Philippines sends priest overseas as Ireland did
(Article published in the New Zealand Catholic issue June 3-16, 2007)
by GAVIN ABRAHAM

AUCKLAND – The Philippines is to the Church today what Ireland was in the19th and 20 th centuries, the archbishop of Manila has said.

Cardinal Rosales was in New Zealand last month to celebrate the 10 th anniversary of the Filipino Chaplaincy in this country. On his 12-day visit, the Cardinal met with Filipinos on both islands, culminating with a celebration in Auckland on May 26 and Mass the following day.

Cardinal Rosales succeeded Jaime Cardinal Sin as Catholic leader of the Philippines capital in November 2003, moving from Archdiocese of Lipa, and was elevated to cardinal in March 2006 at Pope Benedict XVI’s first consistory.

After his meetings with Filipino families in New Zealand, Cardinal Rosales said he was glad to find families that remained faithful to the Church and her teachings.

"Some of the people I met have been here for 20 years or more, have integrated well into New Zealand society and they are still fervently practicing their faith and keeping up the Catholic tradition,” he said.

A visit to the United States late last year found similar stories, with the Cardinal finding the great majority of Filipino nationals “God-fearing, God-loving people.”

At home, that is even more evident, and the poverty of many Filipinos sees them more willing to turn to God, as is the case in other poor parts of the world such as Africa and Latin America.

The strong faith also makes the Philippines a fertile breeding ground for vocations to the priesthood, the cardinal explained. And despite the fact they can’t ordain enough priests to serve their own people, bishops recognize the greater need in other countries and accede to requests for priests to serve overseas.

"In New Zealand and Australia and the United States, if you look at the bishops who served there, a lot came from Ireland and England. In two centuries, countries may be calling on bishops from the Philippines,” Cardinal Rosales predicted.

The sex abuse crisis did rock the Church in the Philippines, as with other countries, but the Cardinal believes it could spark a renewal of the faith.

"The Church is renewed and reformed whenever the clergy is renewed and reformed, and I think that is set to happen again”, he explained.

Cardinal Rosales said his lasting memories of the first trip to New Zealand will be the people and the natural resources. He said the people, including the Church and the Government, have a responsibility to preserve and enrich those natural resources.

"In this way, New Zealand can give an example to the world.”