Pope appoints third Pinoy bishop in US

Msgr. Anthony Celino —PHOTO FROM DIOCESE OF EL PASO

Pope Francis has appointed a third Filipino-American bishop in the United States.

Msgr. Anthony Celino, a Filipino immigrant born in Anda, Pangasinan, was named auxiliary bishop of the US diocese of El Paso in Texas.

Currently the pastor of St. Raphael Parish in El Paso, Celino will be the diocese’s first auxiliary bishop since its establishment in 1914.

His episcopal ordination is scheduled on March 31 at St. Patrick Cathedral in El Paso.

Celino migrated to the El Paso area after he finished his studies in philosophy at the Mary Help of Christians Seminary in Dagupan City in 1993.

He pursued theology studies at University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois.

After Celino was ordained as a priest in 1997, he was assigned as a parochial vicar in Texas.

The two other Filipino-American bishops in the United States are Bishop Oscar Solis of Salt Lake City and Auxiliary Bishop Alejandro Aclan of Los Angeles.

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