Ulat ni Geraldine Flores

Bishop Marcelino Antonio “Junie” Maralit of San Pablo, Laguna, one of the newly appointed members of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication.

On April 9, 2026, Pope Leo XIV officially appointed Bishop Marcelino Antonio “Junie” Maralit as a new member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication—an appointment that brings a distinctly Filipino approach to the heart of the Church’s global voice. 

For the faithful of the Diocese of San Pablo, the announcement is a moment of immense pride. For the rest of the world, it marks the ascent of a prelate whose career has been shaped by a combination of historical leadership, pastoral care, and a deep commitment to building relationships. 

Bishop Maralit joins Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and fellow  Filipino prelate Ryan Jimenez in the Dicastery for Communication, signaling broader recognition of the Philippines’ growing role in shaping how the Church engages with the digital, interconnected world.

A Foundation of Faith and History 

Born on May 18, 1969, Marcelino Maralit Jr.’s journey began in the province of Batangas. His path to priesthood was paved with academic excellence, moving from the local seminaries of Lipa to the prestigious Universidad de Navarra in Spain. 

It was his time at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where he earned his Doctorate in Ecclesiastical History, that likely prepared him the most for the global stage. Grounded in an understanding of the Church’s past, Bishop Maralit has approached the challenges of modern faith with wisdom and nuance. In his homilies and series of videos online, this comes through in a consistent call for deeper empathy, stronger communities, and a form of faith that listens as much as it teaches. 

The Shepherd of Relationships

Across the roles he has held from seminary rector to parish priest in Alitagtag, Batangas, Bishop Maralit’s work consistently focused on formation and community. Rather than treating leadership as purely administrative, he emphasized connection between mentor and seminarian, priest and parishioner, and, more broadly, between the clergy and the laity. For him, building better connections, especially with those who have long lived in the margins of the community, is central to cultivating hope in everyone.

This same philosophy also shaped his work in Church communications. As chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Social Communications of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), and later as the chairperson of the Social Communications Department of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), he approached media not merely as a tool for broadcasting, but as a space for dialogue. The goal was not just to speak, but to reach and, more importantly, to understand.

It is this quiet consistency, more than any title, that makes his appointment to the Dicastery for Communication feel less like a sudden rise and more like a natural continuation of the work he has long been doing. 

Key Milestones: The Road to the Roman Curia 

A Digital Voice for the Universal Church 

The Dicastery for Communication is the Vatican’s engine for the digital age as it oversees the Holy See’s press office, social media, and broadcasting.

Bishop Maralit’s appointment isn’t just a personal achievement; it represents the Vatican’s recognition of the kind of Church he has long helped shape: one that values connection, dialogue, and accessibility. As a member of the dicastery, he will help shape how the Pope’s message is communicated to a global audience. 

From the quiet seminaries of Batangas to the heart of the Roman Curia, Bishop Maralit’s work has followed a consistent thread of building bridges through communication and faith, connecting the local with the universal, and bringing the world a little closer through dialogue and understanding.