libmanan.com

The several events in the reorganization of Ecclesiastical territories in the local Churches of Bicol has been helpful in the continuous evangelization of the Bicolanos. The Ecclesiastical territories have become relatively smaller than before. However, a growing Catholic population is prevailing in the Philippines particularly in the Archdiocese of Caceres. The need for more efficient pastoral ministry and administration became a pressing demand. To solve the problem, the Most Rev. Leonardo Z. Legaspi, O.P., D.D., Archbishop of Caceres, wrote a petition letter to his Holiness Pope John Paul II dated January 12, 1989 requesting him to create a new Ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the form of a prelature from the Archdiocese of Caceres.

The Apostolic Nuncio, Most Rev. Bruno Torpigliani reviewed the petition letter by Archbishop Legaspi. Acceding to his request, the Nuncio wrote a letter of recommendation to the Holy Father. On December 9, 1989, Pope John Paul II approved the petition. Through the Apostolic Letter Philippinis in Insulis, sixteen parishes were separated from the Archdiocese of Caceres to create a prelature to be known henceforth as the Prelature of Libmanan.[1] The new Prelature was canonically erected on March 19, 1990, as a Suffragan of Caceres with the first Bishop, Most Rev. Prospero N. Arellano, D.D.[2]

The new Prelature of Libmanan comprised sixteen parishes in the eleven municipalities namely: St. Rita de Cascia, Del Gallego; San Lorenzo Ruiz, Godofredo Reyes, Sr., Ragay; Most Holy Trinity, Ragay; St. Peter Baptist, Lupi; St. Pius X, Villazar, Sipocot; St. John the Baptist, Sipocot; St. Paschal Baylon, Barcelonita, Cabusao; St. Bernardine of Siena, Cabusao; St. James the Apostle, Libmanan; Our Lady of Pillar, San Isidro, Libmanan; St. Vincent Ferrer, San Vicente, Libmanan; St. Rose of Liman, Pasacao; St. Michael the Archangel, Pamplona; St. John the Baptist, San Fernando; St. Joseph, Milaor; and Sts. Philip and James, Minalabac. These sixteen parishes were divided into five vicariates[3] with three Episcopal Vicars.

The new Prelature has one bishop, twenty diocesan priests and one religious priest. All of them are Filipinos and natives of Camarines Sur. There are fourteen religious sisters in the Prelature of Libmanan – six from the Daughters of Mary, five from the Dominican Sisters of Siena, and three from St. Paul Sisters of Chartes.

[1] The name Libmanan is taken from the Municipal Town name in Camarines Sur where the seat of the Bishop is located.

[2] Pope John Paul II, “Philippinis in Insulis,” ‘L’ Osservatore Romano (Rome), December 19, 1989, 10. The article contains the Bull of Election and Appointment of Msgr. Propero N. Arellano as the first Bishop-Prelate of the Prelature of Libmanan. The canonical inauguration of the Prelature of Libmanan and the ordination to the Episcopacy of Msgr. Prospero N. Arellano took place in St. James the Apostle Cathedral on March 19, 1990 with Most Rev. Bruno Torpigliani as the main consecrating Bishop and Bishops Concordio Sarte and Benjamin Almoneda of the Dioceses of Legazpi and Daet respectively as the co-consecrators. See The Acts of Consecration for Episcopacy of Msgr. Prospero N. Arellano.

[3] The number of parishes (16) is based on the time when the Prelature of Libmanan was canonically erected in 1990. As of 2006, the Prelature of Libmanan has increased into 22 parishes. See the Diocesan Organizational Chart.