Tagle tells faithful: Emulate Sto. Niño’s humility

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. AP FILE PHOTO

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Friday urged the Catholic faithful to emulate the child-like humility of the Sto. Niño.

“Let us emulate His humility. If you are too proud, you are not emulating the Child Jesus,” Tagle said in his Mass Friday during the arrival of the Sto. Niño de Cebu at San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila.

The image of the Child Jesus arrived in Manila on Friday as part of its five-day visit in celebration of the 450th anniversary of its “Kaplag” (discovery) by the Order of St. Augustine in 1565.

“Perhaps all of us are thinking of how we can be great. But Jesus reminds us that true greatness is not measured by our riches or by our accomplishments. If you want to be great, be humble like a child,” Tagle said.

“Let us follow in the footsteps of the Holy Child,” he said. “Jesus was being like a child in His complete obedience to His Heavenly Father, in His humility, and in His mercifulness to others, especially the poor, and that’s what the Sto. Niño wants us to emulate.”

Tagle particularly urged parents to teach their children to “seek genuine greatness” by showing humility.

“Kapag mali ang itinuro, tayo ang magdurusa at ang buong bayan (If you teach them wrong, we and the whole country will suffer),” the cardinal added.

The Sto. Niño de Cebu’s visit will be highlighted by a fluvial procession along the Pasig River on Sunday.

There will be a departure Mass at San Agustin Church at 7 a.m. Friday followed by a procession to the Baseco Compound in Manila for the veneration by the Manila faithful, praying of the rosary, evangelization, film viewing and a Sinulog presentation.

At 5 p.m., the icon will be brought to Manila Cathedral, where a welcome Mass is set at 6 p.m.

On Sunday, a 7 a.m. Mass will be held at Manila Cathedral before the image is brought to the Intramuros Ferry Boat terminal for the start of the fluvial procession.

Upon arrival at Guadalupe Viejo in Makati City, a procession will carry the image to Nuestra Señora de Gracia Parish, where a welcome Mass will be held at 5 p.m.

On Monday, a two-and-a-half hour motorcade starting at 8 a.m. will bring the Cebu icon to the Sto. Niño de Cebu Parish in Biñan City, Laguna, from the Nuestra Señora de Gracia Parish, where there will be a departure Mass at 6 a.m.

San Pablo (Laguna) Bishop Buenaventura Famadico will preside over the welcome Mass for the Sto. Niño to be followed by a public vigil beginning at noon until midnight with an intermission for the Sinulog Festival celebration at 4 p.m.

At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, a departure Mass for the Sto. Niño will be held at Naia Terminal 2 chapel before it is flown back to Cebu at 4 p.m.

Upon its arrival in Cebu, the Sto. Niño image will then be returned to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu, which is also being administered by the Augustinians.