Pope Francis recently appointed Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno (Quiapo Church) rector Fr. Rufino ‘Jun’ Sescon Jr. as the new bishop to the Diocese of Balanga, which has been vacant for more than a year.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) made the announcement on Tuesday. It said Fr. Sescon will be leading the Catholic community in the entire province of Bataan, which is under the jurisdiction of the Balanga diocese.
The post was vacant since the installation of Bishop Ruperto Santos to the Diocese of Antipolo in July 2023. Sescon, 52, has been serving as rector of the Quiapo Church since 2022.
After his ordination in 1998, he served as personal secretary to then-Manila archbishop Cardinal Jaime Sin. The newly-appointed Bataan bishop also held various positions within the Archdiocese of Manila, including chancellor and administrator of Villa San Miguel.
Other roles he concurrently holds in the archdiocese include commissioner for the Formation of the Laity and Christian Communities, director of the San Lorenzo Ruiz Lay Formation Center, and member of the Presbyteral Council.