Pope names 3rd Pinoy auxiliary bishop in US

by roBertzon ramirez Philstar.com

MANILA — Pope Francis has appointed Monsignor Anthony Celino as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of El Paso, making him the third Filipino immigrant to be appointed bishop in the United States.

MANILA — Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile expressed gratitude to well-wishers as he turned 99 on Tuesday, February 14 Valentine’s Day.

“To everyone who greeted me or will greet me on my 99 years on this planet, thank you very, very much, and happy Valentine’s Day to all of you. I love you all,” the former Senate president wrote on his Facebook page.

Enrile added in his post: “99 years are, indeed, long in term of years, and I thank

News of Celino’s appointment was reported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in its website on Thursday, February 9.

The article stated that Celino, currently the pastor of St. Raphael Parish and judicial vicar of El Paso, will be the diocese’s first auxiliary bishop since its establishment in 1914.

El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for appointing Celino to the diocese.

“He brings a unique experience as a Filipino immigrant serving our border community as a priest for the past 25 years, a steadfast dedication to pastoral ministry, and fidelity to the Gospel,” Seitz said of Celino.

Born in Anda, Pangasinan, Celino finished his studies in Philosophy at the Mary Help of Christians Seminary in Dagupan City in 1993.

He migrated to El Paso and pursued his theology studies at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, leading to his ordination as a priest in 1997.

The bishop-elect’s episcopal ordination will be on March 31 at the St. Patrick Cathedral in El Paso, Texas.

Earlier, the pope had appointed fellow Filipino-American Bishops Oscar Solis in Salt Lake City and Auxiliary Bishop Alejandro Aclan in Los Angeles. n