– Fr Leonard Dollentas
Filipinos in Macau welcomed with excitement the recent appointment of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle as the new prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples or Propaganda Fide.
The Filipino cardinal succeeds Cardinal Fernando Filoni who was appointed as the new Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher. Reuters revealed that the appointment of Cardinal Tagle marks the return of an Asian cardinal to the helm for evangelization and episcopal nominations in mission lands after the term of Indian Cardinal Ivan Dias, who was appointed in 2006.
Since Cardinal Tagle has to move to Rome immediately, he officially announced his appointment from Rome in one of his Masses at the Manila Cathedral recently. It was a moment of joy and tears for the faithful and the cardinal.
The Cardinal was ordained priest in 1982. He worked as a Seminary rector for the Diocesan Seminary of the Diocese of Imus and a theology professor for various seminaries in Manila. He was nominated to become the bishop of the Diocese of Imus by then Pope John Paul II in October 2001.
He became the Metropolitan Archbishop of Manila when Pope Benedict XVI appointed him in October 2011. He received the cardinal’s hat in 2012.
Besides being a theologian and a seminary professor, Cardinal Tagle is known for his simplicity and humility. He used to take public transportation during his teaching days, from Cavite to Manila. He would always dress simply as an ordinary priest and would greet everyone, including newspaper boys and sidewalk vendors.
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