Welcoming the Apostolic Nuncio
Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, D.D.
November 13, 2007
By: Most Rev. Angel N Lagdameo, D.D.

In behalf of the CBCP, I gladly welcome the new Apostolic Nuncio, Most Rev. Edward Joseph Adams, who is the 14 th in the long line of papal representatives.

As we would welcome the vicar of Christ, the Holy Father Benedict XVI, anytime he would come, so today we wholeheartedly welcome his Ambassador, the Holy Father’s pastoral link to our country, 85 % of which are Catholics. It is a fact and a challenge that majority of the Catholics in Asia are in the Philippines , Filipinos.

How can I represent in this short message the sentiments of 130 Filipino bishops? As expected, your Excellency’s office will give you many opportunities to meet the bishops individually and in person  and through them the Clergy, the Religious and Lay Faithful of their respective dioceses from Aparri to Jolo. Unless Your Excellency are promoted immediately like your immediate predecessor, Archbishop Filoni, we hope you will have many years with us, long enough to even desire, like some of your predecessors, to retire in the Philippines… to desire it at least. As we Filipinos would say “Feel at home with us” as many American missionaries have felt staying in the Philippines .

I said earlier that we would welcome Pope Benedict XVI anytime he desires to himself come to visit the Philippines , so today we wholeheartedly welcome Your Excellency. The Filipino people, in fact, would most gladly welcome in person the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, whose worthy ambassador you are.

We welcome Your Excellency to our 7000 islands, whose large islands, like Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao , you will have the joy of visiting.