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Sean Buslig Mejia

Bishop of Tabuk

Bishop

1972

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Ordained

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Consecrated Bishop

Tabuk

Diocese

Philippines

Country

The Life

Sean Buslig Mejia was born on March 3, 1972, in Bulanao, Tabuk City, Kalinga. He studied philosophy at San Pablo Seminary in Baguio City and theology at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Vigan City, and obtained a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbanian University of Rome. He was ordained a priest on October 19, 1999, for the Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk.

After ordination he was parish vicar of the Flora Catholic Mission from 1999 to 2000, head of the Lubuagan Catholic Mission from 2000 to 2001, formator at the Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Vigan from 2001 to 2002, formator at San Pablo College Seminary in Vigan in 2003, chancellor of the vicariate from 2007 to 2008, parish priest of Saint William's Cathedral in Tabuk City from 2008 to 2011, chairman of the Education Commission from 2011 to 2013, superintendent of the Catholic Schools of Tabuk from 2014 to 2016, parish priest of the Flora Catholic Mission from 2017 to 2021, and parish priest of the Tuga Catholic Mission from 2021 to 2024, and pro-vicar of the vicariate since March 31, 2025. The bulletin prints 'Butanao' once for the cathedral parish; the dossier follows the Philippine News Agency's 'Bulanao.' He also served as director of the vicariate's Faith and Doctrine Commission and Ecology Desk. The bulletin names no appointer for the pro-vicar role and no vicar-general role; Wikipedia's claims that Nuncio Brown appointed him pro-vicar, that he was vicar general, and that he was president of St. Louis College of Bulanao are not shipped, since the bulletin and the opened PNA piece are silent on all three.

Pope Leo XIV appointed him Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk on March 3, 2026, announced on his 54th birthday. He had learned of the appointment on February 22; the learning date and the March 3 announcement are not conflated. He was ordained bishop and installed on June 2, 2026, at St. William's Cathedral in Tabuk City, as the third Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk, with Apostolic Nuncio Charles John Brown as principal consecrator and installing prelate, Archbishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao and Bishop Prudencio Andaya Jr., the former vicar, now of Cabanatuan, as co-consecrators, and Archbishop David Antonio of Nueva Segovia preaching the homily. The celebration drew 44 bishops and more than 300 priests on RVA's count; LiCAS reports about 250 priests, noted as a variant. His mother, Nena Mejia, celebrated her 85th birthday on the day of his ordination. He is the first native son of Kalinga to lead the vicariate, succeeding Andaya, after the vicariate had been without a bishop since February 2025 on the PNA account. His episcopal motto is Misericors Amor Eius Aeternus Est, 'His Merciful Love is Eternal.' The vicariate was established by St. John Paul II in 1992, covers Kalinga and Apayao, serves more than 500,000 people, and has about 22 mission stations and parishes administered by 25 diocesan priests, with support from missionary priests of various congregations.

Major Works & Initiatives

First address as bishop, St. William's Cathedral, Tabuk City, June 2, 2026

In his first address as bishop at his June 2, 2026 ordination and installation, Mejia recalled learning of his appointment, admitted he had initially thought another priest had been chosen, and said his vocation story had taught him that God's mercy is far greater than his weaknesses, receiving the ring, mitre, and pastoral staff as an unworthy servant and instrument of God's eternal merciful love. Brown's 'Are you still there?' is Brown's, Advincula's 'shepherd after the heart of Christ' is Advincula's, Garcera's 'seeds of grace' is Garcera's, and Antonio's reflection on the motto is Antonio's; none are Mejia's. No post-installation acts were found, only installation coverage itself. A pastoral address, not a Traditionis custodes act.

In His Own Words

If I have learned anything throughout my vocation story, it is that God's mercy is far greater than my weaknesses,

In his first address as bishop, St. William's Cathedral, Tabuk City, June 2, 2026, in Radio Veritas Asia.

an unworthy servant and instrument of God's eternal merciful love.

In his first address as bishop, St. William's Cathedral, Tabuk City, June 2, 2026, in LiCAS News, June 3, 2026.

The Old Mass, See by See

Tabuk2026-06-02 – presentNo act of his own

What he inheritedNo provision for the 1962 Missal inherited from Andaya is established in the record.

Since the SSPX decree of 2 July 2026: No statement recorded as of 2026-10-28.

