Shepherd

Amid the dramatic resurgence of Albay from the natural catastrophes that had befallen it of recent, the Diocese of Legazpi has welcomed Most Rev. Joel Z. Baylon as its sixth bishop last week. Bishop Baylon is in all respects an Albayano, having spent his early years and young adulthood at Albay, and as such his installation as Legazpi's prelate serves as a homecoming after having served various pastoral and ecclesiastical functions outside the province.

We congratulate him on this new post and wish him and the local Church of Legazpi Godspeed as they undertake to continue serving the people of Albay.

The diocese's challenges are not far from Bishop Baylon's previous advocacies as erstwhile bishop of Masbate and as current chair of the Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). As Legazpi's shepherd, Bishop Baylon brings with him his equanimity, courage, and deep spirituality in confronting issues regarding the environment, political violence, the youth, and pervasive commercialism of social life.

Of particular interests, in the case of Albay, are the hazardous mining operations at Rapu-rapu Island; and continued and rapid economic recuperation and growth of the province. While the dangers of the former have been made evident (to those "who have eyes to see and ears to hear"), those of the latter are less palpable but remain equally pernicious. For the creation of wealth, when left unguided by authentic humanism, trample upon the dignity of those they supposedly benefit. Thus, the existence of casinos-despite its obvious economic benefits to Legazpi City-become objectionable because of the myopic and distorted view it promotes regarding the accumulation of wealth.

Hence while obviously there are great expectations of the new bishop regarding his leadership and pastoral acumen; the faithful and clergy of Albay, as well as the public at large, are themselves enjoined to engage in supporting and contributing towards the meeting of those expectations. Clearly, the mission to effect further the social transformation in the diocese is not in their shepherd's hands alone.