New shepherd leads Archdiocese of Manila

BY MARIA DIVINA SOLANO

The Catholic Church in the Philippines rejoiced as a new shepherd, Archbishop Luis Antonio G Tagle, was installed last December 12 to lead the Archdiocese of Manila.

Tagle, 54, a native of Imus, Cavite, was chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to take over as 79-year-old Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales stepped down after eight years of service.

A professor of Theology and a well sought after speaker, Tagle was ordained on February 27, 1982 and received his Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) at The Catholic University of American, Washington DC in 1991. He is also a long-time member of the International Theological Commission, a body composed of the brightest and most respected theologians that meets regularly with the Pope in Vatican City.

Before being installed as archbishop last December 12, Tagle was Bishop of the Diocese of Imus, which he led in celebrating its 50th anniversary of creation on November 25. Providentially, his appointment as Archbishop of Manila was announced on October 13, one day after the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar, the Patroness of Imus Cathedral.

During the mass for the golden anniversary, Tagle pointed out with much emotion that in the past, the Archdiocese of Manila supplied bishops to the Diocese of Imus. “But now, it is the daughter church that sends to the mother church.”

In typical Caviteno fashion, his installation in the Archdiocese of Manila was marked by a festive karakol–a procession marked with gaiety and dancing.

Image provided by Fotolia via the Microsoft Office website.