Most Rev. Francisco Mendoza de Leon was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Manila on June 28, 1975 by Archbishop Jaime Lachica Sin.
A native of La Huerta, Parañaque, Fr. Francis de Leon served different pastoral posts in the archdiocese, including being a formator and professor in San Carlos Seminary in Makati. On June 27, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Antipolo and Titular Bishop of Boseta. He was consecrated bishop on September 1, 2007 by Gaudencio Borbon Rosales, Cardinal Archbishop of Manila. Co-consecrators were Most Rev. Socrates Villegas, Bishop of Balanga; and Most Rev. Gabriel Reyes, Bishop of Antipolo. On November 22, 2015, after serving for almost 8 years as Auxiliary Bishop he was appointed as the New Coadjutor Bishop of Antipolo, in which case, He has the right of succession whenever the Suffragan Bishop of Antipolo retires. On September 9, 2016, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Most Rev. Gabriel Reyes as Bishop of Antipolo, thus Bishop de Leon succeeds as the 4th Bishop of Antipolo. He formally took possession of his cathedral church the next day, September 10, 2016, attended by bishops, clergy and lay faithful of the Diocese of Antipolo. |