The Crazy Prince

On Monday, 12 December (feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe), a new prince of the Catholic Church shall be installed to the Metropolitan See of Manila. Luis Antonio “Chito” G. Tagle will succeed His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales who retires after eight years of dedicated service.

It appears that with all the excitement and anticipation surrounding Archbishop Tagle’s appointment, his tenure will be a memorable and meaningful one for Manila and the rest of the country.

Even before he was anointed Archbishop, there had already been talk about his being a future Papabile — that is, someone who has the potential to become Pope. The reasons cited in making this bold forecast are the same reasons why the present appears promising.

At age 54, Archbishop Tagle is the second youngest to be entrusted with the pastoral care for Manila’s faithful. His “age” makes him objectively young — and younger than most — but there is more to his youth than just the number. However, while I have heard him speak, I have not had the privilege of meeting Archbishop Tagle. Hence, let me lend my borrowed space to the spirited reflections of Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) chair, Ambassador Tita de Villa, who has meticulously followed his career through the years.

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The new Archbishop of Manila is a breath of fresh wind. The breath of the Spirit. In his 30’s, he was already a member of the Vatican’s Theological Commission headed by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger now Pope Benedict XVI. He was also a professor of systematic theology at the Ateneo de Manila University. One Jesuit says of him, “his thoughts and reflections are marked by lucidity, simplicity and a genuine concern for their pastoral dimension.” That is the greatness of his theology. It breathes with humanitas.

In the early ’90s I already heard about him. The nuns would gush, “Naku, ang galing, hindi ka magsasawang makinig sa kanya.” One morning I was at the Shepherdess Sisters’ house in front of my parish church when I saw from the second floor window a young man walking around in the garden below. Could he be the gardener? I thought to myself: “Couldn’t be, maputi kasi siya, mukhang bata at mukhang intsik. Walang hardinerong intsik.” Besides he looked like he was praying. Lost in prayer, in fact. I asked the nun, “Sister, sino yong lalake sa garden ninyo?” She smiled and said with loving familiarity, “That is Chito. He prays often and prays long.” That was my first encounter with Fr. Chito Tagle. He was praying. Not just in the chapel, but out in the world.

During my season at the Vatican, when we were preparing to celebrate an EDSA people power revolution anniversary, a friend told me that Fr. Chito was in town to attend the International Theological Commission’s (ICT) plenary session. Immediately I called him to ask if he could give a talk for our Filipino priests, religious and OFWs in Rome. He said that he was only staying till the end of the session but he’ll try to come the following afternoon as that was the only spare time he had. So I had one day to get the word out. No time for formal invitations or letters. I was only able to inform a few priests, nuns, and lay friends. Because of the short notice I conditioned myself to expect a small crowd.

Fr. Chito Tagle’s talk was scheduled for 2:30. I wasn’t ready for what I saw when I came in after lunch. As early as 1:00, people started to come. By 2:00, you could hardly find any free space in the embassy. Many were just sprawled on the floor. Priests, nuns, OFWs came with their tape recorders and notebooks to record Fr. Chito’s words. And he didn’t disappoint.

He talked about a merciful God who loves us so much like a “crazy” Father loving his foolish children. He recounted stories of everyday people to prove his point. Some of his stories were so funny that we cried laughing. He brought us into the wretched lives of the poor so needful of mercy. Yet we turn away our eyes from them because we have been turning God out of our lives. He provoked us to tears with our guilt. And just as suddenly he would lift us up with hope, speaking about our own goodness simply because of our “crazy” Father’s faithfulness to us. He then connected the truth of God’s mercy to the Filipino people and the EDSA miracle. The Father we are celebrating, is a “crazy” Father, crazy with his inexplicable love for his people, his children. And I still remember Fr. Chito’s invitation to us in that crowded embassy, “let us celebrate this year by being ‘crazy’ as the Father in loving one another.” Oh, how he brings the truth that God is love with such creativity, with such intensity. Fr. Chito must be full of God’s love. And he sings.

Back in the Philippines, I was invited to a parish fiesta in Cavite. By then Fr. Chito had become Bishop Chito. I was aghast when I saw him arrive alighting from a tricycle. He must have sensed my consternation — a Bishop riding a tricycle! He said, “Mas practical po sumakay sa tricycle. Madaling makalusot sa traffic.” No airs this Bishop. No ecclesiastical grandiose demeanor. It is a natural reflex for him to act justly, to show constant love, to walk humbly with our God. And to pray.

And now he is an Archbishop. What exciting times to be the people of God in Manila. What an awesome gift from our “crazy” Father. Now there is hope that we, too, can re-learn to act justly, to show constant love, to be humble like the Lord. To pray and to sing a new song with our new Archbishop Chito who will bring us Emmanuel, God with us, and inspire us to be Emmanuel to each other. God is good!

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“[Tagle] possesses the rare combination of a theologian’s mind, a musician’s soul, [and] a pastor’s heart.”  — Bishop Ted Bacani

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