Pope names new military bishop

Pope Francis has named a Cebu prelate as the new military ordinary of the Philippines.

Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio will be the seventh bishop of the military ordinariate which has been “sede vacante” for nearly two years now.

Florencio, 53, will succeed Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak who passed away in June 2017.

The appointment was made public in Rome at 12 noon (7pm local time) on Saturday, March 2.

Born in Capoocan town in Leyte province, Florencio was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Palo on April 3, 1990.

The bishop holds a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.

In 2015, he was named Cebu auxiliary bishop, making him the first priest from the Palo archdiocese to be elevated to the episcopacy in 28 years.

In June 2017, the Cebu prelate was appointed as the concurrent apostolic administrator of the military diocese.

As military ordinary, Florencio is responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the country’s military, police, coast guard units and prison service.