Rex Andrew Clement Alarcon (born August 6, 1970) is a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church. He is the fifth Metropolitan Archbishop of Cáceres, appointed by Pope Francis in 2024 to succeed Rolando Tria Tirona. Prior to his appointment, he served as Bishop of Daet from 2019 to 2024.[1]
Rex Andrew Alarcon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Archbishop of Cáceres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Archbishop Alarcon in 2019 at Daet Cathedral | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appointed | February 22, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Installed | May 2, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Rolando J. Tria Tirona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other post(s) | Chairman, Episcopal Commission on Youth, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (2019–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Previous post(s) | Bishop of Daet (2019–2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ordination | November 9, 1996 by Leonardo Z. Legaspi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Consecration | March 19, 2019 by Rolando J. Tria Tirona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | August 6, 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Filipino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motto | Servus tuus sum (lit. 'I am your servant') | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coat of arms | .svg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ordination history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Styles of Rex Andrew Alarcon | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Archbishop |
Biography
editAlarcon, born to Juanita C. Clement and Armando A. Alarcon on August 6, 1970 in Daet, Camarines Norte, finished his grade school studies at the Naga Parochial School. He then finished his high school education and philosophy degree at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary. After being ordained to the priesthood on November 9, 1996, he attained his licentiate and master's degree in theology from the University of Santo Tomas.[2]
After ordination, he served as parochial vicar at the St. John the Evangelist Metropolitan Cathedral and Parish in Naga City, and professor-formator at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary until 1997.
From 1997 to 1999 he served as secretary to then-Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi.
From 1999 and 2001 he studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy, where he obtained his licentiate in church history.[3] Upon his return, he became a professor at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary.
Since 2002 he has been the director of the Stewardship Program of the Archdiocese of Cáceres (SPARC).[4] In 2007, he was appointed as the fourth director of his alma mater, the Naga Parochial School. Concurrently, he also served as president of the Catholic Educational Association of Cáceres and Libmanan, as well as the Bicol Association of Catholic Schools.
In 2013, Archbishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona appointed him superintendent of the Catholic schools of the archdiocese. He also served as a member of the College of Consultants, and spokesperson for the archdiocese. Since 2016 he has been chairman of the National Advocacy Commission of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines.[5]
Bishop of Daet
editAfter 22 years as a priest of the Archdiocese of Cáceres, on January 2, 2019, Pope Francis appointed him as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Daet.[5] He was the youngest bishop in the Philippines at the time of his appointment.[6] He was ordained bishop on the Feast of Saint Joseph, March 19, 2019, at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, with Adolfo Tito Yllana, Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, and Manolo A. de los Santos, Bishop of Virac, as principal co-ordaining prelates. Apostolic Nuncio Gabriele Giordano Caccia represented the Holy See.[7] Alarcon was installed a day later at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, and was attended by some 2,000 people.[8]
In May 2019, he joined the second batch of Philippine bishops who went to Rome for an Ad Limina visit to Pope Francis.[9]
Metropolitan Archbishop of Cáceres
editOn February 22, 2024, the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Pope Francis appointed Alarcon as the fifth Archbishop of Cáceres, following Rolando Tirona's resignation almost two years after reaching the mandatory resignation age of 75.[10] Alarcon was installed at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral on May 2, 2024.[11] He received the pallium — the symbol of his authority as metropolitan archbishop — from Pope Francis on June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, in Rome.[12]
References
edit- ^ "Most Rev. Rex Andrew Alarcon – the New Archbishop of Caceres". February 25, 2024.
- ^ "Fr. Rex Andrew Alarcon Ordained as Bishop". archdioceseofcaceres. March 22, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ "Philippines youngest bishop heads Daet diocese". philstar.com. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ "Pope appoints new Daet bishop". The Manila Times. January 4, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- ^ a b "Pope appoints a new bishop in Daet Diocese, the Philippines - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. January 2, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ "Meet PH's youngest bishop". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- ^ "Fr. Rex Andrew Alarcon Ordained as Bishop". archdioceseofcaceres. March 22, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ Patinio, Ferdinand. "Youngest CBCP member installed as Daet bishop". www.pna.gov.ph. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- ^ "Ad Limina - May 2019 [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- ^ "Bicol, a Filipino Catholic powerhouse, gets a new archbishop". February 22, 2024.
- ^ Lagarde, Roy (May 2, 2024). "Alarcon installed as Caceres archbishop". CBCP News. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ "Caceres archbishop receives pallium from Pope Francis". CBCP News. June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
External links
edit
Media related to Rex Andrew Alarcon at Wikimedia Commons- "Archbishop Rex Andrew Clement Alarcon". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney.
