Luis Antonio Tagle as newly-elected Cardinal last 2013 in Rome. Andrew Medichini/Associated
Cardinal Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle, the 32nd archbishop of Manila, celebrated his diamond year yesterday, with a Thanksgiving Mass at the Manila Cathedral.
Born on June 21, 1957 to a small family in Manila, Cardinal Chito started his vocation at an early age. At age 24, he was already ordained as a priest and assigned to the Parish of St Augustine in Mendez, Cavite as an associate pastor.
In the succeeding years, Cardinal Chito thrived in his vocation as a priest. As a Jesuit, he valued education tremendously. He taught theology in some seminary schools such as the San Carlos Seminary in Makati and Loyola School of Theology in Quezon City. In the late 80’s to early 90’s, he went to the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. where he finished his Doctorate in Sacred Theology. He took positions in several commissions of the Catholic Church here and overseas. And then in October 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as the 32nd Archbishop of Manila. He was considered one of the favorites in the 2013 conclave that appointed the successor of Pope Benedict XVI.
Recognizing the advancements in technology and social media, Cardinal Chito keeps up and uses modern media to help the Church be “heard”. He also hosts a television program The Word Exposed broadcasted every Sunday morning and can also be streamed through Facebook and Youtube. He’s currently the president of the Catholic Biblical Federation and the Caritas International. The former focusing on spreading the word of God and the latter focuses helping the poor, especially on crisis-striken areas. Very Jesuit, indeed.
For most of us, 60 years old is a hint; a sign of wrapping things up and preparing for retirement. That’s not the case especially for our beloved priests like Cardinal Chito. Priesthood is a lifetime vocation; a passion that has no “retirement” age. As he embark on the senior years of his life, let’s wish him the best of health, faith, wisdom, and dedication to flourish further as a shepherd of God’s flock and a missionary of charity. Lea Basilio
