His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has honored the Archdiocese of Caceres by granting the honorary title of Papal Chaplain to four of its priests, even as the archdiocese is girding its loins for the Tercentennial of their devotion to the Virgin of Peñafrancia:

The four who will henceforth be addressed as Monsignor are: 1. Fr Jeffrey Nelson B Tria, parish priest of San Francisco Parish in the City of Naga, is from Tigaon, Camarines Sur and is the Director of the Caceres Social Action. 2. Fr. Noe P. Badiola, parish priest of St. Francis of Assisi in Buhi, Camarines Sur, is from Baao, Camarines Sur. 3. Fr. Jose Roberto Z. Carpio, Rector of the Holy Rosary Major Seminary, is from Liboton, Naga City and is at the same time the Chairperson of the Commission on Biblical Apostolate of Caceres. 4. Fr Peter Romeo M. Beriña, Rector of the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, is from Iriga City and is the Chairperson of the Commission on Liturgy.

Monsignor is a form of address which is connected with appointments to certain ecclesiastical positions , most of which are honorary. These honors are bestowed upon a priest directly by the Pope, most often after consultation with the local ordinary.

Pope Paul VI’s document, Pontificalis Domus, issued on 28 March 1968, simplified the classification of monsignori or lesser prelates. Previously they were divided into at least 14 different grades, to include Domestic Prelates and four Protonotary Apostolic.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Protonotary Apostolic is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in the Roman Curia or, outside of Rome, an honorary prelate on whom the Pope has conferred this title and its special privileges.

In later antiquity there were four kinds of papal chamberlains, and at least five types of papal chaplains.

Since 1968, Apostolic Protonotaries are classified either de numere or supernumerary. Most of the former classes of Chamberlains and Chaplains have been abolished, leaving only a single class of “Chaplains of His Holiness”, a specifically priestly-sounding category. As a result the monsignori are now classed into the following three ranks, in descending order of precedence:

Protonotary Apostolic: In the Roman Catholic Church, protonotary apostolic is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in the Roman Curia or, outside of Rome, an honorary prelate on whom the pope has conferred this title and its special privileges.

In later antiquity, two types are retained: de numero (the highest and least common form, customarily only seven) and supernumerary (the highest grade of monsignor found outside Rome).

Honorary Prelate: An Honorary Prelate of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges as regards ecclesiastical dress.

Chaplain of His Holiness: a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges as regards ecclesiastical dress.

Before 1968, the appointment of a Privy Chamberlain expired at the death of the Pope who granted it. This no longer holds. Those listed in the index of the Annuario Pontificio as Chaplains of His Holiness continue to be listed in the edition that follows the death of the Pope, as after the deaths of Popes Paul VI and John Paul I in 1978 and after that of Pope John Paul II in 2005.