3 Bishops meet on Finnemann beatification

On January 27, 2014, Bishop Arturo Bastes, Bishop Antonio Palang, and Bishop Nereo Odchimar met with Fr. Provincial Nielo Cantilado about the beatification of Bishop William Finnemann. Bishop Bastes had volunteered himself to pursue the cause of the beatification that got stalled on the demise of Fr. Hermogenes Bacareza. Bishop Odchimar was persuaded also by Bishop Bastes to help as he had a previous experience on the beatification process. Bishop Palang, who previously headed the beatification process, had indicated his desire to let Bishop Cajandig of Calapan to be the initiator of the process as the martyrdom of Finnemann occurred in what is now the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan. Bishop Palang also handed over to Bishop Bastes all the documents prepared by the late Fr. Bacareza. Bishop Bastes is now studying the documents to determine at which point the process had stopped and to be able to set the process, which may take years to complete, back in motion again.