Socrates Villegas
Catholic archbishop
Sócrates Buenaventura Villegas, O.P. (born September 28, 1960) is a Filipino prelate, and a professed member of the Dominican Order. He is the fifth and current Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan since November 4, 2009, and is the former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines from December 1, 2013 to November 30, 2017, previously serving as the vice president of the episcopal conference from 2011 to 2013.
A protégé of the late Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jaime Sin, Villegas previously served as rector of EDSA Shrine from December 8, 1989 to July 3, 2004, Auxiliary Bishop of Manila from August 31, 2001 to July 2004, and as the third Bishop of Balanga in Bataan from May 3, 2004 to November 4, 2009, succeeding Honesto Ongtioco who was assigned as the first Bishop of Cubao in Quezon City.
Family and education
The youngest of the three children of Emiliano Villegas and Norma Buenaventura both from Pateros, he was born on September 28, 1960, when the town was still part of Rizal province.
He went through basic education at the Pateros Elementary School, Pateros Catholic School and Colegio de San Juan de Letran. He studied for the priesthood at San Carlos Seminary with a degree Master of Arts in Theological Studies.
Ministry
1985–2001: Priesthood
He was ordained priest by Cardinal Jaime Sin on October 5, 1985, at the Manila Cathedral. Villegas served as Sin's personal secretary for fifteen years, and as vicar general of the Archdiocese of Manila for thirteen years. He then became the first Rector of the EDSA Shrine and Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Manila in concurrent capacity.
2001–2004: Auxiliary Bishop of Manila
Appointed auxiliary bishop of Manila on July 25, 2001, he was ordained by Cardinal Sin to the episcopacy on August 31, 2001.
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