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{{Short description|Roman Catholic archdiocese in the Philippines}}
{{unreferenced}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{wikify-date|September 2006}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction = Archdiocese<!-- Type of jurisdiction: i.e. Diocese or Archdiocese -->
| border = Catholic
| name = Lipa
| latin = Archidioecesis Lipaensis
| local = {{ubl|{{lang|fil|Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa}}|{{lang|es|Arquidiócesis de Lipa}}}}
| image = Lipa Cathedral 2024-03-27.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| image_alt =
| caption = ]
| coat = File:Archdiocese of Lipa coat of arms.svg
| coat_size = 150px
| coat_alt =
<!---- Locations ---->
| country = {{flag|Philippines}}
| territory = ]
| province = Lipa <!-- DO NOT wikilink. Only applies to archdiocese pages. -->
| metropolitan = Lipa <!-- DO NOT wikilink. Only applies to archdiocese pages. -->
| deaneries = 14
| subdivisions =
| headquarters =
| coordinates = {{coord|13.9408|N|121.1630|E|source:wikidata|display=inline,title}}
<!---- Statistics ---->
| area_km2 = 3,165
| area_footnotes =
| population = 3,122,229
| population_as_of = 2021
| catholics = 3,041,821<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/lipa0.htm?tab=info|title= Lipa (Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese)|publisher=gcatholic.org|access-date=2023-09-16}}</ref>
| catholics_percent = {{percentage|3,041,821<!-- catholics -->|3,122,229<!-- population -->|1|%=}}
| parishes = 65
| churches = <!-- Number of churches in the diocese -->
| congregations = <!-- Number of congregations in the diocese -->
| schools = <!-- Number of church supported schools in the diocese -->
| members = <!-- Number of members in the diocese -->
<!---- Information ---->
| denomination = ]
| sui_iuris_church = ]
| rite = ]
| established = {{start date and age|1910|4|10}} (Diocese)<br>{{start date and age|1972|6|20}} (Archdiocese)
| cathedral = ]
| cocathedral =
| patron = ] (Primary)<br />] (Titular Queen)<br />] (Lipa City)
| priests = 123<!-- Number of priests in the diocese -->
<!---- Current leadership ---->
| pope = {{Incumbent pope}} <!-- DO NOT CHANGE. This will update the Popes Automatically as they change -->
| major_archbishop = <!-- Eastern Catholic churches only -->
| metro_archbishop = ]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/867936/pope-francis-names-new-archbishop-of-lipa | title=Pope Francis names new archbishop of Lipa | date=3 February 2017 }}</ref>
| coadjutor =
| suffragans = ] (])<br> Euginius Longakit Cañete (]) (Bishop-Elect) <br> ] (]) <br> Bernadino Cruz Cortez (]) <br> Moises Magpantay Cuevas (]) <br> Pablito Martinez Tagura (])
| apostolic_admin =
| vicar_general = Ruben Dimaculangan
| episcopal_vicar =
| judicial_vicar = Wilfredo Rosales
| emeritus_bishops = ] <br /> (Archbishop, 1993–2003) <br />] (Archbishop, 2004–2017)
<!---- Map ---->
| map = RC Archdiocese of Lipa.png
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines.
<!---- Website ---->
| website = <!-- this link is down -->
| footnotes =
}}
The '''Archdiocese of Lipa''' ({{langx|la|Archidioecesis Lipaensis}}; {{langx|fil|Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa}}; {{langx|es|Arquidiócesis de Lipa}}) is a ] ecclesiastical territory or ] of the ] comprising the civil province of ]. Its ] is the ] located in ]. First created on April 10, 1910 from the ], the diocese was elevated into its present status on June 20, 1972. Today, the Archdiocese of Lipa's ] covers Batangas and the ] territories in the civil provinces of ], ], and ]. The archdiocese itself is divided into 14 ] further comprising a total of 65 ]es.


