Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon*
Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon on Thursday, Jan. 16, said a person introducing himself as a missionary priest is not a cleric of the Diocese of Bacolod.
The bishop, in a notice to the public, said that “a certain Rev. Fr. Mario D. Divina, who presents himself as a missionary priest of the Chaplaincy of the Holy Trinity in Bago City, Negros Occidental, is not a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, and consequently is not a cleric of the Diocese of Bacolod”.
The diocese, so far, has not established that the Chaplaincy of the Holy Trinity even exists as an actual physical church, catholic or otherwise, he said.
“While he wears the vestments of a Catholic priest, whatever sacraments he may confer, and the accompanying documents that he issues, may be doubtful in their validity, and are certainly unlawful,” Buzon said.
He reminded the faithful to avail of the sacraments, blessings, and sacramentals from their proper parish churches, chaplaincies, oratories, and duly-recognized religious priests in the diocese.*