Cagayan de Oro has new bishop

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A million Catholics in the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro and Camiguin now have a new archbishop.

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, S.J., who previously served as bishop of the Prelature of Ipil in Zamboanga del Sur, was installed as the new Cagayan de Oro archbishop at the St. Agustin Cathedral here yesterday.

Ledesma, 63, replaced Archbishop Jesus Tuquib who retired on June 22 last year after serving the archdiocese for 18 years.

Pope Benedict XVI accepted Tuquib’s resignation last March 4 and appointed Ledesma as his successor.

Ledesma is the second Jesuit to be appointed by the Holy See as archbishop of Cagayan de Oro and Camiguin.

The archdiocese’s first spiritual leader, Archbishop James Hayes, an American, was also a Jesuit.

In his first press conference, Ledesma urged his parishioners to "actively participate in the discussion of social issues."

"Speak out lay people. It is your role to be involved," he said. - Ben Serrano