Members of the Catholic clergy of the Archdiocese of Manila welcomed Cardinal Jose Advincula, the new archbishop of the Philippine capital, with an assurance of cooperation and collaboration.
“Do not be afraid,” said the priests of Manila through Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, who delivered the welcome address during the installation of the new archbishop on Thursday, June 24.
“We are ready, as always, to cooperate and collaborate with our shepherds. You are not in this alone,” said Bishop Pabillo during Cardinal Advincula’s canonical possession of the See of Manila at the Manila Cathedral.
“As Pope Francis is stressing the synodal characteristic of the Church, so we walk together in building the kingdom of the fullness of life in the archdiocese,” added Bishop Pabillo.
“We are happy to have you with us,” he said, addressing Cardinal Advincula. “We recognize that you are a gift of the Church through our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to our local Church.”
“We have been praying for at shepherd for the past 15 trying months. At last, our prayers have been answered and you are now with us,” said Bishop Pabillo.
“We know that you will have to adjust to the situation of leading a big urban archdiocese. We admire your generosity in accepting this service to the Church,” he added.
The auxiliary bishop said it was unfortunate that the clergy cannot come near their new archbishop to pay homage due to the health restrictions brought about by the pandemic.
Cardinal Advincula in turn expressed his gratitude to Bishop Pabillo “for work well done.”
Bishop Pabillo received a warm round of applause, which lasted almost a minute, when Archbishop Charles Brown, papal nuncio to the Philippines, acknowledged his work as apostolic administrator.
Well-wishes for the new prelate
Catholic Church leaders across the country have also expressed their well-wishes to the new archbishop of Manila.
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, chairperson of the Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace of the Catholic bishops’ conference, wished that Cardinal Advincula be a “discerning voice to guide the Filipinos especially on socio-political issues.”
Cardinal Advincula was installed as the 33rd archbishop of the oldest diocese in the Philippines on June 24, the 450th anniversary of the city of Manila.
The diocese of Manila was created in 1579 and was elevated as a metropolitan archdiocese in 1595.
“As he steps in amidst the many challenges being faced by our Church and nation, we express our solidarity with him and pray for his good health,” said Bishop Bagaforo in a statement.
Pope Francis named Cardinal Advincula as the new Archbishop of Manila on March 25 to replace Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle who was named Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in 2020.
Retired Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon said it is “a great honor for the whole country” that Cardinal Advincula has been officially installed.
“I am particularly overjoyed because I had known Father Joe Advincula as the rector of the Capiz seminary when I was the Bishop of Romblon, which is part of the Archdiocese of Capiz,” said Bishop Bastes.
“What a great promotion to a high ecclesiastical rank of this humble, zealous, holy and intelligent prelate,” he added.
“We will listen to Cardinal Advincula, learn from him, and together we lead our country to peace and prosperity,” said Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Balanga, north of Manila.
Archbishop Ricardo Baccay of Tuguegarao said Cardinal Advincula’s appointment is “a new fresh air of being a Church.”
“His presence will continue to bring inspiration to move Manila and the whole Church in the Philippines to reach out to people with the image of a young, simple, and compassionate Church,” he said.
From the peripheries
Cardinal Advincula was born on March 30, 1952, in the town of Dumalag, Capiz province, to Jose Firmalino Advincula and Carmen Falsis Fuerte.
He studied at Saint Pius X Seminary High School in Roxas City, and stayed on after graduating to study philosophy. He then attended theology courses at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
He later studied Master of Arts in Education major in Guidance and Counseling at the De La Salle University and then canon law at the University of Santo Tomás and at the Angelicum in Rome, where he earned a licentiate in canon law.
He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Cápiz on April 14, 1976. He worked as spiritual director of the St. Pius X Seminary while also professor and dean of studies.
After finishing his studies abroad, he returned to the Philippines and worked at the seminary of Nueva Segovia in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, and in the regional seminary of Jaro.
In 1995, he became rector of the St. Pius X Seminary of Cápiz while also holding positions in the administration of the archdiocese as defender of the bond, promoter of justice, and judicial vicar.
In 1999, he was assigned parish priest of Santo Tomás de Villanueva Parish in Dao, Capiz.
Saint Pope John Paul II appointed him bishop of San Carlos on July 25, 2001. He received his episcopal consecration on Sept. 8, 2001.
On Nov. 9, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named him archbishop of Cápiz.
He has been a member of the Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith and Commission for Indigenous Peoples in the Philippine bishops’ conference.
Pope Francis created him a cardinal in a consistory on Nov. 28, 2020, assigning him as a cardinal priest to San Vigilio in Via Paolo Di Dono.
Cardinal Advincula was not able to attend the consistory because of health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Dec. 16, 2020, he was named a member of the Congregation for the Clergy in the Vatican.
In lieu of the November 2020 consistory, Cardinal Advincula received his “red hat” and ring from Archbishop Charles Brown, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, on June 18, 2021, at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Roxas City.
