Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga

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Diocese of Balanga Dioecesis Balangensis Diyosesis ng Balanga Diócesis de Balanga
Catholic
Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	March 17, 1975
Cathedral	Cathedral-Shrine Parish of St. Joseph
Patron saint	St. Joseph (Patron of the City of Balanga) Our Lady of Orani (Patroness of the Province of Bataan and the Bataeño People)
Vacant
Metropolitan Archbishop	Florentino G. Lavarias
Apostolic Administrator	Florentino G. Lavarias
Vicar General	Josue V. Enero
Map
Website
Diocese of Balanga

The Diocese of Balanga is a

As of October 2015, Bishop Ruperto Santos, fourth Bishop of Balanga, is the longest-serving living bishop of the diocese, having served for 13 years, 3 months, and 21 days (4,860 days) from April 1, 2010 to July 22, 2023.

The diocese became vacant when Santos became bishop of Antipolo covering the province of Rizal and the city of Marikina in Metro Manila on July 22, 2023. Pope Francis then appointed Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga Florentino Lavarias as sede vacante apostolic administrator of the diocese while awaiting for the installation of Santos' successor as the diocese's bishop, returning Bataan temporarily to the jurisdiction of Archdiocese of San Fernando after 47 years and 8 months.

History

The Diocese of Balanga was established on March 17, 1975, from the territory of Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga, by Pope Paul VI through the papal bull Quoniam Recte Universum. It comprises the entire civil province of Bataan, the smallest among the provinces of Central Luzon. The province is a peninsula jutting out to sea, with Manila Bay to the east, South China Sea to the west, and the province of Zambales to the north. Only 1 of the 15 priests of the diocese was a native of Bataan upon the diocese's founding in 1975.

Before this, the region was divided into two parts: the Corregimiento of Mariveles and the Province of Pampanga. The towns of Mariveles, Bagac, Morong and Maragondon, Cavite, comprised the Corregimiento of Mariveles that was under the jurisdiction of the Recollect Order. The province of Pampanga included the towns of Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Abucay, Samal, Orani, Llana Hermosa and San Juan de Dinalupihan. The latter group was under the charge of the Dominican Order. Limay, the twelfth town of Bataan, was named only in 1917.

The topography of the province has made most of the inhabitants farmers or fishermen, with a sprinkling of merchants, factory workers and professionals. Recent years, however, have seen the development of manufacturing industries in the province, particularly the Free Zone in Mariveles which has brought an influx of workers from other provinces and improved living conditions of its own workers.

Historically, Bataan is most remembered, along with the island of Corregidor, as the main scene of action in the Philippines during the Second World War. These places are strategic in guarding the entrance to Manila Bay. The surrender of Filipino and American soldiers to overwhelming Japanese forces marked the Fall of Bataan in 1942. A war memorial, Dambana ng Kagitingan, now stands to honor the men who fought and died in that last stand.

During the 23-year tenure of Bishop Celso Guevarra, the diocese has continuously spread its branches far and wide. The number of parishes increased from 13 to 25. In each of these parishes, one can find many concerned, committed and generous lay leaders. Together with their parish priests, not only have they renovated and/or totally rebuilt their parish churches and convents but are actively responding to the never-ending demands of evangelization. The major diocesan commissions, which have been established, introduced new and various apostolates in the diocese and in the parishes.

The inspiring words and assuring presence of Honesto Ongtioco, who succeeded Bishop Celso, guided the young diocese as it celebrated its 25th anniversary and as it responded to the call of Pope John Paul II at the beginning of the third millennium, “Duc in Altum.” His kindness and charity allowed the various branches of the diocesan tree to grow in different directions in pursuit of his plan to convoke a Diocesan Pastoral Assembly. However, God has other and better plans both for Bishop Ongtioco and the diocese of Balanga. Bishop Ongtioco has just laid the foundation for the realization of his vision when he was installed to lead the new Diocese of Cubao in Quezon City on August 28, 2003.

During the tenure of Socrates Villegas as the diocese's third bishop in 2004, the annual celebration Mt. Samat Pilgrimage, held on November or December of the year, was started. It has the theme song titled "Bataan: Bayani at Banal" written by Villegas and music by Ryan Cayabyab.

In 2006, the Diocesan Schools of Bataan (DSOB) was established to integrate the Catholic schools in Bataan into the diocese.

On December 8, 2008, Clinica Diocesano de San Jose, the diocese's clinic, was founded which is a weekly medical and dental mission for the poor people of Bataan.

The diocese will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025. Its logo was unveiled on a celebration of the diocese's 48th canonical erection anniversary and Dedication of Saint Joseph Cathedral celebrated by its bishop Ruperto Santos and Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga Florentino Lavarias.

Diocesan coat-of-arms

The miter symbolizes the pastoral authority of a bishop, which he will be exercising within the diocese's jurisdiction which is the entire province of Bataan.

