Roman Catholic church in Masbate, Philippines From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Saint Anthony of Padua Cathedral, commonly known as Masbate Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic church located along Quezon Street in Masbate City, Masbate, Philippines. Founded in 1578 by Spanish missionaries, it is presently the cathedral or seat of the Diocese of Masbate. The present pastor and rector of the cathedral is Rev. Fr. Ely M. Alvarez.
| Masbate Cathedral | |
|---|---|
| Saint Anthony of Padua Cathedral | |
 Cathedral facade in 2010 | |
.svg)  Masbate Cathedral Location in Luzon island group .svg) Masbate Cathedral Location in the Philippines | |
| 12°22′07″N 123°37′08″E | |
| Location | Masbate City, Masbate |
| Country | Philippines |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1578 |
| Dedication | Saint Anthony of Padua |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Church building |
| Style | Baroque |
| Administration | |
| Division | Vicariate of Saint Anthony of Padua |
| Archdiocese | Caceres |
| Diocese | Masbate |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Jose Salmorin Bantolo |
| Rector | Fr. Ely M. Alvarez |
The parish was founded in 1578 by Spanish missionaries, who placed the new church under the patronage of the Archdiocese of Nueva España. With the canonical erection of the first local church in the Philippines in 1581, it became part of the Diocese of Manila. In 1595, it became part of the newly established Diocese of Nueva Cáceres when the Bicol region was given its own local church. In 1951, the parish became part of the newly erected Diocese of Sorsogon, of which the Most Rev. Teopisto Alberto was its first bishop. Then parish priest Msgr. Arnulfo Arcilla (later made bishop of Sorsogon) laid down the foundation of the first structures of the cathedral-parish in 1954. On March 23, 1968, the civil province of Masbate was declared an independent diocese from Sorsogon, and Saint Anthony of Padua Parish was made the cathedral or seat of the Diocese of Masbate.
A major repair on the building was done during the administration of the first Bishop of Masbate, the Most Rev. Porfirio R. Iligan. Expansions and other improvements followed later under the supervision of its succeeding cathedral rectors. The present cathedral structure preserves the center floor, the aisle, and some vestiges of the cross-shaped part of the ceiling as a result of Bishop Joel Baylon's call for church renovation. The cathedral was blessed and dedicated on September 25, 2004.
Below is the recent list of parish priests / cathedral rectors.
| Name | Years of Pastorship | Present Assignment |
|---|---|---|
| Most Rev. Arnulfo Arcilla | - 1959 | deceased Bishop-emeritus of Sorsogon |
| Most Rev. Vicente Ataviado | 1959 to 1968 | deceased Bishop of Maasin |
| Rev. Msgr. Ernesto Villaroya, P.C. | - 1988 | in the United States |
| Rev. Msgr. Claro V. Caluya III, H.P. (Msgr. Boy) | 1988 to 1999 | Resident Priest, Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish (Mobo, Masbate) |
| Rev. Msgr. Quintin C. Ferraren Jr., H.P. | 1999 to 2004 | retired |
| Rev. Msgr. Aquino T. Atendido, H.P. | 2004 to 2009 | retired |
| Rev. Msgr. Ismael B. Misolas, P.C. | 2009 to 2014 | Retired Guest Priest of Mary Immaculate Parish, also known as "Nature Church" |
| Rev. Fr. Lorenzo V. Bautista | 2014 to 2019 | Parish Priest of St. Patrick Parish |
| Rev. Fr. Ely Alvarez | 2019-present | current Rector |
Media related to Masbate Cathedral at Wikimedia Commons
