Pope names new Auxiliary Bishop of Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese

Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Fidelis Layog as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.

A priest of the same archdiocese, the bishop-elect is currently serving at the Our Lady of Purification Parish in Binmaley, Pangasinan.

The appointment was made public in Rome at 12 noon (7:00 p.m. local time) on Saturday, March 18.

Fr. Layog was born in Dagupan City on November 20, 1968.

He studied philosophy at Mary Help of Christians College Seminary and theology at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Vigan City.

After his priestly ordination on April 29, 1996, Layog spent the first four years of priesthood as Prefect of Discipline at the at the Mary Help of Christians High School Seminary in Dagupan City.

In 2003, he also obtained a degree in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome.

Back in the diocese, after years of study in Rome, he was:

• Parish priest of the Holy Family Parish in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan (2006-2009)
• Parish Priest of St. Peter and Paul Parish in Calasiao, Pangasinan and Vicar Forane (2011-2014)
• Director of Mapandan Catholic School (2014-2016).

Aside from being a parish priest in Binmaley, he is also the Director of St. Columban Institute of Domalandan in Lingayen, Pangasinan since 2017.

As auxiliary bishop, Layog will assist Archbishop Socrates Villegas in running the archdiocese.