VATICAN CITY—A Filipino cardinal often mentioned as a possible papal contender has just gotten a new high-profile job heading the Catholic Church’s global charity and development confederation.
Caritas Internationalis’s 165 members elected Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle to be their president on Thursday. He succeeds Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodridguez Maradiaga, whose two four-year terms have ended. He was congratulated by Maradiaga.
Tagle, who will keep his job as archbishop of Manila, is Asia’s most prominent Catholic leader. He garnered international attention in January when he welcomed Pope Francis to the Philippines, where a record 6 million people attended the final Mass.
The 57-year-old Tagle is seen as being in the same vein as Francis in his humble lifestyle and concern for the poor.
Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of Catholic charity organizations operating in some 200 countries. Tagle was elected by more than 300 Caritas delegates from around the world at the second day of their general assembly in Rome on Thursday. He is the first Asian elected to head the confederation of worldwide Catholic charities.
Tagle will become the global representative of the Caritas confederation of 165 members as its head when he takes office at the end of the assembly on May 17.
Strong support
Fr. Edu Gariguez, Caritas Philippines executive secretary, has lauded the cardinal’s appointment, saying that Tagle “has the qualities of a good leader for the organization.”
“I assured him of our support at Caritas Asia. And this is not for anything else but for our commitment and wholehearted service for the poor, so we need him for this,” he said.
Gariguez, who is also in Rome for the assembly, said the “clamor” for the cardinal to be nominated was led by Caritas Asia when the process started early this year.
But it was only last week, he said, when he learned that Caritas agencies in Europe and other countries are also in full support of the Manila archbishop. “The charism and reputation of the cardinal is not only here in the Philippines and it’s because he remains much the same low-profile personality, he’s not grandstanding but is making a huge impact,” he said.
‘Darling for Europe’
Chacko Joseph, head of Caritas Internationalis’s Solidarity Team for Emergency Preparedness (Step) program in the Philippines, also said Tagle has many supporters from most Caritas networks.
“I strongly believe that Cardinal Tagle is the darling for Europe. He is well-versed with everybody there and he is a down-to-earth person,” Joseph said. According to him, the cardinal will be “a huge advantage” for Caritas because of his close ties with Pope Francis “and they really understand each other.”
“And for a Catholic country like the Philippines, that will be a huge advantage because he could bring the people’s voice to Caritas,” he said.
Following his election, the cardinal, speaking by phone to the delegates from over 130 member-organizations from all over the world, said: “Buona sera a tutti! [Thank you for your trust]. I’m limited in my capacities but with all of you, with the love that Jesus has poured into our hearts and in the name of all of the poor people in the world, I accept this election.”
He added, “Let us, together, strengthen the church of the poor so our witness can help guide us to a world of understanding, justice, true freedom and peace.” Alexander Bodmann from Austria was also elected as the new Caritas Internationalis treasurer.
AP, CBCP News and Vatican Radio
Image credits: AP/Wally Santana