The Archdiocese of Cebu welcomed Bishop Ruben C. Labajo as its new auxiliary bishop on August 22, feast of the Queenship of Mary.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma served as the ordaining prelate during the rite of the episcopal ordination at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in Cebu City, while the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown and Bishop Dennis Villarojo of Malolos served as co-consecrators.
The ordination was attended by more than 40 bishops, together with priests, religious and lay faithful from various parishes of the Archdiocese.
Bishop Villarojo, who served as homilist reminded Bishop Labajo to become a channel of the Lord’s blessings and to bring peace among people in all communities.
“Today, Bishop Ruben, the Lord is sending you. He is sending you as lamb among wolves. But perhaps by bridging the ruptures, you can reconcile lamb and wolf together. He asks you to bring peace to every home you visit, but perhaps you could also announce justice without which there could be no peace,” said Bishop Villarojo.
Bishop Labajo in an interview with Radio Veritas asked the faithful to include him in their prayers as he takes on his new mission as auxiliary bishop of Cebu.
“Akong hangyo nga i-ampo ko sa akong bag-ong misyon isip abag nga obispo diri sa Cebu. Magmalampuson kita sa atong misyon kung magtinabangay ta. Uban sa pangaliya sa Mahal nga Birhen ug sa tabang pod nila Archbishop Palma, Bishop Dodong ug mga pari dinhi sa archdiocese magkahiusa ta sa panon sa atong pagtoo,” Bishop Labajo told Radio Veritas.
[Hiling ko sainyo na ipagdasal ako para sa aking panibagong misyon bilang katuwang na obispo dito sa Cebu. Magtatagumpay ang ating misyon kung magtulungan tayo. Sa tulong ng panalangin ng Mahal na Birhen sa tulong din nila Archbishop (Jose) Palma, Bishop (Midyphil) Billones at sa mga pari ng Archdiocese, sama-sama at magbuklod tayo sa ating paglalakbay].
Bishop Labajo was named bishop by Pope Francis on June 23. At the time of his appointment, he was serving at the St. Francis of Assisi in Balamban Cebu and as vicar general of the archdiocese since 2019. (Jheng Prado/RCAM-AOC | Photo from the Facebook Page of Archdiocese of Cebu)
