Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cotabato

Archdiocese of Cotabto Archidioecesis Cotabatensis Arkidiyosesis ng Cotabato (Tagalog) Arkidiyosis sang Cotabato (Hiligaynon) Artsidiyosesis sa Cotabato (Cebuano)
Location
Territory	Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and Cotabato City
Ecclesiastical province	Cotabato
Statistics
Area
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2013) 2,088,000 951,000 (45.5%)
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Cotabato
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop	Orlando Quevedo
Map
Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines. Jurisdiction of the metropolitan see within the Philippines.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cotabato is a Latin Metropolitan archbishopric of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, covering the Province of Cotabato, on the vast island of Mindanao.

Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Cotabato City, Maguindanao, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

The Archdiocese includes the entire 1st District of North Cotabato (also known as the P-PALMA area) and the Municipality of Banisilan.

The office of the Archdiocese of Cotabato is located at the Archbishop's Palace, P.O. Box 186, 158 Sinsuat Ave., Rosary Heights, 9600 Cotabato City.

Current Metropolitan Archbishop is Orlando Beltran Cardinal Quevedo, Auxiliary Bishop is Jose Colin Mendoza Bagaforo (25 April 2006–present)

History

Established on 11 August 1950 as Territorial Prelature of Cotabato and Sulu, on territory (the three provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao) split off from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Zamboanga (?suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro)

Renamed on 28 October 1953 as Territorial Prelature of Cotabato, having lost territory to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Sulu. Lost territory again on 1960.12.17 to establish the then Territorial Prelature of Marbel (now its suffragan diocese).

On 5 November 1979, Pope John Paul II elevated the Diocese of Cotabato into Metropolitan Archdiocese of Sotabato.

Ordinaries

(all Roman Rite)

Territorial Prelate of Cotabato and Suly

• Bishop-prelate Gerard Mongeau, O.M.I. (March 27, 1951 - 12 June, 1976 see below) Titular Bishop of Diana

Territorial Prelate of Cotabato

• Bishop-prelate Gerard Mongeau, O.M.I. (March 27, 1951 - 12 June, 1976 see below) Titular Bishop of Diana

Suffragan Bishop of Cotabato

• Gerard Mongeau, O.M.I. (see above 12 June, 1976 - November 5, 1979 see below)

Archbishops of Cotabato

• Gerard Mongeau, O.M.I. (see above November 5, 1979 - retired March 14 1980)
• Philip F. Smith, O.M.I. (March 14, 1980 - retired May 30, 1998), succeeded as former Coadjutor Bishop of Cotabato (1979.04.11 – 1979.11.05) & Titular Bishop of Lamphua (1972.06.26 – 1980.03.14); previously Apostolic Vicar of Jolo (Philippines) (1972.06.26 – 1979.04.11)
• H.E. Orlando Beltran Cardinal Quevedo, D.D., O.M.I. (May 30, 1998 - ...), previously last Bishop-Prelate of Territorial Prelature of Kidapawan (Philippines) (1980.07.23 – 1982.11.15), promoted first Bishop of Kidapawan (1982.11.15 – 1986.03.22), Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Segovia (Philippines) (1986.03.22 – 1998.05.30); also President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (C.B.C.P.) (1999 – 2003), President of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (2005 – 2011.10.21), created Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria Regina Mundi a Torre Spaccata (2014.02.22 [2014.04.24] – ...)

Province

Its ecclesiastical province comprises the Metropolitan's own archbishopric and these Suffragan sees :

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Kidapawan
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Marbel

Religious Congregations in the Archdiocese

Men

• Oblates of Mary Immaculate
• Society of Mary or Marist Fathers
• Little Brothers of Mary or Marist Brothers

Women

• Oblates of Notre Dame
• Religious of the Virgin Mary
• Siervas de la Nuestra Senora dela Paz
• Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena
• Religious des Notre Dame de Missions
• Carmelite Sisters of Charity-Vedruna
• Associates of Notre Dame
• Xaverian Missionaries of Christ Jesus with missions in Pastoral and Social Services in the Sanitarium and Provincial Jail in Cotabato and in Langgal,Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat Province.

See also

• Roman Catholicism in the Philippines

Sources and References

• GCatholic, with incumbent bio links
• Catholic Hierarchy
• [1]