Masbate Cathedral

Saint Anthony of Padua Cathedral Parish
Location	Quezon St., Masbate City, Masbate Province 5400
Country	Philippines
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Founded	1578
Dedication	Saint Anthony of Padua
Administration
Diocese	Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate
Province	Archdiocese of Caceres
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Rev. Jose Bantolo, DD
Pastor(s)	Rev. Ismael "Maeng" B. Misolas, PC (cathedral rector)

Masbate Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral-Parish of Saint Anthony of Padua, is a Roman Catholic church located on Quezon Street in Masbate City, Masbate Province, the Philippines. It is the cathedral or seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate.

It belongs to the Vicariate of St. Anthony of Padua, which includes also Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Malinta, Masbate City and St. Nicholas of Tolentino Parish in Mobo. It was founded in 1578 by Spanish Missionaries. The present rector of the cathedral is Rev. Ismael B. Misolas.

History

It was founded in 1578 by Spanish Missionaries.

In 1951, the parish became a part of the newly erected Roman Catholic Diocese of Sorsogon, of which Rev. Teopisto Alberto was its first Bishop. Then parish priest Msgr. Arnulfo Arcilla (later made bishop of Sorsogon) laid down the foundation of the first structures of the cathedral-parish in 1954. On March 23, 1968, the civil province of Masbate was declared an independent diocese from Sorsogon, and St. Anthony of Padua Parish was made the cathedral or seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate.

A major repair on the building was done during the administration of the first Bishop of Masbate, Rev. Porfirio R. Iligan. Expansions and other improvements followed later under the supervision of its succeeding cathedral rectors.

The present Cathedral is almost a re-construction, and no mere renovation of the old one. Its center floor and isle was of course preserved as well as some vestiges of the cross-shaped part of the ceiling. Msgr. Joel Z. Baylon, the second successor to Episcopacy in the Diocese of Masbate, initiated this venture and was supported by Msgr. Quintin Feraren Jr., together with all the parish priests and faithful here and abroad. The Cathedral was blessed and dedicated on September 25, 2004.

Ecclesiastical Territory

St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral-Parish is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate, canonically erected on September 23, 1968.

Crypt of Rev. Porfirio R. Iligan.

Pastors

Below is the recent list of parish priests / cathedral rectors.

Name	Years of Pastorship	Present Assignment
Rev. Arnulfo Arcilla	? to 1959	deceased Bishop-emeritus of Sorsogon
Rev. Vicente Ataviado	1959 to 1968	deceased Bishop-emeritus of Maasin
Rev. Ernesto Villaroya	? to 1988	in the United States
Rev. Claro V. Caluya III	1988 to 1999	St. Anthony of Padua High School Seminary (Kinamaligan, Masbate City)
Rev. Quintin Feraren Jr.	1999 to 2004	St. Nicholas of Tolentino Parish (Mobo, Masbate)
Rev. Aquino T. Atendido	2004 to 2009	Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish (Palanas, Masbate)
Rev. Ismael B. Misolas	2009–present

See also

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate

External links

• Diocese of Masbate

Resources

• The 2010–2011 Catholic Directory of the Philippines (published by Claretian Publications for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, June 2010)