Nueva Segovia archbishop Antonio calls for Church that serves the poor, defends life

January 15, 2026 – 7:00 AM

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Archbishop David William Antonio on Wednesday urged the faithful of Nueva Segovia to build a Church that actively serves the poor and defends life in all its forms.

“We need to remain a Church that proclaims fullness of life, that cannot turn away from hunger, injustice or exclusion,” he said during his installation at the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur.

Guided by the Lord’s words, “that they may have life, they might have it abundantly,” Antonio said the Church must engage with society, responding courageously to its needs.

“We must listen attentively, accompany our people patiently, and respond courageously and efficaciously,” he added, urging priests, religious, and lay faithful to walk together as a synodal Church.

He noted Ilocos Sur’s faith, resilience, and strong family values while acknowledging serious challenges: poverty, underemployment, migration, youth uncertainty, and loneliness among the elderly.

Echoing Pope Francis, he said that synodality is not merely a program but a way of life, where priests, religious, and lay faithful walk together in mission and prayerful discernment.

He highlighted the importance of care for families, saying they remain the first school of faith, and of youth, who are both the present and future of the Church.

Environmental stewardship is also crucial, Antonio said, urging protection of land, seas, rivers, and communities as part of safeguarding life for future generations.

The archbishop called for collaboration with civil authorities, educators, civic leaders, and all people of goodwill, noting that the Church must speak with moral clarity and defend the voiceless.

Reflecting on his episcopal motto, “Ut Vitam Habeant,” which is Latin for “That they may have life”, he said that it is neither his project or that of the archdiocese but is “God’s promise.”

“Our task is simply to cooperate with His grace and to allow ourselves to become instruments that others may have life and have it in its fullness,” he said.

Antonio was installed as the eighth archbishop of Nueva Segovia by Archbishop Charles Brown, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, in the presence of dozens of bishops.

Also attending were Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who served as homilist; Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila; and Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, archbishop emeritus of Cotabato.