CBCP head and San Fernando bishop enter the
Dominican Order
Last
June 12, 2015 (Friday), on the occasion of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Dominic in the Philippines welcomed for
the first time two bishops into the community: Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop
Socrates B. Villegas, DD, and San Fernando, La Union Bishop Rodolfo Beltran,
DD.
In
his message to the Dominican community, the Very Rev. Fr. Gerard Francisco P.
Timoner III, O.P., Prior Provincial of the Dominican Province of the
Philippines, said that the bishops, on the eve of the 800th founding
anniversary of the Order, saw in the Order “a spirituality that can enrich and
nourish their priestly, even episcopal ministry.” On this note, Fr. Timoner
challenged the Dominican family to “live more faithfully to our vowed life and
to share generously the vocation we cherish.”
The
two bishops were clothed with the habit of the Order, accepted as novices, in
solemn rites at the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag.
Archbishop
Villegas is an alumnus of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran – Manila, where he
finished his high school education. In his message, he acknowledged his two
Dominican idols: the late Most Rev. Leonardo Z. Legaspi, O.P., DD, the first
Filipino Rector of the University, and Rev. Fr. Pompeyo F. de Mesa, O.P.,
former Rector of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran – Manila and present Regent
of the UST Faculty of Pharmacy.
Meanwhile,
Bishop Beltran is an alumnus of UST’s Ecclesiastical Faculties, where he
finished his Bachelor’s (1975) and Licentitate (1977) degrees in Sacred
Theology.
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| Photo credit: Laykong Dominiko's Facebook page |
Sources:
Cantillana, A.M.S. (2015, June 15). CBCP
head joins Dominican order. Varsitarian.net. http://varsitarian.net/breaking_news/20150615/cbcp_head_joins_dominican_order
Laykong
Dominiko’s Facebook page
