The Roman Catholic Diocese of Malaybalay (Lat: Dioecesis Malaibalaiensis) is a diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 in the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

.

Diocesan history

The diocese was erected on April 25, 1969 as the Territorial Prelature of Malaybalay. On November 15, 1982, the prelature was elevated to a full diocese.

The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro

Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro is an Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. It is a metropolitan see in the island of Mindanao which comprises three civil Provinces of Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon and Camiguin. Today, it is headed by Archbishop Antonio J...

.

The current Bishop

Bishop (Catholic Church)

In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....

-elect of Malaybalay is Jose Araneta Cabantan, appointed in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI

Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

. The Bishop Emeritus is Honesto Chaves Pacana, S.J.

Area of coverage

The Diocese of Malaybalay covers the province of Bukidnon

Bukidnon

Bukidnon is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Malaybalay City. The province borders, clockwise starting from the north, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte.Bukidnon is...

 and the municipality of Wao

Wao, Lanao del Sur

Wao is a municipality in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of40,517 people in 15,505 households. go. -Barangays:...

, Lanao del Sur

Lanao del Sur

Lanao del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Its capital is Marawi City and borders Lanao del Norte to the north, Bukidnon to the east, and Maguindanao and Cotabato to the south. To the southwest lies Illana Bay, an arm of the Moro Gulf...

. It covers an area of 8, 294 square kilometers with a population exceeding one million, 80% of which are Roman Catholics.

The diocese has 39 parishes and mission

Mission (Christian)

Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...

 stations grouped together into 7 deaneries.

Ordinaries

• Francisco F. Claver, S.J.
  Society of Jesus
  The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
  
   † (18 Jun 1969 Appointed - 14 Sep 1984 Resigned)
• Gaudencio Borbon Rosales (14 Sep 1984 Succeeded - 30 Dec 1992 Appointed, Archbishop of Lipa, Cardinal-Archbishop of Manila)
• Honesto Chaves Pacana, S.J. (12 Jan 1994 Appointed - 18 Feb 2010 Resigned)
• Jose Araneta Cabantan (18 Feb 2010 Appointed - )