors in the archdiocese of Liverpool, Great Britain from 2003 to 2006.
He was also assigned as pastor of the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Nabuturun, Compostela Valley in Davao (2006-2007); member of the Galilee Centre for priests in Tagatay City (2008-2015); and vice-administrator of the parish of Saint Michael the Archangel in Tagum City (2016-2017).
No date has been set yet for the episcopal ordination of Aseo and his installation as the new bishop of Tagum.
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