CONCEPCION, Tarlac (Nov. 1, 2023) — This town’s parish priest was elected administrator of the Diocese of Tarlac after the sudden death of Bishop Enrique Macaraeg on Oct. 23.
Fr. O’neal Sanchez, the rector of the Santuario de la Inmaculada here and the diocese’s vicar general, was chosen by the college of consultors yesterday after the funeral for the late bishop.
“The diocese still mourns due to the sudden death of our beloved bishop… we still ask you to please continue to pray for his eternal repose and for the intentions of our diocese,” the diocese said in a statement.
“In this time of sadness, the diocese must continue to journey, to move forward to do the mission entrusted by Jesus, our Good Shepherd,” the diocese added.
Sanchez will serve the post until Pope Francis names a successor to Macaraeg.
Macaraeg died to cardiac arrest at the age of 67 as he was playing basketball. He served the Tarlac diocese as his first episcopal assignment for around seven years.
