Bishop of Balanga
Bishop Rufino C. Sescon, Jr., was born on 20 April 1972 in Manila. He studied philosophy and theology at the San Carlos Seminary of Manila and the Graduate School of Theology of San Carlos Seminary, obtaining a master’s degree in both disciplines. He was ordained a priest on 19 September 1998 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Manila. He has held the following offices: deacon of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sta. Mesa and finance officer of the Sta. Mesa Parochial School, Manila (1998), assistant (1998-2001) and subsequently secretary (2001-2005) to the metropolitan archbishop of Manila, member of the youth pastoral office (2002-2008), member of the College of Consultors and member of the Presbyteral Council (2003-2005), director of Permanent Formation of Junior and Young Clergy and director of the Internship Program of Newly-Ordained Priests (2004-2008), member of the College of Consultors, member of the Presbyteral Council and chancellor of the archdiocese of Manila (2008-2015), priest chargé of the Mary Mother of Hope Chapel, Makati City (2014-2022), commissioner of the Commission for the Formation of Laypeople and Christian Communities (2015-2021), chaplain of the Santo Niño de Paz Chapel, Makati City (2015-2022), spiritual director of the San Lorenzo Ruiz Lay Formation Center (since 2015), member of the Presbyteral Council (since 2018), vice chairman of the Manila Archdiocesan Seminary System Foundation, Inc., member of the Council on Formation, Priestly and Lay Formation, and commissioner of the Commission for the Formation of Laypeople and Christian Communities (since 2021), chairman of the Fundraising Committee (since 2022), and to date, rector and parish priest of the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno in Quiapo and episcopal vicar for Manila.