Our new cardinal

It is indeed a happy moment for the Philippines and our Bishop Vicente M. Navarra is right – he will be an inspiration to all, especially the youth and the priests. I also add that his elevation to the College of Cardinals is a moment of reflection for what we have, and Cardinal-elect Luis Antonio Tagle is a model for all.

He was really a humble man, a model. When we arrived in Rome on October 2, we heard First Friday Mass at the chapel of the Pontificio Coleggio Filippino. He asked a resident priest to say Mass while he acted as the concelebrant with Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles “serving” as sacristan.

During the homily, the priest was visibly embarrassed, and he said so, with the other archbishops in attendance. There were only three of us lay persons and a nun who works in the Collegio. Archbishop Socrates “Soc” Villegas, in polo barong, sat behind us.

After the Mass, we asked then Archbishop Tagle to bless the rosaries we brought from Lourdes and he stayed behind and blessed them. He also went to the sacristy to get the holy water and then we had photos with him.

I told him we came from Bacolod and he asked how Bishop Navarra is. I told him our bishop is fine but he expressed concern about the health of Bishop Navarra.

“We in the CBCP really miss him. He had not been attending our meetings,” he said with that concern clearly showing in his face. He also said that it must be the pacer in Bishop Navarra.

I told him what I know – that the bishop’s doctors advised him against travelling.

While we were walking to the second floor for dinner, I told him, he soon would be a cardinal. I cannot remember what he said, though it was just a murmur.

Did he know already? The Holy Office usually informs an elect weeks earlier and for the elect to accept, so now I believe he knew when I told him he would soon be a cardinal.

Not that I was prophetic. Far from it, rather because his position as the Archbishop of Manila, as a primus inter pares of other churches and prelates, calls for a cardinal. I believed it would just be a matter of time when he would be elevated.

Add to this is the fact that he is personally close to Pope Benedict XVI.

But I did not think the events would move this fast and for that we are truly happy and proud. Bishop Navarra expressed it all for us.

Just before we entered the dining room, Archbishop Valles was there and we talked a bit and he said that he, Archbishop Tagle and Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu were summoned by the Holy Father to represent the Philippines in the Synod of Bishops.

When we had breakfast the following day, I found Archbishop Palma and I greeted him. Several archbishops were already in the Collegio but they did not talk about the Synod but exchanged banters so that the dining room was indeed a happy place, a good way to start the day.

However, to repeat, only three were to officially attend the synod.

We joined the table with former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez who asked that we join her and her son in a tour of Rome.

However, she was to take a tour car and we thought it would be better for us to choose our own itinerary and pace. Her interest is purely sightseeing; mine is a study.

Unfortunately we had to leave Rome by 2 p.m. and we had no time to attend the Mass by the Pope for the opening of the Synod of Bishops was held at the Vatican which was scheduled for 10a.m.

We had to go earlier despite the arrangements that Fr. Greg Gaston made for our transport to the Termini, the train station for our train trip to Paris.

At 55, the Cardinal-elect will have 25 years of service as a cardinal. They retire at 81 years of age though their duty can be extended by the Pope by simply not accepting their mandatory resignations. They are, however, at age 81 no longer able to vote in the election of a pope.

This is the year of Faith and Cardinal-elect Archbishop Tagle who is a theologian, will have a great task of facing questions of faith, including the issue of reproductive health, which is a question of doctrine and, therefore, the faith of Filipinos in the Church.

I am writing from New Jersey after arriving here yesterday from Washington so that I have no further news of this great, happy national event.*

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