Sofronio Bancud

Bancud was born on December 8, 1948, in Atulayan Norte, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, to Antonio Bancud and Soledad Aguirre. He completed his elementary education at St. Paul University and his secondary studies at Cagayan State University, both located in Tuguegarao City.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Sofronio Aguirre Bancud |url=https://www.ucanews.com/directory/previous/bishop-sofronio-aguirre-bancud/2527 |publisher=UCANews |access-date=March 22, 2025}} In 1969, he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. He later joined the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and made his religious profession on December 9, 1972. He pursued theological studies at St. Francis Xavier Regional Seminary in Davao City, where he obtained a licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1977.

He also pursued further formation through the Summer Institute of Spirituality at Notre Dame de Vie in Quezon City in 1978, the Institute for Formative Spirituality at the Emmaus Center in Marikina City from 1983 to 1985, and the Sabbatical Program at the Hesburgh Center for Continuing Formation in Ministry in Chicago, Illinois, in 1999.

After his ordination on May 2, 1977, he served as Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Davao City from 1977 to 1980. During this period, he was also Postulant Director of the Blessed Sacrament Community in Davao. From 1980 to 1988, and again from 1989 to 1993, he served as Novice Master of the Blessed Sacrament Novitiate in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan. He was Scholastic Director from 1988 to 1989 and served as Parish Administrator of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Davao City in 1989. He was also Assistant Regional Superior of the Our Lady of the Assumption Region of the congregation in the Philippines from 1981 to 1993.

From 1983 to 1993, he was a member of the International Formation Commission of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. He was elected General Consultor of the SSS General Curia in Rome, Italy, where he served from 1993 to 1999. In 2000, he returned to the Philippines and became Superior of the Blessed Sacrament Community in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

On May 24, 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Cabanatuan and Titular Bishop of Bida. He received episcopal consecration on August 2, 2001, with Archbishop Antonio Franco as principal consecrator.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Sofronio Aguirre Bancud |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbancud.html |publisher=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |access-date=March 22, 2025}}

Following the death of Bishop Sofio G. Balce Jr., he was appointed Bishop of Cabanatuan on November 6, 2004, and installed on January 25, 2005, in solemn rites held at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Cathedral in Cabanatuan City.

Within the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Bishop Bancud held several key roles over the years. He served as Chairman of the Permanent Committee on International Eucharistic Congresses from 2007 to 2013,{{cite web |title=CBCP Officers (2007-2009) |url=https://cbcponline.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2007-2009-CBCP-OFFICERS.pdf |publisher=Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines |access-date=March 20, 2025}}{{cite web |title=CBCP Officers (2009-2011) |url=https://cbcponline.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2009-2011-CBCP-OFFICERS.pdf |publisher=Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines |access-date=March 20, 2025}}{{cite web |title=CBCP Officers (2011-2013) |url=https://cbcponline.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2011-2013-CBCP-OFFICERS.pdf |publisher=Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines |access-date=March 20, 2025}} and represented Luzon Central in the CBCP Permanent Council from 2013 to 2015.{{cite web |title=CBCP Officers (2013-2015) |url=https://cbcponline.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2013-2015-CBCP-OFFICERS.pdf |publisher=Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines |access-date=March 20, 2025}} From 2015 to 2021, he served as Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Biblical Apostolate (ECBA), overseeing national biblical pastoral initiatives and Scripture engagement among dioceses.{{cite web |title=CBCP Officers (2015-2017) |url=https://cbcponline.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2015-2017-CBCP-OFFICERS.pdf |publisher=Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines |access-date=March 20, 2025}}{{cite web |title=CBCP Officers (2017-2019) |url=https://cbcponline.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2017-2019-CBCP-OFFICERS.pdf |publisher=Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines |access-date=March 20, 2025}}{{cite web |title=CBCP Officers (2019-2021) |url=https://cbcponline.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2019-2021-CBCP-OFFICERS.pdf |publisher=Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines |access-date=March 20, 2025}}

On December 8, 2024, the second Sunday of Advent,{{efn|December 8 is normally the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, but since it fell on a Sunday that year, it was moved to the next day in accordance with liturgical norms.}} Pope Francis accepted his resignation in accordance with canon law and appointed Prudencio Andaya Jr., Vicar Apostolic of Tabuk, as his successor.{{Cite web |title=Resignation and appointment of bishop of Cabanatuan, Philippines |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/12/08/241208c.html |publisher=Holy See Press Office |date=December 8, 2024 |access-date=February 25, 2025}}{{Cite news |title=Pope Francis appoints Bishop Andaya as head of Cabanatuan diocese |url=https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/pope-francis-appoints-bishop-andaya-as-head-of-cabanatuan-diocese/ |publisher=CBCP News |date=March 19, 2024 |access-date=March 22, 2025}}

• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the Philippines

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• [https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbancud.html Bishop Sofronio Aguirre Bancud at Catholic-Hierarchy]

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{{s-rel|ca}}

{{s-bef| before = Sofio Guinto Balce}}

{{s-ttl| title = Bishop of Cabanatuan | years=January 25, 2005 – December 8, 2024}}

{{s-aft| after = Prudencio Andaya Jr.}}

{{s-bef| before = Heinrich Machens}}

{{s-tul| title = Titular Bishop of Bida | years=August 2, 2001 – November 6, 2004}}

{{s-aft| after = Julio Hernando García Peláez}}

{{s-end}}

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Cabanatuan|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bancud, Sofronio Aguirre}}

Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

Category:Filipino Roman Catholic bishops

Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Cabanatuan

Category:Bishops appointed by Pope John Paul II

Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the Philippines