Filipino bishop assumes leadership of diocese in Cook Islands

Filipino Bishop Reynaldo Getalado on Monday assumed the leadership of the Diocese of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Getalado, 64, succeeded Bishop Paul Donoghue of the Society of Mary congregation, whose resignation was accepted by Pope Francis on 29 June.

He was formally installed as the new shepherd of the Pacific diocese during Mass at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral in the nation’s capital town of Avarua.

“With faith in Jesus Christ and with love in my heart I accept the pastoral care of the people of God in the diocese of Rarotonga,” Getalado said during the installation Mass.

“I promise to serve faithfully the Church in this diocese, to preach the Gospel, and celebrate the Eucharist,” he added.

Pope Francis appointed Getalado of the Mission Society of the Philippines as coadjutor bishop of Roratonga on 8 Dec 2023.

Getalado was ordained to the episcopate on 27 April.

According to CBCP, a coadjutor bishop is an assistant bishop with right of succession to the diocese.

Prior to his current appointment as bishop, he served as a missionary in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Tuvalu since 1987.

The Cook Islands are comprised of 15 small islands that share the same time zone as Hawaii.

A suffragan of the Archdiocese of Suva, the diocese has a population of around 14,000, about 2,574 of whom are Catholics in 15 parishes.