By LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO
Bishop Antonio Tobias was formally installed yesterday as the new bishop of the diocese of Novaliches, replacing resigned Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr. The ceremony was held at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Fairview, Quezon City.
It was last November when the Vatican made the announcement that Pope John Paul II already accepted the resignation of then bishop of Novaliches, Teodoro Bacani. The Vatican however, clarified that with the acceptance of the latter’s resignation, Bishop Bacani still remains " a bishop in good standing.’’
But despite the Catholic Church’s official explanation, many speculated that the move of the Vatican is enough proof that it, too, believes in the sex scandal involving Bacani and his former secretary.
Finally, after two months since the announcement, Bishop Tobias will now formally head Novaliches. Tobias has been serving the diocese as Novaliches’s apostolic administrator since last June.
Tobias’ installation was led by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, who cited the role of a bishop in leading his flock.
Present during the installation were Archbishop Emeritus of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Antonio Franco, Cebu’s Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, other priests and bishops, who all attended the ceremony in support of Tobias’s new ministry.
Bishop Tobias was a former bishop of San Fernando, La Union.
