BIBLE LIGHTS PROMOTIONS: Laguna’s new bishop veers into ‘relationships’ in the face of challenges ahead

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Laguna’s new bishop veers into ‘relationships’ in the face of challenges ahead

Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit Jr began his ministry as the new shepherd of one of the country’s largest dioceses by emphasizing the importance of relationships, both within the Church and beyond.

“It’s all about relationships,” Maralit said, reflecting on his experiences both as a priest and a bishop. “The effectiveness of one’s service depends on relationships. First and foremost, it’s a relationship with God.”

For him, this connection with God is the cornerstone of any meaningful direction in life, a foundation that he aims to nurture throughout his ministry.

Maralit on Thursday was formally installed as the fifth bishop of San Pablo in Laguna province during a solemn Mass at the Cathedral Parish of St. Paul the First Hermit.

The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Buenaventura Famadico’s resignation for health reasons in September 2023.

On the eve of his installation, local and provincial government hosted a civic reception to welcome the 55-year-old prelate.

In his address to civic leaders, he highlighted the significance of divine relationships, not only for the clergy but for all people, regardless of their religious affiliation.

“My being a bishop is a bridge, or at least a reminder, that the most important relationship we should develop, whether in the Church or in government, is first with God,” Maralit said.

Drawing on his nine years of experiences in the Diocese of Boac, the bishop spoke of the need to strengthen bonds within the Church, particularly between the clergy and the laity.

He also reiterated the Church’s call for a more synodal approach, emphasizing the need to reach out to those most marginalized in society.

“The call of the Church for a synodal Church, more than anything else, is for all of us to be able to reach out, to listen, to be one, with everyone,” Maralit said.

With a hopeful vision for his tenure, he expressed his commitment to fostering better relationships, particularly with the “last, the lost, and the least”— those who have long felt excluded from the community.

“My brother priests in the diocese, it is my hope that together we will begin to create better relationships… a community that brings hope, a community that brings love,” he said.

Maralit was installed by Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, along with Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of Pasig, who had served as the apostolic administrator of the San Pablo diocese while waiting for a new bishop.

Among those present at the Mass were more than 30 bishops, including Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, archbishop emeritus of Manila; Filipino Archbishop Ryan Jimenez of Agaña, Guam; and Bishop Emeritus Leo Drona of San Pablo.

Maralit, who previously led a small island diocese with 14 parishes, 41 priests, and a population of about 250,000, will now serve San Pablo, which has 91 parishes, 140 diocesan priests, and a population of about 4 million. Addressing the clergy, consecrated persons and lay faithful of the San Pablo, he said, “Together, let us renew hope, our relationship with God, and help others experience this hope that comes from Christ.”