In addition, the Archdiocese of Lipa also serves as the de facto overseer of the ]s of ] in ] and ] in ], all the exempt dioceses of the ] (with the vicariates under the jurisdiction of the ]).
'''The Archdiocese of Lipa''' today comprises the civil province of ] located in the southwestern part of the island of Luzon. It is bounded on the north by the provinces of ] and ], on the east by ], and ], on the west by the ], and on the south by the ] and ]. Land area is 3,165 square kilometers, and population as of the 1994 census is 1,668,480 of which 99.5 per cent are Catholics.


==History==
The province surrounds ] from which ] rises in the center. The rich soil of ] was formed from volcanic tuff coming from the active volcanoes of Taal. The terrain is characterized by rolling hills, plateaus and low mountains, the highest of which is Mount Makiling which is only 1,109 meters in elevation.
] in 2011 commemorating the diocese.]]


===Creation as a diocese===
The province is rich in natural resources. Almost 80 per cent of Batangueños have a piece of land to cultivate, and the ] farmer is a model farmer known for his intensive cultivation of land. This was brought about in large part by big landowners selling portions of their land, thus eliminating social unrest.
]
The Diocese of Lipa was created on April 10, 1910, separating it from that of ] under the supervision of ] and with ] as its first ]. The diocese then covered the provinces of ], ], ] (now ], ], and ]), and ] (now ] and ]). There were initially very few priests for the large diocese.


Petrelli invited different Roman Catholic ]s to come to his diocese and help minister to the spiritual needs of the faithful. He also conceived the building of a ] in the diocese. In June 1914 a diocesan seminary was built in ], which was later transferred to ] in Laguna. This initiative of the first bishop was continued by the next bishop, ], the diocese's first Filipino bishop, who served a long term from 1916 to 1950. He invited priests from the ] to help in the administration of the new seminary.
Fishing and mineral reserves abound in the province which also has a number of manufacturing industries including petroleum refineries, sugar centrals, food and beverage companies, and countless cottage industries. The coastline is dotted with beach resorts often frequented by local and foreign tourists. Specially the diving aficionados.


On July 2, 1936, Mindoro Island was separated and came under the jurisdiction of the ], making it the first territorial re-organization of the archdiocese. On March 28, 1950, ] became a ] covering the southern portion of Quezon and Marinduque. About a month later on April 25, the ] was created, comprising the remaining part of Quezon, including the ] and what is now the province of Aurora.
Because of stable sources of income, most families in Batangas can afford to send their children to schools and colleges in ] or in ]. This explains why 90 per cent of the population is educated.


In 1950, ] took over the diocese. Described as a financial administrator of great acumen, Santos applied for bank loans to help construct some buildings. This way he continued the construction work of the ] and built a major seminary beside it.
] was originally called ], with ] as its first capital. In 1754 the capital was moved to ], its capital today. Historically, ] is known as the birth place of ], a Filipino hero known as the "Sublime Paralytic" who became Secretary of State of the First Philippine Republic. The last Filipino general to surrender to Americans in the Philippine American War, ], was also from this province.


The ] was separated on November 28, 1966, seated in the city of ] and becoming a suffragan of ]. This left the Diocese of Lipa covering only the province of Batangas.
The Diocese of Lipa was created on April 10, 1910, separating it from that of Manila. The diocese then covered the provinces of ], ], ], ] and ], with Most Reverend Joseph Petrelli, D.D., as the first bishop. He was faced with a monumental task because the diocese was large and there was but a handful of priests.


===Elevation into an archdiocese===
Bishop Petrelli invited different religious congregations to come to his diocese and help minister to the spiritual needs of the faithful. He also conceived the building of a seminary in the diocese. In June l914 a diocesan seminary was built in Bauan, which was later transferred to San Pablo in Laguna. This initiative of the first bishop was continued by the next bishop, Alfredo Verzosa, D.D., who served a long term from 1916 to 1950. He invited priests from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to help in the administration of the new seminary.
With the departure of Santos for the Archdiocese of Manila came a young bishop, Alejandro Ayson Olalia, who stayed with the diocese from 1953 to 1973. It was during his term that the Diocese of Lipa, on June 20, 1972, became the country's tenth archdiocese and ecclesiastical province by order of Pope ] of the papal bull ''Qui Sumi Nominis''. This same order elevated Olalia to the rank of archbishop on August 15, 1972.


