Vatican to accept Sin retirement?

Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin will tender his resignation on his 75th birthday on Aug. 31 and Pope John Paul II will most likely accept this due to Sin’s deteriorating health, Fr. James Reuter, director of the Catholic Church’s National Office of Mass Media, said yesterday.

Reuter explained during the Manila Pavilion Press Forum that as a rule, priests are expected to tender their resignation at the age of 75 but it will only be effective once it is accepted by the Vatican. If a resignation is turned down, the priest will continue in his office.

"The general feeling is Rome will accept it because he has not been well," Reuter said.

Reuter disclosed that the pope will choose Sin’s successor from the country’s 13 Archbishops.

Sin, then Archbishop of Jaro, Iloilo, became Archbishop of Manila in 1976 succeeding Cardinal Rufino Santos.

Reuter said once appointed as Archbishop of Manila, the appointee will soon be elevated to Cardinal, an elite Church group which selects the Pope.

Sources have revealed that the leading candidate is Archdiocese of Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, who is from the Dominican Order known for its conservatism. The 67-year-old Legaspi became Archbishop of Caceres on Oct. 20, 1983.

Another heavy favorite is Archdiocese of Lipa Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, 65, who is a Diocesan priest. He was appointed Archbishop of Lipa on Dec. 30, 1992.

Another possible candidate is Archbishop of Cotabato Orlando Quevedo, 64, of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He was appointed Archbishop of Cotabato on May 30, 1998.

Sources added that two other possible successors to Sin are Archbishop Carmelo Morelos, 72, of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga. He became Metropolitan Archbishop of Zamboanga on Dec. 8, 1994.

Another is Archbishop Fernando Capalla, 69, of the Archdiocese of Davao. He was installed as Archbishop of Davao on Nov. 28, 1996.

Meanwhile, Reuter said the bishops for the three new dioceses in Manila will also be announced on Aug. 31.

Reuter "guessed" that Manila Auxiliary Bishop Teodoro Buhain will head the Diocese of Caloocan while Sin’s spokesman Bishop Soc Villegas will head the Cubao Diocese "because he is already there."