TWO NEW PRIESTS FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE OF COTABATO

TWO NEW PRIESTS FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE OF COTABATO

On April 28, 2009 Reverend Benjamin Laforteza, Jr. and Reverend Salvador Bucario, Jr. will be added to the Diocesan Clergy of Cotabato as Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, DD will ordain them to the Order of Presbyterate. 
   
Rev. Laforteza hails from Katiku, President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat. He is the 4th of the nine children of Mr. Benjamin Laforteza, Sr. and Mrs. Gloria Salamanca – Laforteza.  He was born on May 26, 1978.  He finished his elementary education in 1991 at Katiku Central Elementary School where he graduated Class Valedictorian.  He also topped his class when he graduated at Notre Dame of Katiku High School in 1995 and decided to enter the Notre Dame Archdiocesan Seminary right after high school graduation.  After graduating from the College Seminary he took a three-year regency and worked as the Archdiocesan Youth Coordinator before proceeding to St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in 2003.

Reverend Bucario was born in Sitio Tinago, Brgy. Tibpuan in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat on October 5, 1975.  He finished his primary education in Gestosani Memorial Elementary School in 1989 and his secondary education at Salaman Institute in 1993.  He graduated from the Notre Dame of Salaman College in 1997 with a degree Bachelor of Arts Major in Mathematics and in 1999 gained another degree Bachelor of Arts Major in Philosophy from the Notre Dame University in Cotabato City.  Last March 2009, together with Reverend Ben, he graduated from St. John Vianney Theological Seminary with a degree Master of Arts Major in Pastoral Ministry.