Asia’s most prominent Roman Catholic leader knows how to reach the masses: He sings on stage, preaches on television and brings churchgoers to laughter and tears with his homilies, and is also on Facebook.
However, Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle’s best response against the tide of secularism, clergy sex abuse scandals and rival faith competition could be his reputation for humility. His compassion for the poor and unassuming ways have impressed followers in his homeland — Asia’s largest Catholic nation — and church leaders.
Tagle’s rising star has opened a previously unimaginable possibility: An Asian pope.
The Philippine prelate’s chances are considered remote, as many believe that Latin America or Africa — with their faster growing Catholic flocks — would be more logical choices if the papal electors look beyond Europe. However, even the hint of papal consideration has electrified many in the heavily Catholic Philippines, where past pontiffs had been welcomed by millions with rock star intensity.
The talks surrounding Tagle have been fueled by prominent Vatican experts, who see in the boyish-looking cardinal the religious zest, stamina, charisma and communications skills that could energize a church facing many crises.
John Thavis, a Vatican analyst and author of The Vatican Diaries, said the selection of Polish-born John Paul II in 1979 shows the “unthinkable” can occur once the cardinals are in the conclave.
“There are people, even Vatican officials here, who have whispered to me: ‘Tagle, he’s the man,’” Thavis told reporters.
When asked about the buzz, Tagle said it was “only a speculation.”
“He’s an effective communicator and missionary at a time when Catholicism’s highest internal priority is a new evangelization,” Rome-based analyst John Allen wrote in the National Catholic Reporter.
“Tagle incarnates the dramatic growth of Catholicism outside the West, putting a face on the dynamic and relatively angst-free form of Catholicism percolating in the Southern Hemisphere,” he said.
Still, Tagle’s relative youth — at 55, he’s the second-youngest among the cardinals — could be a liability. Cardinals could be reluctant to risk giving the reins of the Vatican to someone who could rule for decades.
People who know him say Tagle carved a reputation for simple, day-to-day acts that defined him as a man of deep faith and intellect.
One of two children of a pious Catholic couple, who worked in a bank, Tagle dreamed of becoming a doctor. However, he was redirected by a Jesuit friend to the priesthood at a seminary in the upscale Ateneo de Manila University, where he graduated summa cum laude, said the Reverend Catalino Arevalo, his theology professor,
He is gifted with communication skills: A wonderful storyteller with a bent for music, Tagle speaks fluent Italian, English and Tagalog. He also has proficient French and can say Mass in Latin. However, he prefers to stay in the background.
“He’s not somebody who sort of wants to, by personality, put himself at the center of the stage,” Arevalo said.
Tagle took clear positions on church and social issues, but was never confrontational or “super militant,” Arevalo said.
For instance, he encouraged dialogue when he helped lead an unsuccessful church campaign against the government-endorsed health plan that promotes contraceptives.
Tagle was ordained in 1982 and became bishop in 2001 at an old cathedral about a block from his family home in Imus, south of Manila.
Aside from his church work, he taught theology in a hilltop seminary, where he lived for about two decades, staying in a room that had no television or air-conditioning, seminary staffers said.
Even as a bishop, Tagle did not own a car. He took the bus to church and elsewhere. He ate with workers and sang for a church charity, impressing many with his baritone voice.
Tagle stood out for his powerful homilies. A few years ago, he started hosting a Sunday gospel show on TV where he preached and answered questions. Staffers then made him a Facebook page, which has more than 120,000 followers.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS