A retired bishop from the Sorsogon diocese was laid to rest Wednesday following a funeral Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Sorsogon City.
Papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown was joined by several bishops for the celebration of the Mass for Bishop Arturo Bastes, who died on October 20 at the age of 80.
Bishop Bastes, a Bible scholar, served Sorsogon for 16 years and was instrumental in many projects and programs within the diocese.
The bishop was also a “force” behind the Bicol Regional Pastoral Conference and the Bicol Priests’ Congress, where he made a “monumental resolution” to establish the Bicol Priests Security System.
In recent years, he had been living in quiet retirement in his home province of Bohol.
His former vicar general, Msgr. Francisco Monje, spoke fondly of his bishop.
“Bishop Bastes did his homework so well. He was a caring and compassionate pastor, a diligent administrator and stalwart, a loving father, and a loyal friend,” Msgr. Monje said in his emotional homily.
Bishop Bastes died of a heart attack on World Mission Sunday, a day particularly meaningful to him as a missionary of the Society of the Divine Word.
The nuncio stressed that Pope Francis wants the Church to be a missionary presence, bringing the Good News and the love of Christ to everyone, especially those on the peripheries.
“And Bishop Arturo certainly did that as bishop of Romblon and as bishop of Sorsogon,” Archbishop Brown said.
In his message for Bishop Bastes’ funeral, the pope expressed gratitude for the bishop’s “faithful service” throughout his episcopal ministry and sent condolences to the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the diocese.
Bishop Jose Alan Dialogo of Sorsogon also paid tribute to his predecessor, expressing gratitude “for the beautiful, wonderful, and very good memories you have left, and for the legacy you have bestowed upon our diocese.”
Bishop Bastes was laid to rest inside the cathedral, to the right side of the altar.
