Pope Francis has named Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle as the new Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Tagle’s appointment was announced in Rome, Italy on Sunday noon (7 p.m. Manila time), said a Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines News post.
He will replace Cardinal Fernando Filoni who was appointed as the new Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher.
Tagle’s appointment marks the return of an Asian cardinal to the leadership of the important congregation for evangelization after Indian Cardinal Ivan Dias who served from 2006 to 2011.
The Vatican News said the Pope “once again shows great attention to the Asian continent.” The announcement was made near the end of his trip to Thailand and Japan.
Tagle will be installed at the Vatican early next year. However it is still unclear if the cardinal will have to leave his post as archbishop of Manila since members of the Roman Curia are usually based in Rome.
Tagle, 62, was ordained priest for the Diocese of Imus in 1982. Saint John Paul II named him bishop of the diocese in 2001. In October 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Archbishop of Manila, and as cardinal in 2012.
He has been serving as president of Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican’s social action arm since 2015.
Catholic prelates welcomed the appointment of Tagle, saying it was a “blessing” to our country.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga said Tagle’s appointment showed the trust and confidence of Pope Francis to the cardinal.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo also welcomed the appointment of Tagle as the country will again have a Filipino cardinal working in the Vatican. (Christina Hermoso and Leslie Ann G. Aquino)