Olalia died in 1973 and was replaced by Bishop ] who stayed with the diocese until 1981. During his incumbency Vidal organized the Pastoral Council, and initiated the construction of the Lipa Archdiocesan Formation Center.
In 1950 the Most Reverend ] took over the diocese. Described as a financial administrator of great acumen, Bishop Santos applied for bank loans to help construct some buildings. This way he continued the construction work of the ] and built a major seminary beside it.


Vidal was replaced in 1981 for ]'s new prelate by his successor Bishop Mariano Garces Gaviola, who stayed with the diocese from 1981 to 1993. He was at the helm of the archdiocese as it celebrated its 75th anniversary and on March 19, 1993, the reins of the archdiocese were again transferred, this time to Bishop ], a native of Batangas City. He was ordained priest in Lipa in 1958, then he became as Auxiliary Bishop of Manila in 1974, and then he serves as Bishop in the ] in 1982, and on December 30, 1992 he was elected Archbishop of Lipa. Gaudencio Rosales founded the Aral Batangueño and the small giving foundation which is Pondong Batangan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.impact.ph/organization/pondong-batangan-community-foundation/|title=Pondong Batangan Community Foundation, Inc.|last=admin|website=Impact.ph|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref>
With the departure of Monsignor Rufino Santos for the Archdiocese of Manila came a young bishop, Most Reverend Alejandro Olalia, D.D., who stayed with the diocese from 1953 to 1973. It was during his term that the Diocese of Lipa, on June 20, 1972, became the tenth Archdiocese and Ecclesiastical Province by order of the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI. This Same order elevated Bishop Olalia to the rank of archbishop on August 15, 1972.


With the resignation of Cardinal ] in 2003, Rosales was chosen by ] to be the Manila's new prelate, leaving the See of Lipa under the apostolic administration of its Auxiliary Bishop Jose Paala Salazar (d. May 30, 2004). On May 14, 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop ] of the ], another native of Batangas City as the fifth Archbishop of Lipa.
Bishop Olalia died in 1973 and was replaced by Bishop Ricardo J. Vidal who stayed with the diocese until 1981. During his incumbency. Bishop Vidal organized the Pastoral Council, and initiated the construction of the Lipa Archdiocesan Formation Center.


In his 13 years in office, Arguelles canonically erected new parishes in Lipa City, Lemery, Taysan, Tanauan City and Batangas City and organized Marian events such as the annual Taal Lake Marian Regatta and National Days of Prayer in Lipa, both held every September. He is a strong opponent of the passage of RH Law, the operation of motorist lodges in the province, the possible mining activities in the municipality of Lobo, and the construction of a coal-fire power plant in Batangas City. He also led the establishment of a local election watchdog separate from the church-based PPCRV.
Bishop Vidal was replaced in 1981 by Bishop Mariano Gaviola, D.D. who stayed with the diocese from 1981 to 1993. He was at the helm of the archdiocese as it celebrated its 75th anniversary on March 19, 1993, the reins of the archdiocese were again transferred, this time to Bishop Gaudencio Rosales, a native of Batangas City. He was ordained priest in Lipa in 1958, became Auxiliary Bishop of Manila in 1974, served as bishop in Malaybalay in 1982, and on December 30, 1992 he was elected Archbishop of Lipa.


On April 10, 2010, the ] celebrated the 100th anniversary of its elevation as a diocese by launching the ], ''A Century of Faith: The Local Church of Lipa''. The event was held at the historic Basilica of St. Martin of Tours in Taal, Batangas.<ref></ref>
As the Archdiocese of Lipa changed hands over the years, changes too were happening to its territorial jurisdiction over certain areas. These were proud moments for the archdiocese, when a number of provinces had acquired the capability to stand on their own. Thus in 1936 Mindoro was separated and became the Apostolic Prelature of Calapan. In 1950 Lucena became a diocese of its own, and also in 1950 the Prelature of Infanta was created, comprising the northern part of Quezon Province, Polilio and Aurora, Laguna's turn came next and became a separate diocese in 1967, that of San Pablo. The Diocese of Boac in Marinduque was created in 1977 and that of Gumaca in 1984. Both dioceses were part of the Diocese of Lucena before their establishment. In 1983 the new Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro was created.


Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Arguelles on February 2, 2017, and then appointed Bishop ], the Bishop of the ] in ] as its sixth Archbishop and eighth Local Ordinary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2017/02/02/0071/00172.html|title=Rinunce e nomine|website=press.vatican.va|access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref>
Today the Archdiocese of Lipa is for the province of Batangas alone. But the population has multiplied many times over. The archdiocese is divided into 6 vicariates, each headed by a vicar forane . Except for the parishes in Vicariate IV which are run by the Oblates of St. Joseph, all other parishes are run by the diocesan clergy. There are 49 parishes in all, served by 143 priests. 122 of them diocesan. There are 13 religious brothers, and 197 religious sisters. Catholic schools number 23, high school seminaries 2 and college seminaries 3. Two pastoral centers are being maintained.


==Coat of arms==
On August 18, 1995, after much review, and meetings presided over by Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales himself, the archdiocese's vision was conceived: "A people of God called by the Father in Jesus Christ to be communities of totally developed human persons in the world, witnessing to the Kingdom of God by living the Paschal Mystery in the power of the Holy Spirit."
The cross and arrows are symbols of ] the Martyr, patron of the ]. The two white long-stemmed ] are symbols of ], head of the ], to whom the faithful of the diocese are ardently devoted.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Madriaga |first=Mariano |date=1957 |title=The Coats-of-Arms of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions in the Philippines: Part II. The Suffragan Sees in the Luzon Area |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/42719342 |journal=Philippine Studies |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=420–430 |doi= |jstor=42719342 |access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref> The bottom of the shield shows the ] and ] of ] in ].


==Organization==
]

The archdiocese has jurisdiction over the Catholic faithful in the province of ]. The province's land area is {{convert|3,165|km2|sqmi|sp=us}} and the population as of the 1994 census is 1,668,480 of which 99.5 per cent are ]. The archdiocese also has general supervision over the suffragan dioceses and territorial prelatures for the provinces of ] and ].

The archdiocese is divided into 14 vicariates, each headed by a ]. Except for the parishes in the ] (excluding ]) which are run by the ], all other parishes are run by the diocesan clergy. There are 64 parishes in all, served by 291 priests. 123 of them diocesan. There are 331 ]s and 491 ].<ref name="catholic-hierarchy.org">{{Cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dlipa.html |title=Cebu (Archdiocese) |encyclopedia=] |publisher=David M. Cheney |access-date=13 May 2023}}</ref> There are 23 Catholic schools within the archdiocese, two high school seminaries, and three college seminaries. Two pastoral centers are being maintained.

==Archbishop==
{{further|Archbishop of Lipa}}
The ] of the archbishop is in the ]. The archbishop also oversees the suffragan dioceses of ], ], ], ], and also serves as de facto overseer of the apostolic vicariates of ], and ].

===List of bishops and archbishops of Lipa===

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
! width=40px|No.
! width=80px|Picture
! width=400px|Name
! width=100px|From
! width=100px|Until
! width=100px|Notes
!Coat of arms
|--align=center
|| 1 ||]|| ] || April 12, 1910 || March 30, 1915 || Appointed as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Lipa; later appointed as Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines
|]
|--align=center
|| 2 ||]|| ] || September 6, 1916 || February 25, 1951 || Retired from office
|]
|--align=center
|| 3 ||]|| Alejandro Ayson Olalia || December 28, 1953 || January 2, 1973 || Elevated to the rank of Archbishop when Lipa became an Archdiocese on 20 June 1972; died in office
|]
|--align=center
|| 4 || ] || ] || August 22, 1973 || April 13, 1981 || Later appointed Archbishop of Cebu, and Cardinal
|]
|--align=center
|| 5 ||]|| Mariano Garces Gaviola || April 13, 1981 || December 13, 1992 || Retired from office
|]
|--align=center
|| 6 || ] || ] || December 13, 1992 || September 25, 2003 || Later appointed Archbishop of Manila, and Cardinal
|]
|--align=center
|| 7 || ] || ] || March 15, 2004 || April 21, 2017 || Retired from office
|]
|--align=center
|| 8 ||]|| ] || April 21, 2017 || present ||
|]
|}

