Fr. James Reuter, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Social Communications (ECSC), explained that a coadjutor bishop is different from an auxiliary bishop.
He said an auxiliary bishop has no right of succession as bishop of the diocese. But if the bishop of a diocese retires, and has a coadjutor bishop, the coadjutor becomes the line bishop, automatically, he said.
Marquez’s appointment was made after the Pope accepted the request of Bishop Ruben Profugo, bishop of Lucena, for a coadjutor bishop, said Reuter.
Marquez was also the bishop of Gumaca, and will remain as the apostolic administrator of the diocese of Gumaca until the Pope names a new bishop of the diocese, the National Office of Mass Media said in a statement.– Sandy Araneta