Dionisio Deista Alejandro
Encyclopedia
Dionisio Deista Alejandro (1893–1972) was the first Filipino
Bishop
of the Methodist Church, elected in 1944.
He was born 19 February 1893 in Quiapo, Manila
, the Philippines
. His ancestry was Filipino
with slight admixture of Chinese
. He was baptized in 1906 at the age of thirteen in San Isidro, Luzon by Bishop G.A. Miller, and was educated in the U.S. and the Philippines. He became a Member in Full Connection of the Philippine Islands Annual Conference
in 1918. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop Eveland and Elder by Bishops Stuntz and J.W. Robinson. Alejandro was the first delegate to the Central Conference of Southern Asia. Prior to his election to the Episcopacy he served as an evangelist
, an educator, a pastor
and an editor
.
He was elected a Bishop during the Japan
ese occupation
of the Philippines. Thus, he was not consecrated until 1946 (i.e., after liberation). He served the Manila
Episcopal Area of the Philippines Central Conference of The Methodist Church. He was the Presiding Bishop of the Philippines and the Northern Philippines Annual Conferences.
Dionisio Alejandro was the first president of Philippine Wesleyan College (now Wesleyan University (Philippines)
) from 1946 - 1947.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Church, elected in 1944.
He was born 19 February 1893 in Quiapo, Manila
Quiapo, Manila
Quiapo is a district and city square of Manila. Referred as the "Old Downtown", Quiapo in known for where cheap buys or goods are being sold at rock-bottom prices and was the home of the Quiapo Church, where the feast for the Black Nazarene is held, with over millions of people attending...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. His ancestry was Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
with slight admixture of Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
. He was baptized in 1906 at the age of thirteen in San Isidro, Luzon by Bishop G.A. Miller, and was educated in the U.S. and the Philippines. He became a Member in Full Connection of the Philippine Islands Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
in 1918. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop Eveland and Elder by Bishops Stuntz and J.W. Robinson. Alejandro was the first delegate to the Central Conference of Southern Asia. Prior to his election to the Episcopacy he served as an evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
, an educator, a pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
and an editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
.
He was elected a Bishop during the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese occupation
Military occupation
Military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army. The territory then becomes occupied territory.-Military occupation and the laws of war:...
of the Philippines. Thus, he was not consecrated until 1946 (i.e., after liberation). He served the Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
Episcopal Area of the Philippines Central Conference of The Methodist Church. He was the Presiding Bishop of the Philippines and the Northern Philippines Annual Conferences.
Dionisio Alejandro was the first president of Philippine Wesleyan College (now Wesleyan University (Philippines)
Wesleyan University (Philippines)
Wesleyan University-Philippines is a private, non-stock, non-profit and non-sectarian university located in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Founded in 1946 as the Philippine Wesleyan College, it is named after John Wesley, the founder of Methodism.The university offers Pre-Elementary,...
) from 1946 - 1947.
Selected writings
- Mga Leksion sq Homiletica, 1919.
- A Brief History of the Philippines, in Tagalog, 1944. In English also.
- A Brief History of Methodism, with F.S. Galvez and D.W. Holton.
- Maikling Kasaysayan ng Philippines.
- Why Are We Protestants? 1945.
- Tr. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, H.C. Morrison, and other pamphlets.
- "From Darkness to Light: A brief Chronicl of the Beginnings and Spread of Methodism in the Philippines," 1974.
Biographies
- Sketch by Attorney Juan Nabong, Journal, 1944 (also in the Methodist Bishops' Collection at Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
). - From Roman Catholicism to the Protestant Faith, Personal Statement, Voices from Many Lands, 1915. (a typed copy of which also in the Methodist Bishops' Collection at Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
).
See also
- List of Bishops of the United Methodist Church
- Wesleyan University (Philippines)Wesleyan University (Philippines)Wesleyan University-Philippines is a private, non-stock, non-profit and non-sectarian university located in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Founded in 1946 as the Philippine Wesleyan College, it is named after John Wesley, the founder of Methodism.The university offers Pre-Elementary,...