Archbishop Charles John Brown, the new apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, arrived in Manila on Sunday, November 29, to assume his duties as the pope’s envoy to the country.
The Vatican ambassador arrived on board a Philippine Airlines flight from New York past seven o’clock in the morning.
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, and Bishop Jesse Mercado of Parañaque welcomed Archbishop Brown.
He was also greeted by government officials led by Secretary Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Office at the presidential lounge of the airport.
From the airport, the archbishop proceeded to the Mary, Mother of Good Counsel Parish Church in Parañaque City, his first visit to a church in the country, to pray.
“He had become a devotee of Our Lady of Good Counsel when he was assigned in Albania,” said Bishop David.
The new papal nuncio then proceeded to the Nunciature to celebrate Mass and had lunch.
He was welcomed through a telephone call by Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, president of the bishops’ conference, after Mass.
Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Brown as Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines on Sept. 28, 2020. Prior to his new assignment, he was Apostolic Nuncio to Albania since March 2017.
He replaced Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, who now heads the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission in the United Nations in New York.
As papal envoy, Archbishop Brown will represent the Vatican State to the Philippine government, while also playing a crucial role in representing the pope to the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
In many Catholic countries like the Philippines, the nuncio is also the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
