AS CEBU Archbishop Jose S. Palma reached his 75th year last March 19, his stepping down from his seat was anticipated.
According to the Church’s Canon Law, Archdiocesan and Diocesan bishops are required to submit their resignation letters to the Supreme Pontiff upon reaching the age of 75.
The Pope has the power to either accept the resignation immediately, delay it, or request the bishop to continue serving for an extended period.
With Archbishop Palma expected to retire this year due to his age, Cebuanos began to speculate about his successor. Some suggested Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of the Diocese of Kalookan, while others assumed the Cebuano Bishop of Malolos, Dennis Villarojo, might return home, among other bishops being considered.
Almost four months after Archbishop Palma’s 75th birthday, news from the Vatican brought great joy.
A wave of jubilation swept across Cebu and the entire archipelago: Cebu has a new archbishop!
It is His Excellency, Most Reverend Alberto “Abet” Sy Uy, formerly of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, Bohol.
It is indeed a “gaudium magnum” (great joy), as Pope Leo XIV appointed a new shepherd of Cebu before outgoing Archbishop Palma officially becomes an Emeritus, preventing the archdiocese from undergoing a “Sede Vacante” period.
Amidst the outpouring of welcoming messages, a familiar question resurfaced: “Will Cebu Archbishop-elect Abet Uy become the next Filipino Cardinal?”
Given Cebu’s history of being blessed with two previous Cardinals as archbishop — namely, the late Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Jamin Cardinal Vidal and the late Archbishop Julio Cardinal Rosales y Ras, the second Archbishop of Cebu — it is natural to speculate or perhaps hope that the next Archbishop of Cebu might be elevated to such a rank.
One can certainly hope.
Yet, as we engage in such speculations, we must remember that the Archdiocese of Cebu is not inherently a “cardinalate” assignment but rather an archdiocese that needs a good shepherd.
If we are granted another Cardinal in the person of Archbishop Abet, it will be a great blessing to see him appreciated with such a noble rank. However, if not, it is still a profound grace to have an archbishop like Archbishop Abet.
His character is already a great blessing for us Cebuanos. He is a shepherd who “smells like his sheep” — a person close to the poor, an environmental advocate, and, importantly, a vocal critic against corruption in the government.
After all, what truly matters is the character of the one who shepherds God’s flock, not the grandeur of his title or rank.