Reviewed 2026-10-28Confidence: medium

Domus Dei’s Verdict

The Bishop & the Mass of Ages

No governing act of his own found

References & Further Reading

Resignations and Appointments, 03.03.2026 — Holy See Press Office · 2026Roster source for Mejia, opened first-hand. Appointment of vicar apostolic of Tabuk; born March 3, 1972, Bulanao, Tabuk City, Kalinga; philosophy San Pablo Seminary, Baguio City; theology Immaculate Conception School of Theology, Vigan City; licentiate in canon law, Pontifical Urbanian University of Rome; priest October 19, 1999; full post list with years, pro-vicar since March 31, 2025. The bulletin prints 'Butanao' once for the cathedral parish; PNA's 'Bulanao' governs. The bulletin names no appointer for the pro-vicar role.

Philippines: First Native Son of Kalinga Ordained Bishop, Installed as Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk — Radio Veritas Asia · 2026Roster from_source for Mejia, opened first-hand and kept. Ordained bishop and installed as third Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk, St. William's Cathedral, Tabuk City, June 2; Brown principal consecrator and installing prelate; Baccay and Andaya Jr. co-consecrators; Antonio homilist; 44 bishops, more than 300 priests, about 150 religious; motto Misericors Amor Eius Aeternus Est, 'His Merciful Love is Eternal,' reflected on by Antonio in his homily; mother Nena Mejia's 85th birthday on ordination day; first native son of Kalinga to lead the vicariate; appointed by Leo XIV March 3, 2026; vicariate established by St. John Paul II in 1992, serves more than 500,000 people. Same-day note: ordination and installation both on June 2, 2026, so the dossier matches the roster's possession basis despite the same-day consecration. Shipped first-address fragment 20 words; Antonio's motto reflection is Antonio's, Brown's words are Brown's, Advincula's words are Advincula's.

Pope Leo XIV names new apostolic vicar of Tabuk — Philippine News Agency · 2026Published March 4, 2026: appointed Tuesday, March 3, 2026, on his 54th birthday; third apostolic vicar; missionary jurisdiction established 1992; pro-apostolic vicar since March 31, 2025; born Bulanao, Tabuk City; philosophy San Pablo Seminary, Baguio City; theology Immaculate Conception School of Theology, Vigan City; priest October 19, 1999; Faith and Doctrine Commission director and Ecology Desk; without a bishop since February 2025, Andaya transferred to Cabanatuan; about 22 mission stations and parishes, 25 diocesan priests with missionary-priest support. Its 'Urban University' is the loose form of the bulletin's Pontifical Urbanian University.

Bishop Sean Mejia ordained, installed as apostolic vicar of Tabuk — LiCAS News Philippines · 2026Published June 3, 2026: ordained and installed June 2, 2026, St. William's Cathedral, Tabuk City; succeeds Andaya Jr., now of Cabanatuan; appointed March 3 as third apostolic vicar; vicariate established 1992 by John Paul II; 44 bishops and about 250 priests, a variant against RVA's more than 300 priests. Shipped second first-address fragment 10 words; pair total 20 + 10 = 30. LiCAS renders the first line differently, 'throughout my vocational story, it is that God's mercy is greater than human weakness,' 19 words; that variant is noted here, not shipped alongside the RVA rendering. Brown's 'Are you still there?' is Brown's; Garcera's 'seeds of grace' is Garcera's. Learned of the appointment February 22, announced March 3.

Sean Buslig Mejia — Wikipedia · 2026Tier-3 scaffolding; appointment March 3, 2026, installation June 2, 2026, predecessor Andaya Jr., priesthood October 19, 1999, consecration June 2, 2026 by Brown, born March 3, 1972, Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga agree with the opened sources. NOT shipped: vicar general; Brown as appointer of the pro-vicar role; president of St. Louis College of Bulanao, which rests on Wikipedia and a GMA syndication snippet and is absent from the opened PNA piece. NOT resolved: Wikipedia dates the vacancy to February 3, 2025, while the Tabuk vicariate page dates Andaya's Tabuk tenure to December 8, 2024; the dossier follows PNA's 'since February 2025.' The cathedral's 'Saint William the Hermit' qualifier is Wikipedia's; RVA's 'St. William's Cathedral' is used.

Portrait: This SVG ecclesial CoA includes elements from this ecclesial CoA: / Wikimedia Commons

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