Batanes left without any priest for 20 days

BASCO, Batanes — Believe it or not, but the entire province will be left without any Catholic priest for 20 days, starting today.

The reason: all six parish priests in the island-province’s six municipalities are leaving today to participate in the 4th World Meeting of Families, slated on Jan. 25-26, in Manila.

From the event, the priests will proceed to Butuan City to witness the installation of former Batanes prelate Msgr. Jose Salazar as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Agusan, on Feb. 5. From there, the priests will call on Msgr. Ernesto Salgado in Laoag City, and will be back on Feb. 8.

The Catholic hierarchy has designated Salgado, the prelate of Ilocos Norte, to oversee Batanes until a permanent replacement for Salazar is installed.

With the six priests gone for 20 days, local folk — 98 percent of whom are Roman Catholics — are concerned about the absence of religious rites should somebody die, for instance. Lay leaders may give the blessings but may not administer these rites.