Liturgical celebration to welcome new Apostolic Nuncio

A liturgical celebration at the Manila Cathedral on Tuesday, November 13, 2007, formally welcomed His Excellency Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams as the new Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. Archbishop Adams was the presider at the Mass at 5 p.m. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosalesl lead in the welcome ceremonies while Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu, gave the homily at the mass. Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, delivered a message before the closing of the Mass. Bishops of the Philippines and priests of the Metropolitan Ecclesiastical Province of Manila were concelebrants. Also attending the Mass were religious men and women and lay leaders.  President Gloria Macapaga-Arroyo, Vice President Nooli de Castro, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and members of the Diplomatic Corps also attended the mass. The Apostolic Nuncio is, by tradition, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. 


Archbishop Adams, 63, arrived in Manila on November 1, where Cardinal Rosales led other bishops of the Philippines in the airport to welcome. According to Antipolo Bishop Gabriel Reyes, one of those who welcomed him, the new Nuncio assured them of his support for the Church in the Philippines and the local bishops in their mission as faithful stewards. "He (Adams) just said that he will do his best for the church and the country," said Reyes.

Others who met the nuncio were Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, Pasig Bishop Francisco San Diego, Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado and Auxiliary bishops Bernardino Cortez of Manila and Francis De Leon of Antipolo.

Adams replaced Italian Archbishop Fernando Filoni, who was appointed as Substitute for the General Affairs of the Secretariat State.

He studied for the diplomatic service at the Vatican in 1976, and has since served in several countries, including Denmark, the Czech Republic, Kenya, Rwanda, Honduras and Ireland.

His mission to the Philippines follows a five-year stint as the Vatican's ambassador to Zimbabwe. (With report from CBCPOnline.Net)