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Antonio Ledesma

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The Most Reverend

Antonio J. Ledesma

S.J., D.D.
Archbishop Emeritus of Cagayan de Oro
ProvinceEcclesiastical Province of Cagayan de Oro
SeeCagayan de Oro
Installed4 March 2006
Term ended23 June 2020
PredecessorJesus Tuquib
SuccessorJose Cabantan
Previous post(s)Vice-President,
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines;
Prelate of Ipil;
Coadjutor Prelate of Ipil
Orders
Ordination16 April 1973
Consecration31 August 1996
by Gian Vincenzo Moreni
Personal details
Born
Antonio Javellana Ledesma

(1943-03-28) March 28, 1943 (age 81)
Iloilo City, Commonwealth of the Philippines
NationalityFilipino
DenominationRoman Catholicism
ResidenceArchbishop's House
Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
Alma materAteneo de Manila University (undergraduate)
University of the Philippines (M.A.)
University of Wisconsin–Madison (Ph.D.)
Motto"Opus Solidaritatis Pax" (Peace is the Fruit of Solidarity)
Coat of armsAntonio J. Ledesma's coat of arms
Styles of
Antonio J. Ledesma
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleArchbishop

Antonio Javellana Ledesma, S.J. (born March 28, 1943) is a Filipino Roman Catholic clergyman who served as the Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro in the Philippines from 2006 to 2020.[1]

Early life

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Born on March 28, 1943, in Iloilo City, Philippines.[2] He spent his elementary years at St. Aloysius School and later at the Ateneo de Manila. Since then, he remained with the Ateneo until he finished his degree in history and government, graduating magna cum laude in 1963.[3]

He studied philosophy and theology at the Loyola House of Studies from 1966 to 1968 and from 1970 to 1973, respectively. He attained his master's degree in political science from the University of the Philippines. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the United States, completing his doctorate in development in 1980.[4]

Ministry

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Priesthood

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On May 30, 1963, Ledesma entered the Society of Jesus. He was ordained priest on April 16, 1973.[5]

He served as an assistant parish priest in Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay, from 1980 to 1981. From 1982 to 1996, he worked as a professor and was assigned to various positions in Xavier University. He taught sociology, economics, and religious studies.[6]

Position Term of Office Organization
Dean 1984-1994 College of Agriculture, Xavier University
Director 1984-1994 Southeast Asia Rural Social Leadership Institute
Director 1984-1996 Xavier University College of Agriculture – Manresa Farm Complex
Executive Vice President 1984-1996 Xavier Science Foundation
Executive Vice President 1994-1996 Xavier University
Dean 1994-1996 College of Arts and Sciences, Xavier University

During the same period, he sat as chairman of different societies and non-governmental organizations.[7]

Position Term of Office Organization
Chairman 1985-1986 Philippine Sociology Society
Chairman 1985-1990 Philippine Partnership for the Development Of Human Resources in Rural Areas
Chairman 1984-1996 Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development
Chairman 1994 Philippine Agrarian Reform Foundation for National Development

Episcopate

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Pope John Paul II appointed Ledesma as Coadjutor Prelate of Ipil on June 13, 1996.[8][9] He succeeded Federico O. Escaler as the Prelate of Ipil on June 28, 1997.

On March 4, 2006, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro. During his term, he has led the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines as Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Inter-religious Dialogue since 2009.[10][11] He has convened local religious leaders in inter-religious dialogues on different social issues.[12] In the aftermath of Typhoon Sendong and in the absence of local government leadership, he led the multi-sectoral relief effort to address the needs of calamity victims.[13]

During the 2016 Philippine Presidential Elections, he wrote a pastoral letter calling out presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte for his inaction on the rising number of extrajudicial killings in Davao City where the latter was mayor.[14] One month into the presidency of eventual winner Duterte, Ledesma made a call to stop extrajudicial killings. He said:[15]

We condemn the killings because it is not only against the law, but also to the Constitution and morality. Killing without due process is certainly condemnable… We should all respect dignity of human life.

Ledesma has also supported efforts to resolve Mindanao's protracted struggle with Muslim separatists. He has spoken and advocated for the Bangsamoro Basic Law.[16]

On June 23, 2020, Pope Francis accepted his retirement as Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro and was succeeded by then-Malaybalay Bishop Jose Cabantan.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bishop José Araneta Cabantan". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  2. ^ "Archbishop Antonio Javellana Ledesma, S.J." Catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  3. ^ "MOST REV. ANTONIO JAVELLANA LEDESMA, SJ, D.D." Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  4. ^ "MOST REV. ANTONIO JAVELLANA LEDESMA, SJ, D.D." Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  5. ^ "Archbishop Antonio Javellana Ledesma, S.J." Catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  6. ^ "MOST REV. ANTONIO JAVELLANA LEDESMA, SJ, D.D." Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  7. ^ "MOST REV. ANTONIO JAVELLANA LEDESMA, SJ, D.D." Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
  8. ^ "Archbishop Antonio Javellana Ledesma, S.J." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  9. ^ "Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro". UCA Directory: Database of Catholic Dioceses in Asia. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  10. ^ Alave, Kristine (August 7, 2008). "Bishop: Guard vs extremists derailing peace in Mindanao". Inquirer.net. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved February 22, 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ "Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro". UCA Directory: Database of Catholic Dioceses in Asia. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  12. ^ "CDO Mormon Leaders Meet with Archbishop Ledesma". Mormon Newsroom Philippines. February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  13. ^ "CDO mayor faces brewing protest storm". Inquirer.net. January 2, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  14. ^ Gonzales, Yuji Vincent (May 4, 2016). "Senior Mindanao prelate calls out Duterte in pastoral letter". Inquirer.net. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  15. ^ Orias, Pamela Jay (July 30, 2016). "Killings should not be justified, says Oro Archbishop Ledesma". SunStar Cagayan de Oro. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  16. ^ ""The price of peace in Mindanao starts with ourselves," – His Excellency Archbishop Ledesma". Far Eastern University. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro
2006-2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prelate of Ipil
1997-2006 		Succeeded by
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