Manila’s new archbishop receives red hat and ring

Manila’s new archbishop receives red hat and ring

Cardinal Jose Advincula, Manila’s new archbishop, has received his red hat and ring from Philippines’ papal nuncio in his archdiocese in Capiz province in the Visayas region after two postponements.

The June 18 event made history as he became the first Manila archbishop to receive the red hat in the Philippines after he missed a Rome consistory last November due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Only two bishops and 12 priests attended the celebration along with several churchgoers.

“I expected to serve Capiz [Archdiocese] until the Lord calls me back to him. But this is just my expectation. The Holy Father has called me to go to Manila and I have to obey,” Cardinal Advincula said in his homily at Mass.

“Please accompany me with your prayers as I journey into this new field of ministry.”

Cardinal Advincula received his red hat and ring while kneeling before Archbishop Charles John Brown, the pope’s representative to the Philippines.

Archbishop Brown said it is “very rare” for new cardinals to receive their red hat and ring outside of Rome.

“This celebration very infrequently takes place outside of Rome … that is why today we do this with extraordinary joy,” Archbishop Brown said in his speech during the Mass.

“So, we wish Cardinal Advincula all the best in his final days here in Capiz and we promise that we will pray for him.”

Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Manila has announced that Cardinal Advincula’s installation as its 33rd archbishop will take place on June 24 at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Intramuros, Manila.

Father Reginald Malicdem, rector of Manila Cathedral, said the event will be “simple” in line with the pope’s call for clergymen to live a simple lifestyle.

“The celebrations will be very simple. We will follow the liturgical guidelines. No fanfare,” Father Malicdem told reporters.

“We will just be balancing between the celebration and being conscious of the situation because of the pandemic.”

The attendance will be limited to 400 people, he said.

“The cathedral has an actual capacity of 2,500 but we will only allow 400 people inside to follow pandemic protocols. This is also for the common good … We wish to ask everyone to just join the celebration through the livestreaming,” Father Malicdem said.

After his installation, Cardinal Advincula is expected to celebrate Mass with lay leaders of the biggest archdiocese in the Philippines.

This will be followed by another Mass on June 26 with men and women from various religious congregations.

It has also been a tradition for Manila archbishops to visit depressed areas of the archdiocese after their installation.

Cardinal Advincula is expected to visit a slum area in Manila like his predecessor Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who visited Manila’s biggest dumpsite.