The three long-stemmed lilies, symbols of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the cathedral. According to Myth the staves of the many suitors of the Blessed Virgin Mary were gathered in the temple; the staff of Joseph bloomed to signify that he was the one chosen by God to be the head of the Holy Family. Blue signifies peace, justice and tranquility. Joseph was called "just" by the Gospel. He was a placid and silent man, too.^[2]

The three youths reading books. Bataan, the civil province co-terminus with the Diocese, means the Land of the Youth, the hope of the Fatherland. The books being read by each are respectively marked VIA, meaning Christ The Way; VERITAS, meaning Christ The Truth; and VITA, meaning Christ The Life. Overhead is the golden sun with the letters IHS, meaning Jesus. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "I am the Light of the world" (John 8:12; 9:5). He is the "real light that comes into the world and shines on all men" (John 1:9). He is the Lamb, the lamp of the Celestial Jerusalem (Revelation 21:23), the Sun of Justice (Malachi 4:2). He also said, "I am The Way, I am The Truth, I am The Life" (John 14:6). So in the light of Christ that is explained by the church, we must study and follow and live Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. This study entails seriousness, this following of Christ means patience, this living of Christ requires perseverance—virtues signified by the red color.^[3]

50th Anniversary coat of arms

The coat of arms for the diocese's 50th anniversary also has a miter which symbolizes the bishop's pastoral authority which will be exercising within the province of Bataan and three-stemmed lilies which is the symbol of Saint Joseph.

The three red crosses symbolizes the

Schools

The Diocese of Balanga has 11 schools as of 2017, with 10 are operated by the diocese's Diocesan Schools of Bataan (DSOB) under its superintendents, as of June 2024, Fr. Roy Guila and Fr. Edgardo Sigua, and assistant Fr. Alwin B. Bobis.

• St. Catherine of Siena Academy, Samal (1960)
• St. John Academy, Dinalupihan (1960)
• Holy Rosary Parochial Institute, Orani (1963)
• St. Michael the Archangel Academy, Orion (1982)
• St. Nicholas Catholic School of Mariveles (1984)
• Our Lady of the Pillar Parochial School, Morong (1992)
• St. Peter of Verona Academy, Hermosa (1998)
• St. Joseph's College of Balanga City, Upper Tuyo Balanga City (2006)
• Blessed Regina Protmann Catholic School, Mt. View, Mariveles (2007)
• St. James Catholic School of Morong (2008)
• Virgen Milagrosa Del Rosario College Seminary (2015)
• Colegio Santa Catarina de Alexandria, Bagac (2017)

Bishops and sede vacante administrators

Bishops of Balanga

No.		Name	Tenure started	Tenure ended	Length	Coat of arms
1		Celso Nogoy Guevarra	November 8, 1975	June 18, 1998 (Retired)	22 years, 7 months, 10 days (8,258 days)
2		Honesto Flores Ongtioco	June 18, 1998	August 28, 2003 (Transferred to Diocese of Cubao)	5 years, 2 months, 10 days (1,897 days)
3		Socrates Buenaventura Villegas	May 3, 2004 (Installed July 3, 2004)	November 4, 2009 (Transferred to Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan )	5 years, 6 months, 1 day (2,011 days)
4		Ruperto Cruz Santos	April 1, 2010 (Installed July 8, 2010)	July 22, 2023 (Transferred to Diocese of Antipolo)	13 years, 3 months, 21 days (4,860 days)

Sede vacante administrators (without an appointed bishop and bishop-elect period)

Name	Preceding Installed Bishop	Sede Vacante Length (without an appointed bishop)	Sede Vacante and Bishop-Elect Period Length where the diocese already have a bishop but before assuming office or installation and Succeeding Installed Bishop	Overall Sede Vacante Length (period without a bishop in office)
Antonio "Tony" S. Dumaual — died July 21, 2023 and funeral July 31, 2023	Honesto Flores Ongtioco (August 28, 2003)	8 months, 5 days (246 days) (August 28, 2003–May 3, 2004)	2 months (61 days) (May 3–July 3, 2004) (Socrates Buenaventura Villegas)	10 months, 5 days (310 days)
Victor de la Cruz Ocampo (later Bishop of Gumaca, Quezon) — died March 16, 2023 and funeral March 27, 2023	Socrates Buenaventura Villegas (November 4, 2009)	4 months, 28 days (148 days) (November 4, 2009–April 1, 2010)	3 months, 7 days (98 days) (April 1–July 8, 2010) (Ruperto Cruz Santos)	8 months, 4 days (246 days)
Florentino Galang Lavarias (Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga)	Ruperto Cruz Santos (July 22, 2023)	TBA	TBA	TBA

Timeline

Priests of the diocese who became bishops

• Victor C. Ocampo, became Bishop of Gumaca on September 3, 2015.

See also

• Catholic Church in the Philippines
• List of Catholic dioceses in the Philippines

References