Bishop Broderick Pabillo thanked Pope Francis for his appointment as vicar apostolic of Taytay in Palawan, a mission territory, saying it's an opportunity to be with the poor.
"I thank the Holy Father Pope Francis for his trust in entrustng to my care the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay in Palawan," he said during the Pope Day's Mass at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Monday, June 29.
"It is one of the biggest ecclesiastical jurisdictions within the Metropolitan of Manila. Barely 19 years old and I would say the poorest in terms of material resources as church. It is also challenging in terms of the location of the Christian communities crossing mountains and seas to reach them. In a word, it's a mission territory," added Pabillo.
"I thank the Holy Father that in the twilight of my life, I'm still given a chance to work on a mission territory and to live poor among the poor, the fisherfolks, the subsistence farmers and the indigenous peoples," he said.
Pabillo admits it will be a totally different engagement for him from what he has been doing for the last 15 years in the Archdiocese of Manila, but he knows God will be there for him.
"As God is here in Manila, He is also there in northern Palawan. This is the basis of my confidence," he said.
"My saying yes to this assignment is my small way of living out the Missio Ad Gentes (Mission to thr world)," added Pabillo.
In his speech, he also thanked the people in the Archdiocese of Manila and the past archbishops of Manila namely; Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle for the privileged of working by their side as auxiliary bishop.
Pabillo said although he will miss the opportunity to work directly under newly installed Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula, he knows they will continue to get his care and support in Taytay as the Metropolitan archbishop.
He also thanked Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown for facilitating his appointment and even invited him to visit Palawan.
It was the nuncio who announced his appointment to the faithful before the Mass.
"If you go to Palawan, and all of you, what you've said about experiencing the beauty of nature you will get in northern Palawan together with the simplicity of the faith of the people there," said Pabillo.
There is no word yet as to when Pabillo will be formally installed in Taytay.