PH Catholic clergy hopeful Cebu archbishop would be made cardinal too

SPECIAL MASS Pope Benedict XVI presides over the canonization Mass. AFP

MANILA, Philippines—Will Cebu get a cardinal next year?

Filipino clergymen are hopeful that Pope Benedict XVI would again call a consistory next year and include Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

Fr. Reginald Malicdem, the private secretary of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle, said the Pope might again call a consistory because a number of cardinals would reach the age of 80, after which they would no longer be able to vote in a conclave.

Traditionally, the Church should have 120 voting cardinals in a conclave—a number that would be reached with the creation of six new cardinals (including Tagle) on November 24.

“That’s possible… maybe next year. Many more cardinals would reach the age of 80 so there is a need to increase the number of cardinals to 120,” Malicdem said.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz said Palma could be next in line because the Archbishop of Cebu is usually made a cardinal.

“Manila and Cebu will always have a cardinal archbishop,” Cruz said.

Malicdem said the consistory on November 24 is unusual because the Pope already held a consistory in February.

“The last time that two consistories happened in same year was back in the 1920s,” he said.

Malicdem also noted that of all the archbishops of Manila, Tagle was the fastest getting into the College of Cardinals.

“He was named archbishop on October 13 last year and now the Pope has created him a cardinal. This is a historic moment for the Archdiocese of Manila,” he said.

Malicdem, who also served as private secretary to former Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales when he was made a cardinal in 2006, said a Vatican consistory involved three days of celebrations.

“On the day itself, the rite  is held in St. Peter’s Basilica. In the presence of all other cardinals, the new ones are given rings and the red hats,” he said. “Then (on the following day), there is a Mass of Thanksgiving presided by the Pope. Those are the two public events. But the day (before the rite at St. Peter’s Basilica), all cardinals and the new cardinals have a day of reflection and thanksgiving.”

Malicdem said that Tagle would most probably be accompanied by his family and a delegation of priests and lay persons to the consistory.

“Based on my personal experience, he is really known (by the other prelates) when we go to Rome. Even in a meeting, when he’s just sitting at the sides, bishops and cardinals would approach him,” Malicdem said. “They come from different countries. They would exchange pleasantries and ask how Manila was doing.”

Asked about speculation that Tagle could be Pope one day, Malicdem answered, “That’s hard to answer because it’s the Holy Spirit that identifies them (but) the mere fact that we are hearing that he is being considered, or that his name is being mentioned is a big honor for us Filipinos.”