SAN PABLO City, July 25, 2010—The Bishop of Laguna is celebrating his 23rd anniversary of Episcopal Ordination on Sunday, Feast of St. James, the Apostle.

According to the Vice Chancellor of San Pablo Diocese Fr. Eugene A. Fadul, the anniversary celebration of Bishop Leo M. Drona, SDB, DD which falls on Sunday, July 25, 2010 will be highlighted with a Concelebrated Mass at the San Pablo Cathedral at 4:00 pm to be presided by the prelate himself.

Members of the clergy and religious are invited to concelebrate with the prelate and the Holy Eucharist is also open to all members of the laity and constituents in San Pablo City and the diocese.

Bishop Drona, 69, was ordained bishop July 25, 1987 and was appointed third Bishop of San Pablo Diocese on May 14, 2004. He was installed June 18, the same year.

The Laguna born prelate, according to Fr. Fadul was the First Filipino Don Bosco priest and the first Filipino Don Bosco Bishop. He was ordained priest on December 22, 1967.

Meanwhile, 90- year old Most Rev. Pedro N. Bantigue, BSE, JCD, DD, the Bishop Emeritus of San Pablo is also celebrating his 49th Episcopal Anniversary on the same day, July 25.

The Catholic Directory of the Philippines showed that Bishop Bantigue was born January 31, 1920 in Hagonoy, Bulacan and ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Manila on May 29, 1961.

He was ordained Bishop on July 25, 1961 and appointed First Bishop of San Pablo on January 26, 1967. He was installed April 18, 1967. He retired on July 12, 1995.

The elderly bishop is now under the tender loving care of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Face of Jesus (MSHFJ) and lives in the compound of the Sisters’ convent in San Pablo City. The bishop was the founder of the sisters’ group. (Fr. Romy O. Ponte)