Dennis Villarojo

Dennis Cabanada Villarojo (born April 18, 1967 in Cebu City) is a Filipino prelate who is currently the fifth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos.

He completed his high school formation at the Colegio de San Jose- Recoletos in the same city. He entered San Carlos Seminary College of the Archdiocese of Cebu where he finished his philosophical studies. Later, he continued his priestly training at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila, where he took his theological studies, and obtained his licentiate degree in Ecclesiastical Philosophy.

He was ordained deacon by Jaime Cardinal Sin in Manila on 1993. A year later on June 10, 1994, he was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Cebu. For four years, from 1994 to 1998, he was personal secretary of Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, the Ordinary of the Archdiocese at that time.

From 1998 to 2001, Monsignor Villarojo continued his post-graduate studies in Philosophy, in Rome, at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, where he earned his doctorate in this discipline.

After studying in Rome, he returned to his country and continued, until 2010, to take the task as secretary of Cardinal Vidal and at the same time as coordinator of the pastoral planning board of the archdiocese.

Since 2010, Monsignor Villarojo has been the chairman of the pastoral team at the parish of the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City. In 2012, he was also appointed secretary-general of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, which was held in Cebu, in January 2016.

On 3 July 2015, Pope Francis designated Monsignor Villarojo as one of the auxiliary bishops of Cebu. He was consecrated bishop on 10 August 2015 at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Cebu, by Archbishop José S. Palma, the current Ordinary of the Archdiocese. Ricardo Cardinal Vidal (Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu), and Giuseppe Pinto (Papal Nuncio to the Philippines) were the co-consecrators.

On May 14, 2019, Pope Francis has designated Bishop Villarojo as the new bishop of the Diocese of Malolos. He was installed on August 21, 2019 by Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila together with Gabriele Giordano Caccia, then Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.

Bishop Villarojo's personal Coat of Arms is blazoned as follows:

Arms: Per fesse, in dexter base Gules a mullet of six points, and in sinister base a Sun in splendour, all Or; in chief Argent and issuant from the base the Shrine of Magellan's Cross Proper.

The shield is surmounted by a Bishop's cross and by a Roman galero of this rank, i.e., Vert with six tassels of the same pendant (1,2,3) at both sides.

The symbolism of the heraldic achievement is as follows:

The Magellan's Cross Kiosk in the upper white field (chief Argent) symbolizes his being a Cebuano bishop. It is also the 51st International Eucharistic Congress Pilgrim Symbol. Bishop Villarojo is also the Secretary-General of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress.

The red base of the coat of arms represents the Martyrdom of Saint Denis, Patron of Paris, France, of Saint Pedro Calungsod (a Cebuano Martyr and the 2nd Filipino Saint), and of Saint Lawrence of Rome (another martyr), whose feast is commemorated by the Catholic Church on August 10 - the day of Bishop Villarojo's Episcopal Ordination. The color red has also another significance. The Official Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Cebu referred to the color's connection with the family name of the Bishop, which is translated in Cebuano as: "Adunay kalambigitan sa akong bangsagon nga Villarojo, kinatsila sa "dakong balay o gamayng lungsod nga pula" (A big house or a small city of red).

The six-pointed star (mullet of six points) on the dexter side (right side with reference to the bearer) represents the Blessed Virgin Mary. This star is also a seen on the Image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Bishop Villarojo is a member of the Third Order of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites.

On the sinister side (left side with reference to the bearer) of the base is a Sun in splendour, which represents the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas where he studied Theology. The sun is also symbolic of the Light of the Truth - Christ.

Villarojo's motto is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 40:1, Consolamini Popule Meus (“Be consoled my people”).