Emilio Bataclan was born on 20 September 1940 in Bantayan, Cebu.[1] He was ordained priest on 1 May 1966 in the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. From 1972 to 1995, he served as parish priest of Daanbantayan, Bantayan Island, Alang-Alang, Mandaue, Bogo and San Nicolas.[3] He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu and was consecrated on 19 April 1990 in the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral by Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu.[1] He was also appointed bishop of Iligan and titular bishop of Septimunicia and Gunela. He was appointed again to be the auxiliary bishop of Cebu on 21 June 2004. He resigned as auxiliary bishop of Cebu on 1 October 2015 for medical reasons after passing the mandatory age of retirement at 75. He is currently living in his retirement house in San Remigio, Cebu.
Career
Emilio Bataclan felt the call to priesthood. He traveled from his native home to Cebu City to study Theology in the Seminario Mayor de San Carlos. He was Ordained a priest on 1 May 1966.[1] His first assignment as priest is to the Parish of Saints Peter and Paul in his hometown, Bantayan Island. He was appointed by Ricardo Vidal, the archbishop of Cebu at that time, to be the auxiliary bishop of Cebu. He gladly accepted it. He was consecrated as bishop on 19 April 1990 by Ricardo.[1] He served the archdiocese after he was transferred as Bishop of Iligan. He was also appointed as Titular Bishop of Septimunicia and Gunela.[1] He was then appointed again by Vidal as the auxiliary bishop of Cebu for the second time. He was installed on 21 June 2004.
Retirement
After 11 years as auxiliary bishop of Cebu, he resigned in 2015 upon reaching the mandatory age of retirement at 75. He celebrated his retirement mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on 1 October 2015 at 4:00 PM (Philippine Time). In response to his retirement, Pope Francis named two priests to succeed him. They were Dennis Villarojo and Oscar Jaime Llaneta Florencio.[4][5] He is currently[when?] living in his retirement house in San Remigio, Cebu.
Following the death of Vidal, whom he had served as auxiliary bishop, on 18 October 2017 he celebrated the third requiem mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.[6]