Philippines: San Pablo bishop-elect Maralit to address poverty, secularization, family issues

Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit, Jr., recently appointed as the Bishop of San Pablo, has identified three pressing concerns that he plans to address in his new diocese: poverty, increasing secularization, and issues affecting the family.

Maralit will soon take on the responsibility of overseeing the sprawling Diocese of San Pablo, which encompasses both urban and rural areas.

As he prepares to lead a larger number of priests and parishes, he recognizes the complexities that come with serving a diverse population.

"San Pablo diocese is like that," Maralit said in an exclusive interview with Fr. Kasmir of RVA News. "It has cities, but it also has towns and villages near the mountains, even bordering other provinces. Just that reality alone is a very complicated one."

Laguna, which forms the Diocese of San Pablo, includes six cities and 24 municipalities, making it the fourth most populous province in the Philippines, with over 3.3 million residents according to the 2020 census.

The region is also home to 24 mountains, most of which are inactive volcanoes.

Maralit acknowledged that the diocese comprises both affluent and economically disadvantaged communities, and that the challenges of poverty vary between these areas.

He noted that addressing rural poverty might be more straightforward than tackling urban poverty.

"In rural areas, you teach people to plant, and they have something to eat," Maralit explained. "But in urban areas, it's a different thing. You have to face those realities."

Beyond poverty, Maralit is also concerned about the growing trend toward secularization, particularly among younger generations.

"I think the Diocese of San Pablo is not exempt from the reality and tendency of secularization, especially among young people," Maralit observed. "So, it’s a big challenge for us as a Church."

He emphasized the need for the Church to reconnect with young people and those who have distanced themselves from religious institutions.

"Young people today are very spiritual but not very religious," he said. "They don’t want to connect with the Church anymore. They prefer to express their spirituality in their own way."

The bishop stressed that the Church must rebuild its credibility to counter the pull of secularization.

The third issue Maralit intends to focus on is the family, as concerns about divorce and broken families continue to rise.

"A lot of questions are already surfacing, like the issue of divorce and the reality of broken families," he noted. "These are challenges that can affect any Church. Strengthening the family must always be a priority."

"We have to love the poor, we have to love the young, and we also have to love the family, because it’s the foundation of the Church," Maralit continued.

As he prepares to formally assume his new role, Maralit remains committed to addressing poverty, secularization, and family-related challenges in the Diocese of San Pablo.

Currently serving as the Bishop of Boac, which oversees the island province of Marinduque, Maralit expressed his deep gratitude to his priests and parishioners for their support and love throughout his nine-year tenure.