Another LST alumnus has been appointed bishop by Pope Francis. Fr. Jose R. Rapadas III (STL, 2007) will lead the Diocese of Iligan in southern Philippines. The bishop-elect is just 46, the youngest Filipino bishop serving in and outside the country today. Recently, Pope Francis appointed Fr. Leo Dalmao, CMF (STB, 1996/1997) to be bishop of the Territorial Prelature of Isabela, Basilan, and Fr. Cosme Almedilla (Seminary Program, 1987) to be bishop of the Diocese of Butuan.
The appointment was announced in Rome on June 13, 2019 at 12 noon (6:00 p.m. Manila time). Rapadas will replace Bishop Elenito Galido who died on Dec. 5, 2017. Since then, Bishop Severo Caermare of Dipolog has been overseeing the diocese as apostolic administrator. The bishop-elect has been serving as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Rapadas was born in Tondo, Manila in 1972. He is a product of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Cagayan de Oro City, and was ordained a priest in 1999. In 2007, he obtained the licentiate in dogmatic theology from the Loyola School of Theology in Ateneo de Manila University. The title of his STL thesis is “Participatory Church at the Grassroots: Towards a Renewed Transformative Political Praxis”.
For 20 years in the priesthood, he has served in a number of pastoral roles including parish vicar and coordinator of diocesan social pastoral ministry. The bishop-elect also served as seminary professor, director of the Office of Catechesis for the Family and Life, rector of the Saint Joseph College Seminary and professor of religious studies at the University of Zamboanga.
Rapadas will be the fifth bishop of Iligan, with around a million Catholic population in 26 parishes.
