First Filipino Bishop in the Catholic Church
Jorge Barlín (April 23, 1850 – September 4, 1909) also known as Jorge Barlín Imperial, Jorge Alfonso Imperial Barlín and Jorge Barlín é Imperial following Spanish naming customs, was the first Filipino consecrated a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caceres (then called Diocese of Nueva Caceres) in the Philippines until 1909. He was the first Filipino and Bicolano bishop and was parish priest and vicar forane of Sorsogon from 1887 to 1906.
Life.
Jorge Barlín was born April 23, 1850, in Baao, Camarines Sur, the Philippines to Mateo Alfonso Barlín and Francisca Imperial.
He was ordained a priest on September 19, 1875, and consecrated a bishop on June 29, 1906, by Archbishop Ambrose Agius along with co-consecrators Archbishop Jeremiah James Harty and Bishop Frederick Zadok Rooker. "Barlín proved very capable and loyal, dealing a blow to the schismatic Iglesia Filipina Independiente by resisting its recruitment efforts and winning a court battle over church property," according to Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
He died and was interred in Rome, Italy in 1909 during an ad limina visit of the Philippine bishops. Attempts to have his body returned to the Philippines were unsuccessful.
Monuments commemorating Jorge Barlín were built in his hometown's plaza in Baao, Camarines Sur, and another called Plaza Barlin in Naga, Camarines Sur.
References.
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