Balanga bishop ordained on EDSA anniversary

Rev. Rufino Sescon was ordained Bishop of Balanga, Bataan on Tuesday in a ceremony presided over by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas at the Manila Cathedral.

Sescon, 52, was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Balanga on 3 December by Pope Francis.

A priest of 26 years, Sescon has only been serving at the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno or Quiapo Church since 2022 — his first assignment as rector as parish priest.

Sescon graduated from San Carlos Seminary, where he studied philosophy and theology, earning master's degrees in both fields.

After being ordained a priest in 1998, he served as assistant to Cardinal Jaime Sin until 2001 and secretary from 2001 until the archbishop's death in 2005.

He also served as the archdiocese's chancellor from 2008 to 2011 under Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales and from 2011 and 2015 under Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

Before being assigned to Quaipo Church, Sescon also served as chaplain of Greenbelt Chapel and priest-in-charge of Mary, Mother of Hope Chapel at Landmark, both in Makati.

He has also repeatedly served as a member of the Presbyteral Council, a body of priests required by canon law to serve as counsel to the archbishop.

In his homily, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula highlighted the importance of the EDSA People Power Revolution, which led to the ouster of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

"The history of the Philippines cannot be written without mentioning the warrior Lapu-Lapu and our martyr Jose Rizal. We cannot teach children Philippine history without them knowing the Katipunan and the valor of Bataan during the Second World War," Advincula said.

"We cannot retell our story as a people without the EDSA people power of 1986 and our history as a Catholic nation, without the voice of EDSA, Jaime Cardinal Sin. Indeed, we are standing as grateful and proud descendants of heroes and witnesses. It is our holy pride. We are proud of this heritage," he added.