===Timeline===
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PlotArea = top:10 bottom:90 right:220 left:20
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Define $today = {{#time:m/d/Y}}

Colors =
id:linemark value:gray(0.8)
id:linemark2 value:gray(0.9)
id:decade value:gray(0.9)

DateFormat=mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1910 till:$today
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1910
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:8 start:1910 grid:decade

BarData =
Barset:ArchbishopsofLipa
PlotData=
width:5 align:left fontsize:9 shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
barset:ArchbishopsofLipa
from:04/12/1910 till:03/30/1915 text:"]"
from:09/06/1916 till:02/25/1951 text:"]"
from:12/28/1953 till:01/02/1973 text:"Alejandro Ayson Olalia"
from:08/22/1973 till:04/13/1981 text:"]"
from:04/13/1981 till:12/13/1992 text:"Mariano Garces Gaviola"
from:12/13/1992 till:09/25/2003 text:"]"
from:03/15/2004 till:04/21/2017 text:"]"
from:04/21/2017 till:end text:"]"
}}

==Auxiliary bishops==
*]: March 11, 1944 Appointed - November 4, 1950 Appointed Bishop of Lucena
*]: June 9, 1979 Appointed - April 6, 2002 Retired
*Buenaventura Malayo Famadico: April 6, 2002 Appointed - June 11, 2003 Appointed Bishop of Gumaca and later Appointed Bishop of San Pablo
*Jose Paala Salazar: June 11, 2003 Appointed - May 30, 2004 Died

==Vision==
On August 18, 1995 after much review, and meetings presided over by Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales himself, the archdiocese's vision was conceived:
<blockquote>A people of God called by the Father in Jesus Christ to be communities of totally developed human persons in the world, witnessing to the Kingdom of God by living the Paschal Mystery in the power of the Holy Spirit.</blockquote>

==See also==
*]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414104540/http://www.archlipa.org/ |date=2018-04-14 }}

{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa}}
{{Roman Catholic dioceses in the Philippines}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lipa}}
] ]
]
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Latest revision as of 01:20, 22 November 2024

Roman Catholic archdiocese in the Philippines

Archdiocese of Lipa
Archidioecesis Lipaensis
  • Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa
  • Arquidiócesis de Lipa
Catholic
Lipa Cathedral
Coat of arms
Location
Country Philippines
TerritoryBatangas
Ecclesiastical provinceLipa
MetropolitanLipa
Deaneries14
Coordinates13°56′27″N 121°09′47″E / 13.9408°N 121.1630°E / 13.9408; 121.1630
Statistics
Area3,165 km (1,222 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2021)
3,122,229
3,041,821 (97.4%)
Parishes65
Information
DenominationCatholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedApril 10, 1910; 114 years ago (1910-04-10) (Diocese)
June 20, 1972; 52 years ago (1972-06-20) (Archdiocese)
CathedralMetropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian
Patron saintJoseph the Patriarch (Primary)
Our Lady of Caysasay (Titular Queen)
Sebastian (Lipa City)
Secular priests123
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
Metropolitan ArchbishopGilbert Garcera
SuffragansSede vacante (Boac)
Euginius Longakit Cañete (Gumaca) (Bishop-Elect)
Mel Rey Minoga Uy (Lucena)
Bernadino Cruz Cortez (Infanta)
Moises Magpantay Cuevas (Calapan)
Pablito Martinez Tagura (San Jose)
Vicar GeneralRuben Dimaculangan
Judicial VicarWilfredo Rosales
Bishops emeritusGaudencio Borbon Rosales
(Archbishop, 1993–2003)
Ramon Cabrera Arguelles (Archbishop, 2004–2017)
Map
Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines.
Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines.

