Filipino priest ordained Papua New Guinea bishop by Pope Francis — CBCP

Catholics welcome Bishop Joseph Durero to the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga on Sunday. He is the third Filipino to become a bishop in the Pacific Island country. PHOTO COURTESY OF CBCP-PNG

 MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino missionary priest has been ordained bishop in Papua New Guinea by Pope Francis, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) reported on Wednesday.

Bishop Joseph Durero formally assumed his post on Sunday as the third shepherd of the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga, replacing retired Canadian Bishop Gilles Côté who served the diocese for 22 years.

Durero is the third Filipino bishop in Papua New Guinea, joining Vincentian Bishop Rolando Santos of Alotau-Sideia and Salesian Bishop Pedro Baquero of Kerema, according to CBCP.

Pope Francis on May 23 appointed Durero as bishop of Daru-Kiunga, a suffragan of the Port Moresby archdiocese.

Born in Dapa, Surigao del Norte, the 53-year-old bishop has been a missionary of the Society of the Divine Word in Papua New Guinea for more than 20 years, according to CBCP.

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