The proposal to break up the Archdiocese of Cebu into three territories needs fine tuning on priest assignments and finances, the Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles John Brown wrote Archbishop Jose Palma.

The Archdiocese of Cebu still has not received an answer from the Vatican on their Sugbuswak proposal, the name of the plan to break up the archdiocese, Palma said in an interview on the sidelines of yesterday’s press conference on upcoming conferences by Charis Philippines.

But they have gotten comments from Papal Nuncio Brown.

“It’s really, from Rome’s perspective, how the financial proposal could work because so far that’s where they have made comments,” Palma said.

He said Brown wrote him a letter and they talked over the phone about the proposal.

When asked whether the breakup would happen before his retirement, Palma said he isn’t sure.

“I pray it would come before I retire,” said Palma, who will turn 75 on March 19, 2025. Bishops retire when they reach 75 unless the Pope asks them to stay.

The Archdiocese of Cebu submitted earlier this year a proposal to the Vatican for the “birthing” of two new dioceses, the Diocese of Cebu-North and Diocese of Cebu-South. The remaining territory will become the Archdiocese of Cebu Central.

I blog about Sugbuswak. For previous stories, click here.