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Pope Francis has named a 61-year-old Filipino priest among new auxiliary bishops for Philadelphia, the the fourth Filipino bishop in the U.S.

The Pope appointed Fr. Efren Esmilla, current pastor of St. James Parish Elkins Park, together with two other priests as auxiliary bishops for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Auxiliary bishops assist the diocesan bishop in his pastoral and administrative work. They also oversee dormant dioceses.

Prior to the episcopal ordination, bishop-elect Esmilla will continue his current diocesan assignments which include serving as chaplain for the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate, as spiritual director of the Legion of Mary, and pastor of St. James in Philadelphia.

Esmilla is a native of Nagcarlan in Laguna province in the Philippines. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1993.

The Filipino clergyman attended then-San Beda College in Manila, prior to migrating to to the U.S.

He obtained his Master of Divinity degree from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia in 1992.

A Mass of Episcopal Ordination for the three new bishops will be celebrated on March 7 next year at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.