PHILIPPINES HAILS NEW CARDINAL / PH CYBERWORLD ERUPTS W/
JOY!
[PHOTO -Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle: Cardinal-designate
'Chito' known in Philippines for theology,
humility]
MANILA OCTOBER 29, 2012 (ASIA
ONE) Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates
Villegas said he and other Filipino prelates-Archbishop Jose Palma and
Archbishop Romulo Valles-waited outside the Vatican synod hall after hearing the
news that Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle had been named cardinal.
"When I hugged him, he cried on my shoulders. Tears of joy but also tears of
fear! Every grace is also a responsibility, he told me later. We pray with joy
now. Let us pray for Cardinal Tagle on the months and years ahead. Rejoice dear
Philippines! One of our sons is now a cardinal!" Villegas said in a statement
released in Manila.
Clerics and lay leaders echoed the same joy and fear that Villegas expressed
following the surprise announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that the 55-year-old
Tagle would be elevated to cardinal at the consistory on Nov. 24 in the Vatican.
Tagle is scheduled to return to Manila on Nov. 1. He will celebrate Mass on
Nov. 3 in Paco, Manila, to launch the "Year of Faith" in his archdiocese.
"We are like John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness," said Tagle in an
interview with Vatican Radio yesterday, a day after Benedict's announcement that
he had joined the ranks of cardinals.
"You're not even sure if people will give you a fair hearing," said Tagle,
who has been described as a "golden child," a rising "star," and a potential
papal contender.
"You may be saying the right things but people will not listen to you if the
manner by which you communicate reminds them of a triumphalistic know-it-all
type of institution," said Tagle, who became head of the Manila archdiocese upon
the retirement a year ago of Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.
[PHOTO -Archbishop Luis Tagle delivers his homily during
his installation Mass inside the cathedral in Manila, Philippines, in December.
(CNS/Manila Cathedral handout via Reuters/Noli Yamsuan)]
Terrified of task's magnitude
"I would like to thank the Holy Father for his trust and confidence not only
in me but in the Church in Manila and in the Philippines. I take this not only
as a gift but also as a call for the Church in the Philippines to take seriously
our mission specially in Asia," he said.
"I am also consoled by the assurances of prayer and support from so many
people. But I am terrified by the magnitude of the task at hand," Tagle said in
his official statement issued from Rome, where he is attending the monthly synod
of bishops on new evangelization.
"It requires a further broadening of the horizon, a careful study of
worldwide developments in society and the Church and an intensification of the
mission of the Archdiocese of Manila and the Church in the Philippines, even in
different parts of the world, especially in Asia."
[PHOTO -Pope Benedict announced the names of six new
cardinals. One of them is Archbishop Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle of Manila, known
to all as 'Archbishop Chito'. Filipinos rarely use their proper names and it is
possible to know someone for years without knowing his baptismal name, as I have
discovered.]
God must love Filipinos
Henrietta de Villa, a former ambassador to the Vatican, said: "I'm ecstatic.
God must really love the Filipinos. Only last Sunday, the gift of a new saint,
St. Pedro Calungsod, an example of faithfulness and selfless love. Now, a new
cardinal for the Philippines, one who follows the Lord, is humble of heart, and
teaches with authority because he lives what he preaches."
"He will have a lot of time to prove himself," said retired Archbishop Oscar
Cruz. "That's 20 years for him to be able to work and serve the Church. He is a
very good theologian, very kind and holy."
Cruz noted Tagle's service under Benedict when the pontiff, as then Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger, headed the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. He
said it was possible that Tagle would be appointed to head that body, previously
known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition.
"That's a higher position," he said.
Activist "running priest" Fr. Robert Reyes, a classmate of Tagle at the
Jesuit-run San Jose Seminary, said he knew the archbishop was going to "climb
high in the ecclesiastical ladder."
Something extraordinary
"Not only was he very intelligent, he was also very humble and very
generous," he said. "So we knew even then that there was something extraordinary
here. The Church is looking for future leaders.
