Tagle flies to Vatican for conclave

CEBU CITY, Philippines - Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, together with Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, left last night for Rome to attend the last Mass that will be celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 28 at the Vatican.

Tagle will attend the conclave or the meeting of the College of Cardinals, where the new pope will be elected.

He is among those seen as “papabili” or potential successors to Benedict.

Vidal will no longer attend the conclave because he is past voting age.

“When the conclave is convened, we will be praying that they (the cardinals) would be able to select the one that is needed for today, a leader of our Catholic Church,” Vidal said.

Asked about the chances of Tagle to become the next pope, Vidal and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said it all depends on the Holy Spirit.

For his part, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines official Fr. Francis Lucas said although Tagle might possess the qualities that would make him a good pope, he is still a new cardinal.

He believes Tagle should first stay in the country for sometime to serve his countrymen. – Marigold Lebumfacil/Freeman, Evelyn Macairan