Former head of Asian bishops’ Office of Laity, Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, dies at 81

The late prelate of the Archdiocese of Jaro in the province of Iloilo, Philippines, led the office from 1994 to 1998

Filipino Archbishop Emeritus Angel Lagdameo, former chairman of the Office of Laity of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, died on Friday, July 8. He was 81.

The late prelate of the Archdiocese of Jaro in the province of Iloilo, Philippines, led the office from 1994 to 1998.

“Let us include him in our prayers and masses,” read the announcement on social media by the archdiocese’s Commission on Social Communications.

The retired prelate was also former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from December 2005 to December 2009.

He was CBCP also vice president for two terms of four years prior to his becoming president.

He served the Archdiocese of Jaro from May 9, 2000, until Feb. 14, 2018.

Archbishop Lagdameo was ordained priest on Dec. 19, 1964.

In 1978 he served as Protonotary of the First Diocesan Synod of Lucena convoked by Bishop Jose T. Sanchez.

On August 12, 1980, he was consecrated bishop as an auxiliary to Cardinal Julio Rosales of Cebu.

In 1986 he was secretary general of the Fourth Diocesan Synod of Cebu convoked by Cardinal Ricardo Vidal. In the same year he became coadjutor bishop of Dumaguete, succeeding Bishop Epifanio B. Surban on Aug. 2, 1989.

As bishop of Dumaguete he convoked its first diocesan synod in 1992, a year after the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines.

Pope Francis accepted Archbishop Lagdameo’s resignation at the age of 77 in 2018.

From 1990 to January 2000 he served as chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission for the Laity and chairman of the National Committee for the Great Jubilee Year 2000.

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