Cardinal Rosales retiring

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales on Tuesday confirmed that he will be retiring before Christmas this year.

“It’s true that I am already retiring. I’ve been looking forward to this and it will already be granted,” said the 79-year-old prelate.

But Rosales expressed the hope that even after his retirement the Filipino faithful will continue to support the “Pondo ng Pinoy,” the poverty alleviation program that he started seven years ago.

The program, which can be considered as Rosales’ legacy to the Church and the poor, has proved that even a 25-centavo coin can help people in need.

From the coins contributed by parishioners, a community in a far-flung province was able to gain access to electricity, hundreds of low-cost houses have been built for poor families, and more than 100,000 malnourished children across the country are being fed daily.

“The program will continue because it was started by the Church,” said Rosales, who plans to return to his Batangas hometown after a successor has been named by the Vatican.

According to a source, Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, is being considered as Rosales’ replacement.