New bishop of Mati named

DAVAO City —The second bishop of Mati has been named.Msgr. Abel Apigo, rector of St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary is the new bishop-elect of Mati.The announcement was made after a Holy Mass celebrated as part the 8th annual gathering of Friends of REMASE, a group formed to support the studies of seminarians in Mindanao.The communiqué signed by Apostolic Nuncio Gabriele Caccia, was read by REMASE vice rector, Fr. Reynaldo Retardo. It’s really a grace of God to be chosen as the shepherd of the local church of Mati, said Apigo in an interview with CBCPNews.Apigo will be the second bishop of Mati since the retirement of former Mati Bishop Patricio Alo due to health reasons.Born in Calinan, Davao City on May 21, 1968, the bishop-elect of Davaowas ordained a priest on April 18, 1994.He served in various capacities at the Regional Seminary of St. Francis Xavier of Davaoand pastoral director (1996-1997), professor (2000-2001), coordinator (2001-2002), vice rector and dean (2002-2006), before becoming its rector in 2006.Apigo obtained a licentiate in Church history from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, in 2000.In 2014, Apigo was appointed episcopal vicar for the clergy of the diocese.CBCPNews