Most Rev.

Roberto Oerdain Gaa

Bishop of the Diocese of Novaliches (2019 – present)

The diocese of Novaliches covers 69 parishes in the northern parts of Quezon

City and Caloocan with around two million Catholics.

Qualities:
Jesuit known for simple life
Man of God, man of prayer
Learner, yearning for continuous growth
Well rounded and effective pastor
Rigorous life, imposed on himself gently

Bishop Roberto Orendain Gaa, was born in Manila on October 4, 1962.

He finished his elementary and secondary studies at the Ateneo de Manila

University in 1980. He completed his college at the University of the Philippines
– Diliman and obtained his degree BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1985.

From 1985 to 1995, he worked at different companies such as Philippine

National Oil Company, Philippine Retirement Authority, Johnson & Johnson
Philippines and San Miguel Corporation.

Despite his comfortable life as a mechanical engineer in San Miguel Corporation,

one of the biggest corporation in the Philippines. Like Abraham, he left his
comfort zone and answered the call of God to become a priest.

In 1995, he entered the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary. He finished his theology
studies at San Carlos Graduate School of Theology in 2000.

He was ordained priest on September 23, 2000 at the Manila Metropolitan

Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila for the Archdiocese of Manila. Fr. Gaa then
obtained his Licentiate in Spirituality on 2005 at the Pontifical Gregorian
University in Rome, Italy.

As a priest, he was assigned at different parishes namely, St. John the Baptist
Parish, Immaculate Conception Parish, Presentation of the Child Jesus Parish,
St. Anthony of Padua Parish, as Parochial Vicar and Holy Spirt Parish as Parish
Priest.

In 2002, he was appointed as Acting Dean of Studies of the Holy Apostles Senior
Seminary in Guadalupe, Makati, where he spent most of his time as a priest
handling different offices, from being a Spiritual Director, Vice Rector, Dean of
Seminaries, Rector and Dean of Studies.
On June 6, 2019, Bishop Antonio R. Tobias resigned as Bishop of Novaliches
and Pope Francis appointed Fr. Roberto Gaa as his successor. He was ordained
and consecrated as a member of the Sacred Order of Bishops at the Manila
Cathedral by his Eminence, Luis Antonio G. Tagle.

Bishop Gaa was canonically installed as Bishop of Novaliches on August 24,

2009, on the Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle at the Novaliches Cathedral.

I chose Father Roberto Gaa as a modern day patriarch because despite the
comfortable life he was living he was called by God to become a priest just like
how God called Abraham to sacrifice his only son. He chose to leave his
comfort zone and sacrifice his time where most people would have ignored and
continued their comfortable lives. I think highly of Father Roberto Gaa because
of the fact that he chose to serve God when he could have ignored Him and
continued living a quiet and simple life, sure he could have doubted God in
choosing him but he trusted God just like how Abraham trusted God in His
plans. People like him in my opinion are rare and we should all aspire to be like
him.

I compared him to Abraham because he obeyed God even when he already

had a comfortable life