Philippines Oriental Mindoro bishop announces general reshuffling of priests

Oriental Mindoro Bishop Moises Cuevas, D.D., announced on Friday the administrative decree titled "Conferment of New Assignments to Ecclesiastical Offices of Priests for the General Reshuffle 2024."

This announcement coincided with the 1st Diocesan Eucharistic Congress. Cuevas, who was installed as bishop on September 6 last year, has been actively engaged in pastoral visitation.

“Our bishop has almost completed his pastoral visitation to the parishes, chaplaincies, and mission areas. During these visits, he engaged in consultations and dialogues with priests and lay leaders from various communities,” said Fr. John Dave Francis Pineda, personal assistant to the Bishop, in an exchange of emails.

“Importantly, he also dedicated significant time to discernment and prayer before finalizing the decree of assignment,” added Pineda.

Oriental Mindoro province has 40 parishes and mission stations that serve the indigenous Mangyan communities.

Cuevas’ predecessor, Bishop Warlito Cajandig, suffered a stroke in 2018 or six years ago. Cajandig, well remembered for his simplicity, held his post from 1989 until 2022, or 33 years

In November 2022, the Vatican announced that the pope had "liberated" Cajandig from his office for health reasons.

When Cajandig suffered a stroke in 2018 and underwent brain surgery, the pope appointed Father Nestor Adalia as apostolic administrator of the AVC.

The new assignments include the diocesan curia, episcopal vicars, seminaries, parochial schools, diocesan commissions' directors, and territorial and personal parishes, as well as religious associations.

The list of new assignments is posted on the social media page of the “Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan”.