Cardinal Tagle celebrates last Mass as Manila archbishop
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MANILA, Philippines — Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle celebrated his last Mass as archbishop of Manila at the Manila Cathedral Sunday morning.
Tagle is leaving the country to assume his post in the Vatican as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
After the Mass, Fr. Reginald Malicdem, Tagle’s personal secretary and rector of the cathedral, unveiled the latter’s coat of arms now set in marble at the central nave as he ended his ministry in Manila.
“It has been a tradition in the Manila Cathedral that as an archbishop ends his term, his coat of arms is placed on marble at the central nave,” said Malicdem in a video posted on the Manila Cathedral’s Facebook page.
“This is a source of pride and joy for us… this signifies that you will be remembered in all the prayers and Masses offered in this cathedral,” he went on.
“This is also a sign that you continue to be a clergy of the Archdiocese of Manila. You still belong to us. And this is an assurance that you always have a home in this cathedral,” Malicdem added.
Tagle is the 32nd archbishop in the 441 years of the Archdiocese of Manila.
Malicdem said Tagle would be missed by the faithful.
“Manila Cathedral will miss your voice,” Malicdem told Tagle. “If you happen to be in Manila, please know that the doors of Manila Cathedral are always open for you, and it will always be a joy for us to tell you ‘welcome home’. Thank you very much Cardinal Chito.”
In his response, Tagle thanked Malicdem, the other priests in the archdiocese and the faithful, and urged them to continue praying for one another.
In December last year, Tagle was appointed by Pope Francis to lead the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, one of the leading departments in the Roman Curia.
Meanwhile, there’s still no word from the Vatican on who will replace Tagle as the archbishop of Manila.
According to a source, the Vatican may assign a caretaker who will oversee the Archdiocese when Tagle leaves.
An apostolic administrator is usually assigned to lead a diocese or an archdiocese during “sede vacante,” the period when there is no ruling bishop.
The prelate acts as a caretaker of the diocese until the newly chosen bishop takes possession of the diocese, the source said.
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