Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Vincente Navarra, 77, and has appointed Kabankalan Bishop Patricio Buzon, 66, to replace him as head of the Diocese of Bacolod, the Vatican announced at 6 p.m. yesterday. Buzon, who has served as Bishop of Kabankalan for 13 years, told the DAILY STAR he was humbled by his new appointment. He was informed of his appointment on May 6, but it was only officially announced by the Vatican yesterday, Buzon said. Buzon said he will be installed as bishop of Bacolod sometime in July.A new bishop of Kabankalan has yet to be named, Buzon said. Navarra, who resigned as bishop because he has reach retirement age, said “Indeed God is so good in giving of Bacolod a new bishop, who can lead His people in these turbulent times of the Church, but laden with but with abundant graces.” “I urge our elegy, our religious and our lay people to pray for our new bishop,” Navarra said.San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said the appointment of Buzon was announced yesterday on the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians” special for Salesians and Bishop Buzon being one. I take it as Mary’s help. I’m hopeful Bishop Buzon is a gift of Mary to the diocese of Bacolod, Being appointed in the extraordinary jubilee of mercy.” Alminaza said he is sure Buzon will embody the grace desired in this jubilee. “Having been in Negros for a time he is aware of the situation and I’m sure he’ll be able to lead the local church where previous bishops, especially Bishop Navarra, have left off. Kabankalan’s loss Bacolod’s gain. Buzon, was born March 14, 1950, in Cebu City, where he finished elementary education at the Asilo de la Milagrosa school. He entered the Don Bosco Academy High school in San Fernando, Pampanga and later the University of Santo Thomas in Manila where he got his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Education, majoring in Electricity. He completed his Bachelor of sacred Theology in the same university, the Vatican said in its announcement. His first religious profession in the Salesian order was on June 29, 1967, and his perpetual profession was on May 24, 1973, the Vatican added. A year after Buzon’s priestly ordination on Dec. 8, 1976, he become the spiritual moderator of Don Bosco Missionary Seminary in Talisay , Cebu(1997-1982) and later served as its rector (1982-1992). He was also rector of Don Bosco Technical High School in Punta Princesa, Cebu (1988-1992). For five years from 1992, he was his Salesian province’s vice-provincial. Before his ordination as bishop on February 19, 2003. At Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Punta Princesa , he served as provincial of the Salesians’ Mary Help Christians Province-South. On March 12.2003 he, was installed as the second bishop of the Diocese of Kabankalan . He is a member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Espiscopal Commission Seminary Alumni Association. (Visayan Daily Star, May 25, 2016)
The good Bishop also got his degree of Master of Arts in Education Major in Guidance and Counseling from UNO-R in 2012.