In 1979 clergy and lay leaders formulated the Diocesan Vision-Mission Statement that focussed on the building of Basic Ecclesial Communities – communities of believers who would become active participants in the task of proclaiming the Gospel. The vision-mission statement saw fruition when the members of the diocesan clergy renewed their commitment in their annual retreat in February, 1993, as they restated their Desiderata.

Communities of Renewal have been formed on many levels. The promotion of vocations is an area given special attention. In the last school year there were 200 applicants to the seminary out of which only 40 were admitted. From its gift of vocations the diocese takes pride in responding positively to requests from other churches in need of priests. A good number of priests from this diocese can now be found in dioceses all over the country and abroad.

Under the Diocesan Pastoral Secretariat the work of the different commissions is coordinated under a chairman. These are commissions on worship, education, service, youth and temporalities.

Tagbilaran City is the capital of the island province of Bohol which lies between the south of Leyte and the southern portion of the island of Cebu in the Central Visayas. Bohol is bounded on the north by the Camotes Sea, and in the south by the Mindanao Sea.

As the Visayas Region was the first area where the Spanish conquistadores landed, it is believed that Magellan toured in the island of Panglao off the southwestern coast of Bohol, and later the main island of Bohol, particularly a place called Barrio Bool. Eventually this barrio gave the whole island its current name.

Historically the province of Bohol is remembered as the setting of the dramatic blood compact between Legazpi and the island chief Sikatuna. It was also in Bohol where Dagohoy led a rebellion against Spain in 1744, overthrowing the Spanish governance of the island and forming its own government which lasted for eighty years.

The Diocese of Tagbilaran was created on November 8, 1941 and made a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cebu. On January 9, 1986 the diocese was divided as the Diocese of Talibon was created. Talibon is a major town on the northern coast of the island. And the Diocese of Talibon absorved half of the civil province of Bohol.

Today the Diocese of Tagbilaran has jurisdiction over 37 parishes and 4 chaplaincies. It has a population coming close to half a million, mostly farmers and fishermen. And administering to the faithful are 1 bishop (local ordinary), 71 diocesan and 4 religious priests, competently aided by 65 religious sisters and lay leaders.

The titular patron of the diocese is St. Joseph, the Worker, whose feastday is celebrated May 1. A secondary patron, St. Roch, is celebrated August 16. The diocese has a major and a minor seminary. There are 130 major seminarians at present.