The Territorial Prelature of Infanta () is a Latin Catholic territorial prelature located in the municipality of Infanta, Quezon, in the ecclesiastical province of Lipa in the Philippines.
It was established on April 25, 1950 by the papal bull Precibus annuentes taking a portion of the then-Diocese of Lipa. In 1953, some municipalities in the civil province of Isabela were added onto it. However, it was taken again by the Diocese of Tuguegarao on August 16, 1955. Originally, the prelature was a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Manila but was transferred to the Ecclesiastical Province of Lipa on June 20, 1972.
The two main divisions of the prelature is based on the two geographical units that comprises it: the province of Quezon and the province of Aurora. Furthermore, it is governed by the prelate through four vicariates that covers (1) the parishes of Real, Infanta, and Nakar, (2) the parishes of the Polillo Islands, (3) parishes within Central Aurora province, and (4) parishes in Northern Aurora.
Erection The prelature was erected by Pope Pius XII on April 25, 1950 from the Diocese of Lipa. Its territory included the islands of Polillo and the northern part of the province of Quezon. At this time, the province of Aurora is a sub-province of Quezon. The boundaries of the prelature was defined to reach the Diocese of Tuguegarao to the north; to the west, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, and Rizal; the Pacific Ocean is the eastern boundary; while the common boundaries of Infanta and Mauban is in the south.
Upon the erection of the See of Infanta, Bishop Rufino Jiao Santos (later Archbishop of Manila and a cardinal) was appointed Apostolic Administrator. A year later, on July 11, 1951, Rev. Fr. Patrick Harmon Shanley, OCD, Vicar Provincial of the Order of Discalced Carmelites in the Philippine Islands, was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Prelature of Infanta.
Prelates The Prelature of Infanta was first administered as a mission of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. Its apostolic administrators and bishops were members of the religious order until 2015. These include Bishop Patrick Shanley, OCD, Fr. Joseph Flanery, OCD, Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, and Bishop Rolando Tirona, OCD.
Bishop Period in office Notes Coat of Arms 1 Patrick (Harmon) Shanley of Saint Cecelia, OCD March 17, 1953 – September 12, 1960 () Resigned 2. Julio Xavier Lizares Labayen, OCD September 12, 1966 – June 28, 2003 () Retired 3 Rolando Joven Tria Tirona, OCD August 27, 2003 – September 8, 2012 () Appointed Archbishop of Caceres 4 Bernardino Cruz Cortez January 23, 2015 – May 16, 2025 () Retired 5 Dave Dean Capucao September 5, 2025 – present ()
Parishes Vicariate of Infant Jesus and Saint Mark
Divine Infant Jesus of Prague and Saint Mark Parish (Infanta Cathedral), Infanta, Quezon Saints Anne and Joachim Parish, General Nakar, Quezon Saint Raphael the Archangel Parish, Real, Quezon Saint Joseph Quasi-Parish, Barangay Llavac, Real, Quezon
Vicariate of Saint Joseph
Prelature Shrine of Saint Joseph, Polillo, Quezon Saint Raphael Parish, Burdeos, Quezon Saint John the Baptist Parish, Panukulan, Quezon Saint Isidore Parish, Patnanungan, Quezon Nuestra Señora dela Salvacion Parish, Jomalig, Quezon
Vicariate of San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo Parish, Baler, Aurora San Luis Rey Parish, San Luis, Aurora Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish, Maria Aurora, Aurora Maria, Ina ng Sambayanan ng mga Dukha Parish, Quirino, Maria Aurora Saint Therese of the Infant Jesus Parish, Dipaculao, Aurora Saint Patrick Parish, Dingalan, Aurora
Vicariate of Saint Anthony of Padua
Saint Anthony de Padua Parish, Casiguran, Aurora Saint Isidore the Farmer Parish, Dinalungan, Aurora Saint Joseph the Worker Parish, Dilasag, Aurora Nuestra Señora dela Salvacion Parish, Casiguran, Aurora
References
Sources GCatholic.org Catholic Hierarchy Prelature website
External links