A 56-year old Claretian missionary on Tuesday was ordained and installed as the new bishop of the Diocese of Cubao in Quezon City.
The Cubao Cathedral was filled with bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and laypeople as Bishop Elias Ayuban Jr., formally began his episcopal ministry.
Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila ordained Ayuban to the episcopate, with retired Bishop Honesto Ongtioco and Bishop Alberto Uy of Tagbilaran serving as co-consecrators.
Among those in attendance were papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown, Cardinal-designate Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, and Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, archbishop emeritus of Cotabato.
Addressing the congregation, the new prelate admitted his worries for “the big shoes I have to fill.”
“But I’m comforted by the thought that the mercy of God supplants what is lacking in me,” Ayuban said.
He also emphasized the responsibility that comes with his new role, saying, “To become a bishop is to become powerful in many ways.”
However, he quickly added that this power “does not count for anything if I do not use it to empower others, if I do not see it from the perspective of service.”
“I will use my power to empower others,” Ayuban continued, pledging to be a “listening pastor.”
“I will listen to you not only once but time and again. I will listen especially if nobody listens to you anymore. I will listen even if I do not entirely believe or agree with what you say,” he said.
Before his appointment, Ayuban was the superior of the Claretian’s Father Rhoel Gallardo Province, which covers the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
He also worked for seven years in the Vatican’s Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
The Cubao diocese covers more than 45 parishes in the southern part of Quezon City, serving about 1.4 million Catholics.
Often described as the “Vatican” of religious communities, it is also home to about 135 religious orders, congregations, and societies.
Ayuban stressed that there is no sense of entitlement in the Church.
“The clergy should not feel superior to consecrated persons, and consecrated persons should not feel special relative to laypeople,” he said.
Ayuban also assured that no baptized Christian in the diocese, or anywhere else, would be deprived of the presence of the bishop or any priests due to poverty.
“We do not discriminate against anyone, even those who do not share our faith,” he added. “We welcome politicians, we welcome everyone—no one should be left behind.”
