United Methodist bishops elected in Philippines
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The Rev. Rodolfo Alfonso Juan
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Nov. 24, 2008 | MANILA, Philippines (UMNS)
United Methodists in the Philippines have elected two new bishops and
re-elected a third while celebrating their 100th anniversary as an
annual conference of The United Methodist Church.
The Rev. Rodolfo Alfonso Juan was chosen on the seventh ballot, while
the Rev. Lito Cabacungan Tangonan was elected in the 11th round of
voting. Their four-year terms begin on Jan. 1.
Bishop Leo Soriano was re-elected on the 22nd ballot early in the morning hours of Nov. 24.
The elections occurred as the United Methodist Philippines Central
Conference met Nov. 19-24 in Manila, with 496 delegates equally divided
between clergy and laity. U.S. Bishop Warner Brown Jr. of the Denver
Area presided over the proceedings.
Following the episcopal elections, Juan was assigned to Baguio Episcopal
Area, replacing Bishop Benjamin Justo. Tangonan will oversee the Manila
Episcopal Area, replacing Bishop Solito Toquero. Soriano was reassigned
to the Davao Episcopal Area.
Juan, 47, currently is on special appointment as chaplain of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines at a base in Fort Bonifacio. He was born in
Baggao, Cagayan, and is married to Lurleen Lapuz, an optometrist. They
have two children, Rudolph James, 14, and Pearl, 7 months.
Tangonan, 51, the district superintendent of Quezon City District of the
Philippines Annual Conference East, is from San Mateo, Isabela. His
wife, Jeanne Grace Domingo, is the internal auditor for Wesleyan
University in the Philippines. They have one child, Kerussein Shalom,
18.
Promoting justice
Justice Reynato Puno, a United Methodist who is chief justice of the
Philippine Supreme Court, used the backdrop of the conference to call
for urgent action to address human rights violations in the Philippines.
Puno has questioned the roles of the Filipino government and military in
hundreds of deaths and abductions in the Philippines. Many of the
victims have been church workers who support the poor. "Telling the
truth requires courage," he said.
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The Rev. Lito Cabacungan Tangonan
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He called for Christianity not to be a ritual of righteousness.
"Jesus did not take up 'baby steps' against oppression, and he
challenged injustice," Puno said. "It is power that can move. … It is
power that can bring change. … Christ is truth that frees people from
oppression and greed."
Other conference business included the first Young People’s Address,
which focused on calls for opportunities for growth; the prioritizing of
Christian education; empowerment of lay and clergy together;
empowerment of the poor; and creation of comprehensive national
programs.
The conference was able to reach Filipinos outside of the country by
offering live video and audio streaming of proceedings online.
"As we move forward in the 21st century, we are faced with the realities
of increasing Filipino migration and globalization alongside the
breakneck speed of technological breakthroughs and innovations," the
conference explained on its Web site.
"While the message of Methodism remains the same, the mode of
communications and the way people relate with each other have changed.
This is the age of instant messaging and chatting, of blogs and Web
sites, of e-mails and the Information Superhighway."
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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Resources
Philippine Methodism
Philippines Episcopal Areas
Episcopal Elections
Philippines: Faith and Justice
Philippines: Mercy and Mission |
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