Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has warned the people against the tendency of self-promotion, saying that mission without spirituality has no value.
Tagle, made the call in his homily in a Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar, where he also bade farewell to his hometown in Imus, Cavite, on Monday.
The prelate, who was appointed as Prefect of the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples last December, is expected to assume his post in the Vatican early this year.
He said during his homily that good deeds without the right disposition lacks purpose.
“Mission is spirituality. We might be doing something but not a mission,” Tagle told the faithful.
“We can’t also have spirituality without action,” he added.
A teary eyed Tagle thanked all those who attended the celebration, including some public officials.
“This kind of celebration gives me strength,” CBCP News quoted Tagle as saying.
“From here, I will be an overseas Filipino worker (OFW),” he said.
“Please continue praying for me, especially for Pope Francis,” he added.
The Our Lady of the Pillar church was the same cathedral where the cardinal was baptized as Catholic, and where he was ordained priest in 1982 and bishop in 2001.
Imus Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista announced that Pope Francis will soon appoint a new leader for the Manila archdiocese.
“Manila will have a new archbishop as our cardinal will take a bigger role in the Church,” he said. (Leslie Ann Aquino)