The Archdiocese of Lipa (Latin: Archidioecesis Lipaensis; Filipino: Arsidiyosesis ng Lipa; Spanish: Arquidiócesis de Lipa) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines comprising the civil province of Batangas. Its cathedral is the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian located in Lipa, Batangas. First created on April 10, 1910 from the Archdiocese of Manila, the diocese was elevated into its present status on June 20, 1972. Today, the Archdiocese of Lipa's ecclesiastical province covers Batangas and the suffragan territories in the civil provinces of Quezon, Marinduque, and Aurora. The archdiocese itself is divided into 14 vicariates forane further comprising a total of 65 parishes.

In addition, the Archdiocese of Lipa also serves as the de facto overseer of the Apostolic Vicariates of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro and San Jose in Occidental Mindoro, all the exempt dioceses of the Holy See (with the vicariates under the jurisdiction of the Dicastery for Evangelization).

History

Historical marker installed at the cathedral by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2011 commemorating the diocese.

Creation as a diocese

Former Coat of arms of then-diocese of Lipa (as illustrated in Philippine Studies)

The Diocese of Lipa was created on April 10, 1910, separating it from that of Manila under the supervision of Pope Pius X and with Giuseppe Petrelli as its first bishop. The diocese then covered the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Tayabas (now Quezon, Marinduque, and Aurora), and Mindoro (now Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro). There were initially very few priests for the large diocese.

Petrelli invited different Roman Catholic religious institutes to come to his diocese and help minister to the spiritual needs of the faithful. He also conceived the building of a seminary in the diocese. In June 1914 a diocesan seminary was built in Bauan, which was later transferred to San Pablo in Laguna. This initiative of the first bishop was continued by the next bishop, Alfredo Verzosa, the diocese's first Filipino bishop, who served a long term from 1916 to 1950. He invited priests from the Vincentian Fathers to help in the administration of the new seminary.

On July 2, 1936, Mindoro Island was separated and came under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Prefecture of Mindoro, making it the first territorial re-organization of the archdiocese. On March 28, 1950, Lucena became a diocese of its own covering the southern portion of Quezon and Marinduque. About a month later on April 25, the Prelature of Infanta was created, comprising the remaining part of Quezon, including the Polillo Islands and what is now the province of Aurora.

In 1950, Rufino Santos took over the diocese. Described as a financial administrator of great acumen, Santos applied for bank loans to help construct some buildings. This way he continued the construction work of the Lipa Cathedral and built a major seminary beside it.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo was separated on November 28, 1966, seated in the city of San Pablo and becoming a suffragan of Manila. This left the Diocese of Lipa covering only the province of Batangas.

Elevation into an archdiocese

With the departure of Santos for the Archdiocese of Manila came a young bishop, Alejandro Ayson Olalia, who stayed with the diocese from 1953 to 1973. It was during his term that the Diocese of Lipa, on June 20, 1972, became the country's tenth archdiocese and ecclesiastical province by order of Pope Paul VI of the papal bull Qui Sumi Nominis. This same order elevated Olalia to the rank of archbishop on August 15, 1972.

Olalia died in 1973 and was replaced by Bishop Ricardo Jamin Vidal who stayed with the diocese until 1981. During his incumbency Vidal organized the Pastoral Council, and initiated the construction of the Lipa Archdiocesan Formation Center.

Vidal was replaced in 1981 for Cebu's new prelate by his successor Bishop Mariano Garces Gaviola, who stayed with the diocese from 1981 to 1993. He was at the helm of the archdiocese as it celebrated its 75th anniversary and on March 19, 1993, the reins of the archdiocese were again transferred, this time to Bishop Gaudencio Borbon Rosales, a native of Batangas City. He was ordained priest in Lipa in 1958, then he became as Auxiliary Bishop of Manila in 1974, and then he serves as Bishop in the Diocese of Malaybalay in 1982, and on December 30, 1992 he was elected Archbishop of Lipa. Gaudencio Rosales founded the Aral Batangueño and the small giving foundation which is Pondong Batangan.

With the resignation of Cardinal Jaime Lachica Sin in 2003, Rosales was chosen by Pope John Paul II to be the Manila's new prelate, leaving the See of Lipa under the apostolic administration of its Auxiliary Bishop Jose Paala Salazar (d. May 30, 2004). On May 14, 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Ramon Cabrera Arguelles of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, another native of Batangas City as the fifth Archbishop of Lipa.

