First Boholano Nuncio in Mass Celebration

Talibon Bohol - People of this coastal town felt on top of the world as they joined yesterday a well-attended concelebrated thanksgiving mass of Archbishop Bernardito "Barney" P. Auza who was recently ordained to the Episcopacy as Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti and titular Archbishop of Suacia.

Auza, a native of this town is the first Boholano and the fourth Filipino to be ordained by Vatican to such exalted position in the Catholic Church. He was ordained by His Eminence Cardinal Tarciso Bertone, secretary of State of His Holiness at the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome last July 3.

Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was supposed to attend yesterday's mass but the archbishop opted to officiate another thanksgiving mass at the Manila Cathedral at 6 o'clock tonight where the President and other government and church leaders will attend.

Yesterday's historic event at the Blessed Trinity Cathedral was attended by church dignitaries led by His Eminence Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, the homilist, together with eight bishops, namely, Chrstian Vincent Noel, Leopoldo Tumulak, Romulo Valles, Antonieto Cabajog, Zacarias Jimenez, Juan de Dios Pueblos, Crispin Varquez and Julito Cortes. More than 50 priests, mostly from the Diocese of Talibon led by Bishop Noel and Msgr. Ignacio Reyes vicar general added color to the thanksgiving mass.

The civilian government was represented by Gov. Erico Aumentado, Rep. Roberto Cajes, Rep. Edgar Chatto and Talibon Mayor Juanario Item. Other officials present were Jagna Mayor Exuperio Lloren, president of the League of Municipalities (LMP-Bohol) and Mabini Mayor Stephen Rances, who was a former classmate of Archbishop Auza at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary.

The 49-year old Boholano nuncio traced back his roots to this quiet town where he spent his grade school at the Talibon Elementary School. He paid tribute to his parents, Meliton and Magdalena Auza, both 86 years old, a public school teacher and housewife. He is the eighth in a brood of 12.

He recalled with fond memories his high school seminary days at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHMS) in Taloto district, Tagbilaran City where he acknowledged the presence of Bishop de Dos Pueblos who was then the rector of the seminary and Rep. Cajes, his former mentor in Spanish.- The Bohol Chronicle