If Asia is the “continent of the future”, for the Catholic Church it also represents “the future of evangelisation”, in a territory and with a portion of humanity that combines tradition and innovation. All this is fully expressed and defined in the personality and vision of 67-year-old Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, one of the Asian cardinals who has been called to play an increasingly important role in the Roman Curia. While Archbishop of Manila, Pope Bergoglio called him to head Caritas Internationalis and then as Prefect (and later Pro-Prefect) of the Dicastery for Evangelisation. Cardinal Tagle represents and brings to the universal church the demands of a continent where Christianity – with 10% of the world’s Catholics – is developing and growing. It is an area where vocations to the priesthood and religious life are still flourishing, an area where Catholic communities – despite being a small minority in most Asian nations – maintain a lively and steadfast witness to the faith, even under conditions of persecution, and are not afraid to beget and baptise children. This is why Asia is also the “continent of the future” for the Catholic Church, and Tagle perfectly embodies this status and perspective.
Merit
The Filipino cardinal can well be said to constitute, in the perfect Asian identity, a bridge between tradition and innovation: in fact, it is worth remembering that he was chosen and created cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, and is known for his great gifts as a theologian, after solid studies and training in the United States at the Catholic University of America. However, his temperament and pastoral vision have made him close to Pope Bergoglio, whom Tagle welcomed on his 2017 trip to the Philippines, an event that served to definitively cement the bond between the two and convinced the pontiff to call the Filipino archbishop to Rome. In his service as Archbishop of Manila (from 2011 to 2019) and then increasingly in his service to the Roman Curia (from 2015 to the present), the commonality of views with Bergoglio earned him the nickname “Francis of Asia”. Tagle has shown himself as a charismatic and humble person, a proponent of a Church close to the least and attentive to the needs of the global South. That global South has always remained in his heart and, at times, he has seemed like an ‘alien’ in the Vatican, more or less openly expressing his desire to return to his beloved Philippines, where his parents are still living in their nineties.
Tagle – in a choice that reminded one of Bergoglio at St Santa Marta’s – has chosen to reside permanently in the Philippine College in Rome”
Precisely for this reason, in order to breathe a little of the atmosphere of his homeland, Tagle – in a choice that reminded one of Bergoglio at St Santa Marta’s – has chosen to reside permanently in the Philippine College in Rome, sharing life with students and priests from his country, leaving the exclusive private residence assigned to the prefect of the Vatican’s dicastery for evangelisation, on the Janiculum Hill, empty.
Character
His open character (he informally calls himself “Cardinal Chito” by everyone, a nickname from his childhood) is appreciated by the faithful, especially in Asia. The popularity he enjoys has also been built by a strong presence in the mass and social media, which he considers to be an indispensable ground for evangelisation. His mission in the digital world has also been constantly pursued by collaborating with the ‘Jesuit Communications’ organisation in the Philippines on various television and radio productions, such as The Word Exposed – which every Sunday continues its live streaming on Facebook from Rome – Prayer over Coffee and Light Talk.
Tagle particularly cares for migrants, recalling that the Filipino people have the largest number of emigrants abroad”
This familiarity with new media represents for Tagle a meeting ground with the new generations. At World Youth Day in Lisbon in 2023, the Filipino cardinal sought to strengthen this bond, especially inviting young Filipinos to become influencers on social media, with one goal in mind: to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Spread the influence of Jesus, the influence of truth, justice, care for the earth and love of neighbour,” Tagle said. Thanks to them, he said, “the third millennium will be Asia’s”. Alongside the youth, Tagle particularly cares for migrants, recalling that the Filipino people have the largest number of emigrants abroad, some 10 million. They, who still carry with them the heritage of the Catholic faith, represent “an army of missionaries” who go to re-evangelise countries where secularisation has eroded Christian values.
