Reynaldo G. Evangelista


Reynaldo G. Evangelista is the current bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Imus, appointed by Pope Francis on April 8, 2013, his first appointment in the Philippines. He replaced Bishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle after he was installed as the Archbishop of Manila in December 2011. Evangelista was installed as the fifth Bishop of Imus on June 5, 2013. He previously served as the third Bishop of Boac in Marinduque province from December 11, 2004 until his appointment to Imus.

Biography

Evangelista was born on May 8, 1960 in Brgy. San Jose in Mabini, Batangas province. His father, Benjamin C. Evangelista, of Brgy. San Jose, and his mother, Rufina G. Gonda, of Brgy. Talaga, both originated from Mabini, Batangas. Reynaldo is the fifth among the nine siblings: his only brother Antonio, and his seven sisters Teresita, Melba, Evelyn, Gloria, Rosita, Cecilia and Lea. His father died on January 18, 1983.

Education

Evangelista attended primary school in 1967 at the Anilao Elementary School in Anilao, Batangas. He attended intermediate school in 1970 at the Mabini Central Elementary School. He went on to continue his high school education at the St. Francis de Sales Minor Seminary in Lipa City.
After high school, Evangelista entered the seminary in 1977 majoring in philosophy at the St. Francis de Sales Regional College Seminary in Brgy. Marawoy, Lipa City. He majored in theology in 1981 at the St. Alphonsus School of Theology in Lucena City in Quezon province. After his ordination in 1986, he took pastoral counseling in 1987 at the Summer Institute of the Ateneo de Manila University. He traveled in 1998 to Rome, Italy, to attend the course on Seminary Formation at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.

Ordination

Evangelista was ordained a deacon on February 26, 1986 at the Carmel of St. Joseph Monastery in Lucena City by the Ruben T. Profugo, the Bishop of Lucena. He was ordained a priest on June 19, 1986 at the San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City by the Mariano G. Gaviola, the Archbishop of Lipa.
Evangelista was appointed Bishop of Boac on December 11, 2004. On January 26, 2005, at the San Sebastian Cathedral in Lipa City, he was consecrated bishop by the Antonio Franco, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. He was installed on February 22, 2005.

Bishop of Imus

Evangelista was installed as the fifth Bishop of Imus on June 5, 2013. The installation mass was led by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, at the Imus Cathedral. Present Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Evangelista's predecessor, along with Manila Archbishop-Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and Cebu Archbishop-Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, witnessed the installation.

Ministries as a priest