Whether he becomes Pope or not, the challenge for him is to remain humble and
simple," he said. He recalled that Tagle had "always reminded us not to lose the
connection with the poor."
While at the seminary, Tagle served as conductor of the choir under Jesuit
Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros, considered the father of Catholic liturgical music in
the country, Reyes said. "What we need in the Church now is a good conductor who
will make everyone sing in tune because we have so many discordant voices in
Church and society."
Activist priest Fr. Joe Dizon, convenor of Solidarity Philippines, said Tagle
should use his office for his "prophetic witness" to denounce society's ills.
"The red hat of the cardinal symbolizes his readiness to shed his blood … for
the Church, the Church of the Poor. It is expected that he would be a prophetic
witness, denouncing evil, announcing good-as a cardinal of the Catholic Church,"
Dizon said.
The golden child
Writing in his blog, "Whispers in the Loggia," American Church analyst Rocco
Palmo said Tagle could become "the star" of the consistory on Nov. 24 at the
Vatican.
"Consistories are never about the past, but the future… and as each one tends
to have its 'star,' it's a pretty obvious call that the coming intake will be
decidedly Chito-centric," Palmo said, referring to Tagle's nickname.
"Named to his post a year ago last week, the singing, weeping, bike-riding
and, YouTubing 55 year old-a member of the progressive-leaning 'Bologna school'
team of Vatican II historians-clearly hasn't been dubbed the 'golden child' for
nothing," he said.
Veteran Italian journalist Sandro Magister noted in his blog that Tagle was
named a cardinal even after a Vatican prelate criticised the chapter he wrote in
the controversial "History of Vatican Council II" produced by the liberal
"School of Bologna" group of scholars.
Magister noted that the curial archbishop Agostino Marchetto, in a book
published by the Vatican, criticised Tagle's chapter as "a rich and even
comprehensive study, but unbalanced," written in "journalistic language" and
here and there "lacking the objectivity required of the true historian."
"Marchetto's criticisms nonetheless did not prevent Tagle, bishop of Imus
since 2001, from becoming first, archbishop of Manila in 2011, and now
cardinal," Magister wrote in his blog.
Most Rev. Luis Antonio G. Tagle, D.D., was installed the 32nd Metropolitan
Archbishop of Manila on Dec. 12, 2011 at 9 a.m. at the Minor Basilica of the
Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral). Archbishop Tagle, 54, succeeded
Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, 79, whose resignation was accepted by His
Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on October 13, 2011. Archbishop Tagle was Bishop of
Imus for 10 years. Archbishop Tagle was also ordained bishop on the same date
ten years ago.
PH cyberworld erupts with joy over Tagle elevation
Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:06 am | Thursday, October 25th, 2012 263
163
Filipino netizens took to various social networking sites on
Wednesday to express happiness over the news that Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio
Tagle had been named as one of the Church's new cardinals.
On Facebook, a page called "100% Katolikong Pinoy!," which has over 153,400
likes, posted a photo of Tagle with the caption "Deo Gratias! We have a new
Filipino Prince of the Church!"
The post was liked by over 880 people and was shared around 227 times less
than an hour after the photo was posted.
"Thanks be to God. Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle is a wonderful warrior of
Christ and the Catholic faith," Amy Lee said.
Ariel Tampus wrote: "I am very proud of my theology professor. You deserve
it, Bishop Chito. May this blessing give you more opportunities to serve God,
His church and his people. We are always one with you in our prayers. Congrats
and God bless!"
Others, like Louie Julian, speculated that Tagle might become Pope someday.
"I smell an Asian Pope," Julian wrote, complete with a smiley face.
Carlito Santos said: "A new Saint—St. Pedro Calungsod; a new cardinal,
Cardinal-elect Luis Antonio Tagle; all in the Year of Faith." Schatzi Quodala
and Bea Ponce, Inquirer Research
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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