Malolos Cathedral - Contemporary Times

Contemporary Times

From these ashes of war, the church was rebuilt from 1902 to 1936. Under Msgr. Pedro Abad, the baptistery was built and blessed by the late Rufino Cardinal Santos on 28 February 1954. The pews were acquired in 1957 by Msgr. Marcelino Montemayor and the roof was replaced during the time of Msgr. Francisco Domingo. The Malolos church became a Cathedral with the installation of first diocesan bishop, Most Reverend Manuel del Rosario D.D., on March 1962. With the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, Msgr. Virgilio Soriano commissioned a new altar in 1967. Mrs. Amparo Bautista-Julian donated a statue of the Immaculate Conception which was placed on top of the bell tower. When the cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Cirilo Almario, Jr. D.D. on 4 December 1976, the communion rail was dismantled and the sanctuary was renovated with stained glass windows. The old convent was reconstructed and expanded to accommodate the Bishop's residence, chancery office and parish convent. During the incumbency of Msgr. Macario Manahan, the St. Joseph Social Hall was built; the old baptistery was transformed into a mortuary chapel; and a crypt was constructed below the main altar. When Rolando Tria-Tirona O.C.D., D.D. became Bishop and Moderator of the Team Ministry, renovations and repairs were undertaken like the Diocesan Hall being refurbished into the Mary Magdalene Hall. It was under the tenure of Bishop Tirona that the Cathedral was elevated into the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on 4 December 1999. The present bishop, Jose Oliveros D.D. continues to make improvements especially with the Church patio and its environs. The statues under the Kalayaan tree, the memorial cross fronting the Basilica and the Presidential Gale constituted different phases which are connected with the Patio Development Plan.