Philippines a great Catholic nation – Pope Francis

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is one of the greatest Catholic nations in the world, Pope Francis has said.

“Indeed, the noble church in the Philippines now stands among the great Catholic nations in the entire world. Hence, no wonder, she continuously sends missionaries to other regions,” the pope told Osaka Archbishop Thomas Manyo Cardinal Maeda in a letter.

The pope also told Maeda, his envoy to the upcoming 60th anniversary celebration of the post-war Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila, that his predecessor Gregory XIII would not have thought how prosperous the Catholic Church would be in the entire archipelago.

In his letter posted by the Manila Cathedral on its Facebook page, Pope Francis explained why he chose Maeda to be his representative.

“We appoint you by means of this letter to be our special delegate to that solemn feast – you whom we know to be an eminent pastor, always concerned about the welfare of the church throughout the world,” the pontiff told Maeda.

“You are to act in our name, therefore, on the eighth day of December, more than four years since we have visited it, at the Cathedral in Manila – also called the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – giving thanks to God for the beauty of this temple, but most importantly for the lively faith of the pastors and of the Christian faithful,” he said.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines announced that Maeda will celebrate mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Concepcion on Dec. 8.

The current vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan, Maeda also celebrated mass in the cathedral on April 12. A month later, he was named cardinal by the pope.