In his 13 years in office, Arguelles canonically erected new parishes in Lipa City, Lemery, Taysan, Tanauan City and Batangas City and organized Marian events such as the annual Taal Lake Marian Regatta and National Days of Prayer in Lipa, both held every September. He is a strong opponent of the passage of RH Law, the operation of motorist lodges in the province, the possible mining activities in the municipality of Lobo, and the construction of a coal-fire power plant in Batangas City. He also led the establishment of a local election watchdog separate from the church-based PPCRV.

On April 10, 2010, the Archdiocese of Lipa celebrated the 100th anniversary of its elevation as a diocese by launching the coffee table book, A Century of Faith: The Local Church of Lipa. The event was held at the historic Basilica of St. Martin of Tours in Taal, Batangas.

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Arguelles on February 2, 2017, and then appointed Bishop Gilbert Armea Garcera, the Bishop of the Diocese of Daet in Camarines Norte as its sixth Archbishop and eighth Local Ordinary.

Coat of arms

The cross and arrows are symbols of Saint Sebastian the Martyr, patron of the cathedral. The two white long-stemmed lilies are symbols of Saint Joseph, head of the Holy Family, to whom the faithful of the diocese are ardently devoted. The bottom of the shield shows the lake and volcano of Taal in Batangas.

Organization

Metropolipan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa

The archdiocese has jurisdiction over the Catholic faithful in the province of Batangas. The province's land area is 3,165 square kilometers (1,222 sq mi) and the population as of the 1994 census is 1,668,480 of which 99.5 per cent are Catholics. The archdiocese also has general supervision over the suffragan dioceses and territorial prelatures for the provinces of Quezon and Marinduque.

The archdiocese is divided into 14 vicariates, each headed by a vicar forane. Except for the parishes in the 4th district of Batangas (excluding Taysan) which are run by the Oblates of St. Joseph, all other parishes are run by the diocesan clergy. There are 64 parishes in all, served by 291 priests. 123 of them diocesan. There are 331 religious brothers and 491 religious sisters. There are 23 Catholic schools within the archdiocese, two high school seminaries, and three college seminaries. Two pastoral centers are being maintained.

Archbishop

Further information: Archbishop of Lipa

The seat of the archbishop is in the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian. The archbishop also oversees the suffragan dioceses of Boac, Gumaca, Lucena, Prelature of Infanta, and also serves as de facto overseer of the apostolic vicariates of Calapan, and San Jose.

List of bishops and archbishops of Lipa

No. Picture Name From Until Notes Coat of arms
1 José (Giuseppe) Petrelli April 12, 1910 March 30, 1915 Appointed as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Lipa; later appointed as Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines
2 Alfredo Florentin Versoza September 6, 1916 February 25, 1951 Retired from office
3 Alejandro Ayson Olalia December 28, 1953 January 2, 1973 Elevated to the rank of Archbishop when Lipa became an Archdiocese on 20 June 1972; died in office
4 Ricardo Jamin Vidal August 22, 1973 April 13, 1981 Later appointed Archbishop of Cebu, and Cardinal
5 Mariano Garces Gaviola April 13, 1981 December 13, 1992 Retired from office
6 Gaudencio Borbon Rosales December 13, 1992 September 25, 2003 Later appointed Archbishop of Manila, and Cardinal
7 Ramon Cabrera Arguelles March 15, 2004 April 21, 2017 Retired from office
8 Gilbert Armea Garcera April 21, 2017 present

Timeline

Gilbert GarceraRamon ArguellesGaudencio RosalesRicardo VidalAlfredo VersozaGiuseppe Petrelli

Auxiliary bishops

  • Alfredo Maria Aranda Obviar: March 11, 1944 Appointed - November 4, 1950 Appointed Bishop of Lucena
  • Salvador Quizon Quizon: June 9, 1979 Appointed - April 6, 2002 Retired
  • Buenaventura Malayo Famadico: April 6, 2002 Appointed - June 11, 2003 Appointed Bishop of Gumaca and later Appointed Bishop of San Pablo
  • Jose Paala Salazar: June 11, 2003 Appointed - May 30, 2004 Died

Vision

On August 18, 1995 after much review, and meetings presided over by Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales himself, the archdiocese's vision was conceived:

A people of God called by the Father in Jesus Christ to be communities of totally developed human persons in the world, witnessing to the Kingdom of God by living the Paschal Mystery in the power of the Holy Spirit.

