By Leslie Aquino
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has joined the Dominican Family.Â
The rite of Palma's admission in the Priestly Fraternities of St. Dominic was held on January 23 at the chapel of the Archbishop's Palace in Cebu City with the Prior Provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines, Fr. Napoleon Sipalay Jr., OP, as presider, an article posted on the Order of Preachers website said.
Archbishop Jose Palma (Juan Carlo de Vela / MANILA BULLETIN)
According to the said article, during his thanksgiving speech, Palma affirmed his affinity with the Dominicans under whose institutions he obtained his higher education.Â
The prelate completed his Licentiate degree in Theology at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, and his Doctorate degree in Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.Â
Other members of the Dominican Family who were present to welcome Palma was his fellow bishop in the archdiocese, Most. Rev. Antonio Rañola, DD.
Other friars present were Fr. Quirico Pedregosa Jr., OP, Socius of the Provincial; Fr. Florentino Bolo Jr., OP, general promoter of the Priestly Fraternities; Fr. Louie Coronel, OP; and Fr. Dominik Jurczak, OP, a visiting friar from Poland.Â
Priests from other fraternities in the Province, secular priest-formators of the University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary, Dominican sisters working in the region, as well as friends and some students of Dominican institutions also attended.
The Chapter of St. Vincent Ferrer is one of the nine newly established local fraternities of priests in the Province of the Philippines.Â
The nine local fraternities were established on September 23, 2017, at the Convent of Santo Domingo in Quezon City, on the occasion of the visit of the Master of the Order, Fr. Bruno Cadoré, OP.Â
The chapter's current prior is Fr. Simplicio Pugasan Jr. of the Archdiocese of Cebu, and it has currently around 20 members
Palma served as president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines from 2011 to 2013.