As published by the Bohol Chronicle
Pope Benedict XVI appointed the first Boholano to assume the post as Apostolic Nuncio, an appointment which to the lay man means Ambassador of the Vatican State to a state with which it maintains diplomatic ties. He is the 4th Filipino to be appointed to such high position in the Church
Church diplomat Monsignor Bernardito C. Auza, 48, from Talibon town, was until recently First Counsellor or Deputy Head of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York, was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the independent republic of Haiti in the Caribbean. Haiti occupies a third of the island of Hispaniola which it shares with the Dominican Republic.
His stint in New York from 2006-2008 involved preparations for the highly successful visit of the Holy Father to the United States last month. Earlier in 1999-2006 Mons. Auza was assigned Counsellor at the Vatican Section for Relations with States (Foreign Ministry). Now as Apostolic Nuncio, he is bestowed the dignity of an Archbishop. From New York the 48-yr old diplomat flew to Rome after his recent appointment was published by the Holy See. He is to prepare for his consecration which may take place early July.
Archbishop Barney was born on June 10, 1959 in Balintawak, Talibon, Bohol to the couple Meliton G. Auza and Magdalena P. Cleofas, the 8th of twelve children. Having finished Elementary Grades in Talibon, he entered the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Taloto, Tagbilaran. After high school, he proceeded to the University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary, finishing his Philosophy studies in 1981 and his Theology in 1986. Aside from obtaining his Licentiate in Philosophy and Theology, he also obtained the degree of Master of Arts in Education in the same year 1986.
His ordination as priest of the Diocese of Tagbilaran in 1985 was held in San Francisco, California where most of the Auza siblings migrated. Not long after, the young priest joined the Diocese of Talibon during its foundation in 1986 but did not stay long. As scholar he was sent to the University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome where he obtained the Licentiate in Canon Law in 1989 and to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy (Vatican Diplomatic School) where he finished his Diplomatic Studies in 1990.
He served as Secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature in Madagascar and Mauritius in 1990-93 and in Bulgaria in 1993-96. He was Counsellor in Albania in 1997-98 with a stint in the United Kingdom as Charge d'Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in London.
Gradually, his diplomatic skills were noticed by the Holy See which assigned him to more sensitive missions. His present appointment to the troubled French-speaking republic of Haiti where 80% of its population is Roman Catholic is obviously a mission of great importance.
Archbishop Auza is the fourth Filipino appointed by the Vatican to head a Nunciature. The first to be named Apostolic Nuncio is Archbishop Oswaldo Padilla, now in Korea.
The third is his younger brother, Archbishop Francisco Padilla, now in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The second is Archbishop Adolfo Yllana currently in Pakistan.
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