Time to Meet the Nuncio

I see where Senator Joker Arroyo was coming from when he expressed dissatisfaction with the lopsided number of cardinals the Philippines have against the number of Catholics living in our country. Especially now that I read the news that Pope Benedict XVI has installed 24 new cardinals on 24 November. Unlike the installation in 2006, there's no Filipino cardinal this year. Arroyo would not be happy especially that the Holy Father created cardinals from countries where there's already a considerable number of cardinals like the US and Italy.

I agree with Arroyo's observations on the imbalance between Filipino cardinals and the Catholic Filipino populace. We already have 3 cardinals. One of them heads the Archdiocese of Manila, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales.

When Manila was raised to an archdiocese in the 16th century, Cebu, Nueva Segovia (Ilocos), and Nueva Caceres (Bicol) were named as Manila's suffragans (subordinates). Later on, these suffragans were elevated to archdioceses with their own suffragans. Cardinal Ricardo Vidal heads the Archdiocese of Cebu. I think it would make senses if the archbishops of Nueva Segova and Nueva Caceres (Most Rev Ernesto Salgado and Most Rev Leonardo Legaspi respectively) would become cardinals in the future. If we have at least 5 cardinals each representing various regions in the Philippines then we could have more voice in the College of Cardinals. The number could increase if we also have a cardinal from Mindanao.

With the arrival of the Philippines' new Apotolic Nuncio, Senator Arroyo should start making strong representations with the Vatican emissary if he is really serious with his concerns.