Palma's promotion unlikely

CEBU, Philippines - Following the reports that Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle are being eyed as candidates to be named cardinal in the next few months, Palma might unlikely be named as such.

Msgr. Esteban Binghay, the episcopal vicar of the Archdiocese of Cebu, said that it has been a practice in the Catholic Church to have only one cardinal in every archdiocese.

He added that because Cebu’s Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Vidal is a Cardinal, Palma may have slimmer chances of getting the promotion.

“It’s not necessarily a rule but this has been the practice. When the cardinal is still alive, ang practice kay dili maghatag og laing cardinal in the same place kay magbangga unya ang ilang protocol,” Binghay said.

Tagle, on the other hand, has a greater chance of getting the promotion since Manila has a vacant slot after Jose Cardinal Sanchez died last March.

“Whether he will be given the promotion or not, we will leave that to the decision of the Vatican,” he added, saying that the cardinal is the sole representative of a certain place during a Catholic conclave.

He said that the conclave is the high level meeting of Roman Catholic cardinals called to elect a new Pope when there is vacancy. This is due to a rule made by Pope Paul VI in 1970, which limits the participation of cardinals once they reach the age of 85.

He clarified that it’s not 80 but 85 which is why Vidal can still elect and be elected in the conclave.

Binghay clarified that we always have a representative in the conclave and other important religious matters because aside from Vidal, he is also accompanied by other bishops from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). — (FREEMAN)