Be authentic in our devotion to Sto. Nino, says Bishop Tala-oc
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc, the new head of the Diocese of Kalibo, reminded the devotees and all the people to continue their love and religious devotion to the Sto. Nino.

In a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI last February 2011 in the Vatican City, Tala-oc said the Pope has urged the devotees to remain authentic in their faith to the Sto. Nino despite the fashion trends.
“My only wish and prayer, therefore, is for us, not only for the Kalibonhons but the Aklanons, to be authentic in our devotion to the Sto. Nino because He is the Son of God and our Redeemer. As with our faith in the Lord Jesus, I am confident that we will not allow that this devotion be corrupted by the trends of fashion or by the latest commodities,” the Pope said to Bishop Tala-oc.
Tala-oc, who hails from Tangalan, Aklan, expressed optimism that the Aklanons will thrive more for riches from the Holy Father rather than the marketing and monetary benefits of the Kalibo Ati-Atihan festival.
“It may be the unpopular way of doing it, but I believe, it could bring us the free expression of devotion to our Sto. Nino,” he added.

Bishop Tala-oc was officially installed as the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Kalibo on July 20, 2011 following his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on May 25, 2011.

In his message on Thursday at the Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-Atihan Foundation, Inc. (Kasafi) office during the courtesy call and blessing of the replica of Sto. Nino de Kalibo, Bishop Tala-oc said he was overwhelmed by the warm welcome by his kasimanwa, saying he accepted the challenge as Bishop of Kalibo and that “he is with us to discover the plans of the Holy Spirit for us.”

"I thought I have to be appointed as Bishop of Masbate. But the Papal Nuncio said I am appointed by the Holy Father as Bishop of Kalibo after two years of looking for a possible Bishop here. I am happy to be back to the Diocese of Kalibo. The Holy Father was saying 'go back, you bishops, to where you where when you were a priest,” the prelate said with a smile.

Tala-oc said, “in his almost eight years as Bishop of Romblon, he urged the devotees to bring back the century old practice of celebrating the fiesta of Sto. Nino de Romblon.”

Romblon Province is consists of three main islands – Sibuyan, Tablas and Romblon lying in the Sibuyan Sea. The capital town of Romblon celebrates the dancing and revelry of the ‘Biniray festival’ every 2nd week of January to pay homage to the Sto. Nino de Romblon.
“For the past two years, we managed to revive the original uniforms and preserve the century’s old-tradition of celebrating this event,” Tala-oc said, who was appointed as Bishop of Romblon in 2003 by then Pope John Paul II.