Fr. Rufino “Jun” Sescon Jr. delivers a homily during a Holy Mass at the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno in Quiapo. He has been chosen to be the next bishop of the Diocese of Balanga. Screenshot from Quiapo Church Facebook page 

MANILA - Pope Francis has chosen  Fr. Rufino “Jun” Sescon Jr., rector of the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno in Quiapo, Manila as the next bishop of the Diocese of Balanga in Bataan.

Quiapo Church raised to national shrine status

The diocese has been "sede vacante," meaning vacant seat, after its former ordinary, Bishop Ruperto Santos, was installed as the new bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo in 2023.

Sescon served as personal secretary to the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin.

He was also chaplain of Greenbelt Chapel and priest-in-charge of Mary, Mother of Hope Chapel at Landmark in Makati.

Aside from being the rector of one of the most iconic shrines in the Philippines, Sescon is also the executive director of the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA). 

He was ordained as a priest in 1998 and has since held various positions in the Archdiocese of Manila.