See also

References

  1. "Lipa (Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese)". gcatholic.org. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  2. "Pope Francis names new archbishop of Lipa". February 3, 2017.
  3. admin. "Pondong Batangan Community Foundation, Inc". Impact.ph. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  4. "A Hundred Years' Journey in Faith," Starweek Magazine, July 8, 2012
  5. "Rinunce e nomine". press.vatican.va. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  6. Madriaga, Mariano (1957). "The Coats-of-Arms of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions in the Philippines: Part II. The Suffragan Sees in the Luzon Area". Philippine Studies. 5 (4): 420–430. JSTOR 42719342. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  7. "Cebu (Archdiocese)". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved May 13, 2023.

External links

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa
Archidioecesis Lipaensis
Territories
Ordinaries
Cathedral
Basilicas
Shrines
National
Archdiocesan
Parishes
Vicariate of
St. Francis
Xavier
  • St. Francis Xavier (Nasugbu, Batangas)
  • Sto. Domingo de Silos (Calatagan, Batangas)
  • St. John the Baptist (Lian, Batangas)
  • St. Vincent Ferrer (Tuy, Batangas)
  • Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (Nasugbu, Batangas)
Vicariate of
Immaculate
Conception
Vicariate of
St. Roche
  • St. Nicholas of Tolentino (San Nicolas, Batangas)
  • Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Agoncillo, Batangas)
  • Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Agoncillo, Batangas)
  • St. Roch (Lemery, Batangas)
  • Mahal na Poon ng Banal na Krus (Lemery, Batangas)
Vicariate of
Our Lady
of Caysasay
  • St. Martin of Tours (Taal, Batangas)
  • San Isidro Labrador (San Luis, Batangas)
  • Invencion de la Sta. Cruz (Alitagtag, Batangas)
  • San Isidro Labrador (Cuenca, Batangas)
  • St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face (Sta. Teresita, Batangas)
Vicariate of
St. Francis
of Paola
  • St. Francis of Paola (Mabini, Batangas)
  • St. Roche Parish (Tingloy, Batangas)
  • Holy Family (Bauan, Batangas)
Vicariate of
Holy Cross
Vicariate of
Sto. Niño
Vicariate of
St. Michael
the Archangel
Vicariate of
Our Lady of
the Holy Rosary
Vicariate of
St. Joseph
the Patriarch
Vicariate of
St. Vincent
Ferrer
  • Sto. Niño Pinatong-ulan (Lipa, Batangas)
  • Immaculate Conception (Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas)
  • Divina Pastora (Lipa, Batangas)
  • St. Vincent Ferrer (Lipa, Batangas)
  • Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (Balete, Batangas)
Vicariate of
St. Sebastian
  • St. Sebastian (Lipa, Batangas)
  • Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace (Lipa, Batangas)
  • Sto. Niño Marawoy (Lipa, Batangas)
  • St. Therese of the Child Jesus (Lipa, Batangas)
  • St. Isidore (Lipa, Batangas)
  • St. Joseph the Worker (proposed; Lipa, Batangas)
Vicariate of
St. John
the Evangelist
  • Immaculate Conception (Malvar, Batangas)
  • Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (Tanauan, Batangas)
  • St. John the Evangelist (Tanauan, Batangas)
  • St. Thomas Aquinas (Sto. Tomas, Batangas)
  • St. Clare of Assisi (Sto. Tomas, Batangas)
  • St. Padre Pio (Sto. Tomas, Batangas)
Vicariate of
St. William
the Hermit
  • St. Augustine of Hippo (Tanauan, Batangas)
  • Queen of All Saints (Tanauan, Batangas)
  • Holy Family Flight to Egypt (Tanauan, Batangas)
  • San Guillermo (Talisay, Batangas)
  • Immaculate Conception (Laurel, Batangas)
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