Pope appoints new bishop in Tagum, the Philippines

Pope Francis on Saturday appointed a new bishop in the southern Philippines. Fr. Medil S. Aseo is the new bishop of Tagum Diocese.  

Currently a missionary in the United States, in the parish of St. Mary, Greensburgh, Pennsylvania, Fr. Aseo is taking over from Bishop Wilfredo D. Manlapaz, who reached the canonical retirement age of 75 two years ago. 

Fr. Aseo was born in Maniki, Kapaong, Davao del Norte, in the diocese of Tagum, on June 27, 1954.  After his high school and philosophy course at St. Francis Xavier College Seminary in Davao City, he studied theology at St. Francis Xavier Regional major seminary in the same city.  

Subsequently, between 1988 and 1991, he did his post graduate studies at the Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM) at Loyola School of Theology at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippine capital. 

He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Tagum, on April 7, 1979.   Since then, he has been entrusted with the following responsibilities:

1979-1980            Assistant Parish Priest at St. Niño parish in Panabo

1980-983             Parish Priest first in Manay and then in Cateel in Davao Oriental.

1983-1985            Vice-Rector and Procurator at the College seminary in Tagum

1986-1988            Parish priest in Maragusan, in Davao del Norte

1988-1991            Post graduate studies at the Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM) at Loyola School of Theology at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippine capital. He completed  his studies between 1996 and 1999.

1991-1996            Parish priest at Panabo, diocesan director of the family apostolate, Vicar Foraneo and member of the College of Consultors

1999-2003           He studied at the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Center House in Davao City

2003-2006           Chaplain to Filipino seamen in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, Great Britain

2006-2007          Parish priest of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Nabuturun, Compostela Valley in Davao

2008-2015           Member of the Galilee Centre for Priests in Tagatay City

2016-2017            Vice administrator of the Parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Tagum City

Since 2017           On mission to St. Mary’s Parish in the Diocese of Greensburgh, Pennsylvania (U.S.A.)