Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo, Philippines 🇵🇭

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Apostolic Vicariate

Name: Jolo / Ioloën(sis) (Latin)

Immediately subject to the Holy See

Neighbouring Dioceses: Sandakan (←), Puerto Princesa (↖), Isabela (↗)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1953.10.28: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Sulu / Suluen(sis) (Latin) (from Territorial Prelature of Cotabato and Sulu)
1958.07.12: Promoted as Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo / Ioloën(sis) (Latin)

Present Prelates

Vicar Apostolic:	vacant
Apostolic Administrator (2025.10.14 – ...):	Archbishop Charlie Malapitan Inzon, O.M.I. (60) Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines)

Ordinaries

Vicars Apostolic of Jolo (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Charlie Malapitan Inzon, O.M.I. (60)
(Apostolic Administrator 2025.10.14 – ...)

Bishop Charlie Malapitan Inzon, O.M.I. (60) (later Archbishop)
(2020.04.04 – 2025.09.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines)
Apostolic Administrator of Jolo (Philippines)

Vos amici mei estis

Born:	1965.11.24 (Putiao, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1993.04.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.05.21

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (2020.04.04 – 2025.09.08)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (2025.09.08 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Jolo (Philippines) (2025.10.14 – ...)

Fr. Romeo Sombilon Saniel, O.M.I.
(Apostolic Administrator 2018.12.16 – 2020.04.04)

Bishop Angelito Rendon Lampon, O.M.I. (76) (later Archbishop)
(1997.11.21 – 2018.11.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Cotabato (Philippines)

Accipe oblationem meam

Born:	1950.03.01 (M’Lang, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1977.04.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1998.01.06

Titular Bishop of Valliposita (1997.11.21 – 2018.11.06)

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (1997.11.21 – 2018.11.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (2018.11.06 – 2025.09.08)

Bishop Benjamin D. de Jesus, O.M.I.
(1991.10.11 – 1997.02.04)

To love is to serve

Born:	1940.07.25 (Hullong, Philippines)
Ordained Priest:	1967.12.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1992.01.06
Died:	1997.02.04 († 56)

Titular Bishop of Bladia (1991.10.11 – 1997.02.04)

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (1991.10.11 – 1997.02.04)

Bishop George Eli Dion, O.M.I.
(1980.01.28 – 1991.10.11)

To serve and not to be served

Born:	1911.09.25 (Central Falls, RI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1936.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.04.23
Died:	1999.02.12 (Tamontaka, Philippines † 87)

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (1980.01.28 – 1991.10.11)

Titular Bishop of Caudium (1980.01.28 – 1999.02.12)

Bishop Philip Francis Smith, O.M.I. (later Archbishop)
(1972.06.26 – 1979.04.11)

Amare et servire

Born:	1924.10.16 (Lowell, MA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1950.10.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1972.09.08
Died:	2002.09.30 (Cotabato, Philippines † 77)

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (1972.06.26 – 1979.04.11)

Titular Bishop of Lamphua (1972.06.26 – 1980.03.14)

Coadjutor Bishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1979.04.11 – 1979.11.05)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1979.11.05 – 1980.03.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines) (1980.03.14 – 1998.05.30)

Bishop Francis Joseph McSorley, O.M.I.
(1958.07.12 – 1970.11.20)

Oratio servitium et pax

Born:	1913.08.25 (Collingswood, NJ, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1939.05.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.10.08
Died:	1970.11.20 (Jolo, Philippines † 57)

Prefect Apostolic of Sulu (Philippines) (1954 – 1958.07.12)

Titular Bishop of Sozusa in Palæstina (1958.07.12 – 1970.11.20)

Vicar Apostolic of Jolo (Philippines) (1958.07.12 – 1970.11.20)

Prefects Apostolic of Sulu (Roman Rite)

Fr. Francis Joseph McSorley, O.M.I. (later Bishop)
(1954 – 1958.07.12)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Jolo Town, Sulu, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (6)

Sandakan (←), Puerto Princesa (↖), Isabela (↗)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 2,688 km²

Population: 19,240 Catholics (1.4% of 1,374,259 total)

Pastoral Centres: 6 parishes

Personnel: 9 priests (3 diocesan, 6 religious), 31 religious (12 brothers, 19 sisters)