New bishop of Daet named

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Bishop Benjamin J. Almoneda, and has appointed Monsignor Gilbert A. Garcera as the new bishop of Daet in Camarines Norte.


Bishop Almoneda tendered his resignation, according to the mandate of Canon law, on his 75 th birthday, April 11, 2005. But the resignation was not accepted until Wednesday, April 4, 2007 – two years later. It was officially published in Rome, by the Vatican, on that day, and the news was released simultaneously in Manila by His Excellency Archbishop Fernando Filoni, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.


Monsignor Gilbert Armea Garcera is 48 years old. He was born on February 2, 1959, in Magarao, Camarines Sur. His elementary education was in Naga Parochial School, and his seminary training in Holy Rosary Seminary in Naga City. He was ordained at the age of 24 in the Naga Metropolitan cathedral. He earned his M.A. in Theology at the Ateneo de Manila University, and his Doctorate in Organizing, Planning and Development at SAIDI, in Antipolo City.


He has served as the Assistant Parish Priest in the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral; for 15 years he was rector of the Caceres Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry; and for 14 years he headed the Caceres Commission on Communications. He was Vice-Rector of the Peñafrancia Minor Basilica, Administrative Director of Radio Veritas Asia, and for three years the assistant Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.


Since the year 2004 he has been the National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies, and a member of the Supreme Committee of “Pontificie Opere Missionarie” in Vatican.


No date has been set for his ordination as Bishop, of for his installation as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Daet in Camarines Norte.


From the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila Website


CURRICULUM VITAE

Birth: February 2, 1959Magarao, Camarines Sur
Father: Celestino Borja GarceraMother: Nenita Romero Armea (+)
Ordination: May 29, 1983, Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, Naga City
Appointed Honorary Prelate: July 5, 1997


STUDIES
Elementary: Naga Parochial School, Naga City
High School: Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, Naga City
College: Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, Naga City
Graduate Studies:Holy Rosary Major Seminary, Naga City (STB)Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City (MA Theo Studies)SAIDI, Antipolo City (Doctoral, Organiztion Planning and Development)


ASSIGNMENTS
1983-1985 Assistant parish PriestNaga Metropolitan Cathedral
1985 MemberPresbyteral Council of Caceres
1987-2002 DirectorCaceres Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry
1988-2002 Caceres Commission on Communications
1991-1998 Vice-RectorPeñafrancia Minor Basilica
1991-2002 MemberArchdiocesan Pastoral Council of Caceres
1992-1995 Administrative DirectorRadio Veritas Asia
1998-2002 Parish PriestSt. Francis of Assisi ParishNaga City
2003-2005 Assistant Secretary GeneralCBCP
2004 National DirectorPontifical Missionary Societies
2005 MemberSupreme Committee of “Pontificie Opere Missionarie”Vatican City

Garcera is new Daet bishop

POPE Benedict XVI has appointed a new bishop of the Diocese of Daet in Camarines Norte after the retirement of Bishop Benjamin Almoneda.
Almoneda tendered his resignation when he turned 75 years old on April 11 last year but the Vatican accepted the resignation only last April 4.
Appointed to replace him was Msgr. Gilbert Garcera, 48, a native of Magarao, Camarines Sur, who attended Catholic elementary at the Naga Parochial School and completed his seminary training at the Holy Rosary Seminary in Naga City.
At 24, Garcera was ordained a priest at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral and he holds a master’s degree in theology from the Ateneo de Manila University and doctor’s degree in organizational planning and development at the Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Institute in Antipolo City.
Garcera has served as the assistant parish priest in the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral and was rector of the Caceres Archdiocesan Catechetical Ministry for 15 years. Thereafter he headed the Caceres Commission on Communications.
He also was vice rector of the Penancia Minor Basilica, administrative director of Radio Veritas Asia and, for three years, assistant secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
Since 2004, Garcera has been the national director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies, and a member of the Supreme Committee of “Pontificie Opere Missionarie” in the Vatican.
There is still no date for his ordination as bishop or his episcopal installation in Daet.

Dennis Carcamo

Diocese of Daet

The Diocese of Daet is the principal seat of the Disciples of Hope. In this diocese the community runs a 126-year old Saint Vincent Ferrer Church in the town of San Vicente, Camarines Norte. The parish also administers a High School. Fr. Alejandro Cabonelas, its present Pastor, provides pastoral care to the hospitals in the nearby Daet town. The Mother House of the Disciples of Hope is located in this parish.