Alberto Ramento

Alberto Ramento y Baldovino (August 9, 1936, in Guimba, Nueva Ecija October 3, 2006, in Tarlac City) was the ninth supreme bishop (Obispo Máximo) and a former chairperson of the Supreme Council of Bishops of the Philippine Independent Church or Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI). He was known by the moniker, "The Bishop of the Poor Peasants and Workers".[2]


Alberto Ramento,
Obispo Maximo IX

9th Supreme Bishop of the Philippine Independent Church
Bishop Alberto Ramento, c.1982
Installed10 May 1993
Term ended10 May 1999
PredecessorTito Pasco
SuccessorTomás Millamena
Orders
Ordination8 April 1958 (Diaconate)
28 April 1958 (Priesthood)
by Isabelo L. de los Reyes Jr.
Consecration9 May 1969 (Episcopate)
by Isabelo L. de los Reyes Jr., Thaddeus Zielinski, Philip Strong, and Gilbert Baker
Personal details
Born
Alberto Ramento y Baldovino

(1936-08-09)August 9, 1936
DiedOctober 3, 2006(2006-10-03) (aged 70)
Tarlac City, Tarlac
NationalityFilipino
DenominationAglipayan
(Philippine Independent Church/Iglesia Filipina Independiente)
ResidenceTarlac City, Tarlac
Spouse
Celerina Mendoza
(m. 1963)
Children4
Previous post(s)IFI Diocesan Bishop of Cavite (1970–1993)
Chairperson of the IFI Supreme Council of Bishops
Education
Sainthood
Feast dayOctober 3
Venerated inCatholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany
Philippine Independent Church (non-canonized)
Title as SaintBishop and Martyr
CanonizedOctober 3, 2010
Mainz, Germany
by the Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany[1]
AttributesEpiscopal vestments
Crown of martyrdom
Martyr's palm
PatronageHuman rights
Persecuted Christians
ShrinesNational Cathedral of the Holy Child, Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Philippines
Parish Church of Saint Sebastian, Espinosa Street, Poblacion, Tarlac City, Tarlac, Philippines
Styles of
Alberto Ramento
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Religious styleObispo Máximo IX
The Most Reverend
Posthumous styleVenerable Martyr

Life

Alberto Ramento commemorative plaque in Tarlac City.

Ramento was born to an affluent family. His grandfather Don Felix Ramento was Guimba's town mayor from 1922 to 1925 and Alberto had three uncles who were pioneer priests in the Iglesia Filipina Independiente. His father Felipe Ramento was also the chief of police in Guimba. The Ramento family owned several large plots of land inherited from the Baldovino clan, Alberto's mother's side. He was also a Freemason. Ramento was married to Celerina Mendoza of Hermosa, Bataan and had children namely: Alberto II (Aldos), Aleli, Alberto III (Altres), and Liezel.[3]

Prior to his election as Supreme Bishop, Ramento was the Diocesan Bishop of Cavite from 1970 to 1993. He was co-chair of the Ecumenical Bishops' Forum, chaired the Promotion of Church People's Response–Central Luzon and human rights group Karapatan–Tarlac, and chaired other various church and cause-oriented organizations. He was an ardent supporter of the Hacienda Luisita strikers. As the chairman of the Workers Assistance Center, Inc. (WAC), he also supported the struggle of the workers in Cavite, Philippines. He was also a vocal and influential critic of the Gloria Arroyo administration. He was also very vocal about the murder of IFI priest William Tadena, believed to be murdered by the Cojuangco family, for his support of the Hacienda Luisita farmers.

In September 1998, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel nominated him as an Independent Observer in the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

He served as the Diocesan Bishop of Tarlac after his term as Supreme Bishop ended.

Death

Ramento was stabbed to death by unknown assailants. He was found dead with multiple stab wounds inside his rectory at San Sebastian Parish, Tarlac City in the early morning of October 3, 2006.[4] His remains were cremated 10 days after his death and viewing. His case remains unsolved.[5]

Prior to his death, Ramento had been actively involved in various organizations and movements advocating human rights, social justice (especially for the working class), civil liberties, and genuine peace, to which he had received death threats from.[6]

The San Sebastian Parish Church was once temporarily closed for a number of years after Ramento's death but has since re-opened.

IFI created the "Ramento Project for Rights Defenders" (RPRD), the IFI's human rights advocacy and service arm, in his honor.[7]

Veneration

Ramento is venerated as a venerable and martyr both in the Union of Utrecht and the Philippine Independent Church. His commemoration/feast day is celebrated on October 3 every year.

On October 3, 2010, the Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany of the Union of Utrecht canonized Ramento and commemorated him as a martyr in a liturgical service in Mainz, as approved by the International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference. His commemoration/feast day is included in the liturgical calendar of the Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches.[1][8][9]

References

  1. "Feast of Alberto Ramento (October 3)" (PDF). Katholisches Bistum der Alt-Katholiken in Deutschland. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  2. "THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF OBISPO MAXIMO ALBERTO RAMENTO". Issuu. United Society Partners in the Gospel. October 15, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  3. Gealogo, Francis (October 3, 2020). "Target: Obispo Ramento". Bulatlat. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  4. "Filipino bishop Alberto Ramento found stabbed to death". Anglican Communion News Service. October 4, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  5. Punay, Edu (October 13, 2006). "Slain IFI bishop laid to rest today". The Philippine Star. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  6. "Justice remains elusive eight years after bishop's murder". Union of Catholic Asian News. October 24, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  7. Ellao, Janess Ann J. (April 2, 2015). "'To live simply', A tale of 3 Aglipayan priests". Bulatlat. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  8. "ECUMENISM In community: Philippine Independent Church – Alberto Ramento". Katholisches Bistum der Alt-Katholiken in Deutschland (in German). Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  9. "OUR FAITH – Frequently asked questions: Do Old Catholics venerate Mary or other saints?". Katholisches Bistum der Alt-Katholiken in Deutschland (in German). Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
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