Bishop Antonio returns to his roots as Nueva Segovia archbishop

Bishop David William Antonio is coming home to his native Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia — not for a brief visit, but as its new shepherd.

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday appointed Antonio, currently the bishop of Ilagan in Isabela province, as the eighth metropolitan archbishop of the historic Ilocos Sur archdiocese.

The 61-year-old prelate has led the Ilagan diocese for six years. He succeeds Archbishop Marlo Peralta, whose resignation was accepted upon turning 75 in July.

Peralta, who has served since 2014, will continue to oversee the archdiocese as administrator until archbishop-designate Antonio’s formal installation.

Born in Nagtupacan, Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur, Antonio studied philosophy at San Pablo Seminary in Baguio City and theology at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology (ICST) in Vigan City.

He was ordained a priest for the archdiocese in 1988 and later earned a doctorate in theology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Before becoming bishop, Antonio served Nueva Segovia in several roles, including rector of ICST and vicar general of the archdiocese.

In June 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him auxiliary bishop of Nueva Segovia to assist then Archbishop Ernesto Salgado, now emeritus. He was ordained bishop that August.

He was also the last Filipino bishop appointed by Benedict before the pope’s resignation in 2013 due to declining health.

While serving as auxiliary bishop, he also became apostolic administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose in Occidental Mindoro from March 2018 until February 2023, while already serving as Ilagan bishop.

Pope Francis named him bishop of Ilagan in November 2018.

Within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Antonio previously chaired the Episcopal Commission on Vocations and now heads the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy. (Roy Lagarde/CBCP News)

A version of this article was first published by CBCP News.