DAVAO CITY. Archbishop Fernando Capalla, the former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), passed away on Saturday at the age of 89, as announced by the Archdiocese of Davao.
Archbishop Capalla served as the CBCP president from 2003 to 2005. Ordained as a priest in 1961, he took on significant roles, chairing both the Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue and the Episcopal Commission on Ecumenical Affairs. Additionally, he became the first bishop of Iligan when Pope John Paul II elevated it to a diocese in 1982.
Named Davao archbishop in 1996, Archbishop Capalla held the post until his retirement in February 2012. He was not only a spiritual leader but also a peace advocate in Mindanao. Notably, he played a crucial role as the founding father of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, an interreligious organization fostering dialogue between Muslims and Christians. From 1987 to 1991, he served as the apostolic administrator of Marawi.
Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles presided over a Mass dedicated to Archbishop Capalla at the San Pedro Cathedral on Saturday afternoon. During his homily, Archbishop Valles expressed deep sentiments, saying, “We can safely conclude that you, our friend, our tatay (father), our lolo (grandfather), our archbishop, simply day in and day out, believing and showing us the presence of Jesus. And in death, it is so, in faith, we believed that you are now with the Lord. The promise of the Eucharist that he who eats my (The Lord’s) flesh will live with me in eternal life.”
The Archdiocese of Davao announced that Archbishop Capalla will be laid to rest on January 15 at the Dormition de San Pedro after a 10 a.m. mass at the San Pedro Cathedral in Davao City. The passing of Archbishop Capalla marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of spiritual leadership, advocacy for peace, and commitment to interreligious dialogue.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
