Bulakenyos pay homage to the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Malolos

CITY OF MALOLOS- Thousands of Bulakenyos joyfully welcomed Most Reverend Dennis C. Villarojo as he was installed as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Malolos during his Canonical Installation yesterday at the Cathedral-Basilica Minore of the Immaculate Conception in this city.

At 8 am, the new bishop arrived at the historic Barasoain Church where he rode a pick-up that paraded him up to the Cathedral where the Malolos clergy waited for him and Governor Daniel R. Fernando handed over to him the symbolic key.

During his message, the newly-installed bishop of Malolos compared his episcopal motto “Consolamini Popvle Mevs” or “Be consoled my people” to a cotton where the name of the province was derived and which is part of his coat of arms.

“Yaon ang gamit ng bulak, pahirin ang mga sugat, linisin ang mga marumi at pahintuin ang daloy ng dugo. Ginagawa ito ng bulak sa pamamagitan ng pag-absorb ng luha at dugo. Hindi ba at ganito rin ang Panginoon, ang i-absorb sa kanyang sarili ang pighati ng sangkatuhan upang mahilom ang ating mga sugat. By His wounds, we are healed,” Bishop Villarojo said.

In his homily, His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, reiterated how the love of God can console and comfort His people.

“In the midst of unspeakable sorrow, the sorrow brought about by violence, by harsh words, by biting criticism, the distraction of the name of the people, and in faith we will say, God will come, God the shepherd. God will console you,” Cardinal Tagle said.

Meanwhile, Apostolic Nuncio in the Philippines Most Rev. Gabriele Giordano Caccia thanked Most Rev. Honesto F. Ongtiongco for being the Apostolic Administrator of the diocese for a year.

Before being the bishop of Malolos, Bishop Villarojo served as the personal secretary to His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and also as Auxiliary Bishop, Titular Bishop of Gisipa in the Archdiocese of Cebu.