On the 1st of May, this year 2024, the New Archbishop of Cáceres, His Grace +Rex Andrew Clement Alarcon will be formally received in the Archdiocese. Coming from the Diocese of Daet, the New Archbishop will be welcomed through the Liturgical Reception that will be held at the Parish of St. Dominic of Guzman, Gainza, Camarines Sur. The Municipality of Gainza, named after the 25th Bishop of Nueva Cáceres, the illustrious Dominican Francisco E. Gainza, is at the north portal of the Archdiocese and is close to the heart of the New Archbishop having dedicated his Doctoral Dissertation on the Life and Works of Bishop Gainza.
Liturgical Reception is the solemn welcome accorded by the Church to the entrance of a prelate. After entering the Parish Church, the New Archbishop shall kiss a crucifix offered to him by the Parish Priest and shall bless with Holy Water those around him then he kneels to pray for his flock and ministry. Afterward, he processes to the Sanctuary for the words of welcome to be offered him and then he addresses with a few words the Faithful gathered in the Church.
After the Liturgical Reception, the New Archbishop shall be led to a motorcade around the major streets of the seat of the Archdiocese where he will bless the crowds welcoming him. He then will be led to the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Minor Basilica and National Shrine for the Act of Entrustment to Inâ.
The Act of Entrustment to Inâ is unique to the Archdiocese of Cáceres. Reminiscent of the first acts of Bishop Francisco Gainza upon entering the City way back in 1863, the New Archbishop will pay homage to Inâ and entrust to her his Staff, symbolic of his pastoral ministry to the Archdiocese. In simple rites, the New Archbishop shall place his life and ministry under the aegis of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and again reminiscent of Bishop Gainza, shall pledge to preserve, nourish and spread the devotion to Inâ as he begins his Pastoral Ministry in the Archdiocese on the year of the Centenary Celebrations of her Canonical Coronation and ensure that Inâ “se siempre la reina de nuestra region”.
The Civic Reception for the New Archbishop follows at the Archbishop Legaspi Hall of the Bishop Sofio G. Balce Complex. This would be the official welcome accorded by the Civil Governments of the Province of Camarines Sur and the City of Naga led by their elected officials respectively. The Archdiocese of Cáceres covers for her ecclesiastical territory the 3rd, 4th, and 5th civil districts of the Province and the Independent Component City of Naga. Thus, both the Provincial Governor and the City Mayor shall cordially greet the New Archbishop and give him the respective symbolic keys as he makes his entrance to the Province and City. Also, Resolutions issued by each Sanggunian from both the Province and City shall be read proclaiming their warm welcome to the New Archbishop.
To conclude, it is symbolic that the Civic Reception is held also at the home of Inâ. Because of the 2010 Presidential Proclamation No. 033 declaring the City of Naga and the Province of Camarines Sur as the Pilgrimage Capitals of the Bicol Region, there exists a Church and State warm and productive collaboration between the Archdiocese of Cáceres and the Civil Governments of Camarines Sur and Naga City. Truly, a gift from our beloved Inâ. Together, we all endeavor then that “Patrona del Bicol, Gran Madre de Dios! Se siempre la Reina de nuestra region!”