I had the opportunity to meet Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle
during dinner at our clergy recollection on Tuesday, May 14. His Eminence is
currently in Kuala Lumpur for the FABC Office of Theological Concerns in Asia
conference together with 14 other members (Bishops and Priests). Cardinal Tagle
was present at the last conclave (March, 2013) and was also on the list of
potential Papal candidates.
Philippines Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, age 55, Asia’s most prominent Roman Catholic leader, is among those who observers say may be in the running to succeed Pope Benedict XVI. His deep mastery of theology, passionate faith, compassion for the poor and humble ways are winning hearts and minds in his homeland and have impressed Benedict XVI. When Benedict announced his resignation in February 2013 and the media listed Tagle as one of several potential successors.
Tagle is the seventh cardinal from the Philippines, which embraced Christianity under the colonial influence of Spain in 1521. The younger of two children of a pious Catholic couple who worked in a bank and came from middle-class backgrounds, Tagle dreamed of becoming a doctor. He studied from grade school to Ateneo University, Manila and later at the Catholic University of America in Washington, where he took up doctoral studies on theology. Tagle consistently finished with top honours. After Washington, Tagle returned to the Philippines and was assigned to numerous church offices and roles. He was ordained a priest in 1982, then a bishop in 2001 at an old cathedral. Cardinal Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict XVI, appointed Tagle as a member of the Vatican's International Theological Commission and was impressed with his research work and papers. In October 2011, Benedict declared Tagle the new archbishop of Manila, then just a year later, elevated him to cardinal.
When he was teaching in the seminary for about two decades, staying in a room that had no television or air-conditioning unit but was filled with religious and philosophy books. Even as a bishop, Tagle did not own a car. He took the bus or “jeepney,” the popular working-class minibus, to church and elsewhere, allowing him to mingle with the masses. His eminence is known for his great communication skills - he's a superb storyteller, has a good singing voice, a strong sense of humour, and speaks Italian, Latin and French. Recently that the number of his Facebook followers had jumped from about 80,000 and late last year to more than 120,000, with a lot of postings from abroad, including Europe. It was a wonderful moment for me to meet Cardinal Tagle who is a very brilliant, intelligent, very humble, simple, full of zeal that could energise the Church in Asia.
Philippines Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, age 55, Asia’s most prominent Roman Catholic leader, is among those who observers say may be in the running to succeed Pope Benedict XVI. His deep mastery of theology, passionate faith, compassion for the poor and humble ways are winning hearts and minds in his homeland and have impressed Benedict XVI. When Benedict announced his resignation in February 2013 and the media listed Tagle as one of several potential successors.
Tagle is the seventh cardinal from the Philippines, which embraced Christianity under the colonial influence of Spain in 1521. The younger of two children of a pious Catholic couple who worked in a bank and came from middle-class backgrounds, Tagle dreamed of becoming a doctor. He studied from grade school to Ateneo University, Manila and later at the Catholic University of America in Washington, where he took up doctoral studies on theology. Tagle consistently finished with top honours. After Washington, Tagle returned to the Philippines and was assigned to numerous church offices and roles. He was ordained a priest in 1982, then a bishop in 2001 at an old cathedral. Cardinal Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict XVI, appointed Tagle as a member of the Vatican's International Theological Commission and was impressed with his research work and papers. In October 2011, Benedict declared Tagle the new archbishop of Manila, then just a year later, elevated him to cardinal.
When he was teaching in the seminary for about two decades, staying in a room that had no television or air-conditioning unit but was filled with religious and philosophy books. Even as a bishop, Tagle did not own a car. He took the bus or “jeepney,” the popular working-class minibus, to church and elsewhere, allowing him to mingle with the masses. His eminence is known for his great communication skills - he's a superb storyteller, has a good singing voice, a strong sense of humour, and speaks Italian, Latin and French. Recently that the number of his Facebook followers had jumped from about 80,000 and late last year to more than 120,000, with a lot of postings from abroad, including Europe. It was a wonderful moment for me to meet Cardinal Tagle who is a very brilliant, intelligent, very humble, simple, full of zeal that could energise the Church in Asia.
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