DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 06 December) — Bishop Elenito Galido of the Diocese of Iligan passed away Tuesday night at a hospital in Iligan City.
Galido, 63, was installed Bishop of Iligan 11 years ago, on September 8, 2006.
He is the second Mindanao bishop to have passed away this year, also due to ailment: Butuan Bishop Juan de dios Pueblos, 74. succumbed to leukemia in a hospital in San Juan, Metro Manila on October 21 while Galido, according to the news site of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), “had been undergoing medication after he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver few years ago.” CBCP News also said Galido was a diabetic.
Galido was rushed to the Mercy Hospital in Iligan City last week.
Aside from Galido and Pueblos, five other elderly Philippine bishops, including Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, retired Archbishop of Cebu, passed away this year due to illness.
The Diocese of Iligan comprises Iligan City and part of the province of Lanao del Norte.
The Diocese has been helping thousands of families displaced by the Marawi war from May 23 and is also helping Marawi Bishop Edwin dela Pena in Duyog Marawi, a project of the Prelature of Marawi, to assist displaced residents.
Galido graced the launch of Duyog Marawi on August 30.
Five other elderly Philippine bishops, including Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, retired Archbishop of Cebu, passed away this year to due to illness.
Before Iligan, Galido spent six years in New York as Associate Priest of the St. Francis de Sale in Brooklyn from 2000 to 2006 and before New York served 21 years in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, where he was born and where he was educated from elementary to college.
Galido took up Theology at the Regional Major Seminary in Davao City and MA in Pastoral Counselling and Spiritual Care in the United States.
Galido was born in Managok, Malaybalay City on April 18, 1954, was ordained priest in 1979 , was appointed Bishop of Iligan on March 25, 2006 and installed on September 8, 2006.
He was Spiritual Director Pope John XXIII College Seminary in Malaybalay from 1979 to 1982; parish priest of the Immaculate Conception in Kibawe from 1982 to 1984; Rector of the Pope John XXIII College Seminary in Malaybalay from 1986 to 1989; Chancellor of the Dioese of Malaybalay from 1986 to1988, Vicar General of the Diocese of Malaybalay from 1988 to 1998; Director of the Bukidnon Institute of Catechists from 1990 to 2000 and Administrator of the San Isidro Cathedral in Malaybalay from 1991 to 1996.
Galido was a member of the Episcopal Commission on Culture of the CBCP from 2009 to 2013 and chaired it from 2001 to 2015. He also served as member of the CBCP’s Episcoopal Commission on Youth from 2007 to 2013, Commission on Liturgy from 2013 to 2015 and was member of the Commission on Liturgy from 2013 to 2015. (MindaNews)