21 NEW CARDINALS. Last October 6, 2024, Pope Francis announced he will create 21 new cardinals at a consistory this December 8. Among them will be Bishop Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, bishop of Caloocan, Philippines.
David will be the 10th Filipino cardinal, starting with Rufino J. Santos, archbishop of Manila as the first, in 1960. Julio Rosales, #2, and Ricardo Vidal, #4, both headed, one after the other, the Archdiocese of Cebu.
13 IN 2020. Four years ago, October 25, 2020, Pope Francis appointed 13 new cardinals, one of whom was a Filipino, Capiz Archbishop Jose Advincula.
I wrote then, How about Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma? Why is Archbishop Palma "bypassed"? "Or more relevantly, why does Cebu not have a cardinal yet?"
POPE'S OTHER FACTORS. We may ask that again, "Why is Archbishop Palma bypassed?" but this time having in mind:
-- The Pope may have considered factors considered other than the fact that the Archdiocese of Cebu for almost four decades had a cardinal as leader of the Catholic Church in this part of the country and the world.
The Cebu Archdiocese was listed as the largest archdiocese in Asia, with 4.609 million baptized Catholics (as of 2013) and the biggest number of priests and seminarians.
That apparently may not be enough reason that the Archdiocese must be led by a cardinal. As I noted in 2020, Pope Francis has his priorities and must have used the papal seats to advance his causes.
[Related: Bzzzzz: Why is Archbishop Palma 'bypassed'? SunStar, October 26, 2020]
-- Canon 401 of Canon Law says that "all bishops must submit their resignation to the Pope at the age of 75." Jose Serofia Palma, installed as archbishop of Cebu on January 13, 2011, is five months away from being 75; he turned 74 last March 19 this year.
That could be a reason in not making him cardinal. Vatican may not be keen about the practice elsewhere, like in Philippine police or military, where officers are made generals before mandatory retirement.
CEBU'S TWO CARDINALS NOT CEBUANOS. Julio Rosales and Ricardo Vidal were not actually natives of Cebu. Rosales was born, raised and educated in Calbayog. Vidal was from Magpog, Marinduque.
And they were appointed cardinals only when they were already serving as archbishop of Cebu: Rosales, 20 years in his post before he was created cardinal; Vidal, three years. Those were among the gaps in a cardinal-led Cebu Archdiocese.
Before them, Bishop Gabriel Martelino Reyes, a native of Kalibo, Aklan, served the Cebu diocese since 1934, then the Cebu Archdiocese when it was elevated in 1937, until he was reassigned later to the Archdiocese of Manila as its 28th archbishop, where he died in 1952 -- without being appointed cardinal.
THEY CANNOT STAND. So these propositions as a matter of right will fall: (1) that Cebu Archdiocese must be led by a cardinal or, if not, its archbishop must be made a cardinal because of tradition and its size and eminence; and (2) that the cardinal must be a Cebu native. The history of the Archdiocese doesn't bear those out. And Pope Francis's appointments in the last eight years don't support them.
CARDINALS COULD BE NON-BISHOP PRIESTS, as Pope Francis, like John Paul II and Paul VI before him, on several occasions has shown in conferring the title and biretta, the famous red hat. Even a cardinal "in pectore," or not known except to the Pope who makes the secret designation in certain political situations. But still not open to a woman.
The Pope has complete freedom in choosing cardinals -- and doesn't have to explain why he appoints one and not another. The Pope though is expected to choose those who are "outstanding in doctrine, morals, piety, and prudence in action."
CEBUANOS WISH FOR A CARDINAL in their midst. Not just as spiritual leader of the Catholics but as a moderating influence even in governance and times of conflict and strife. Their experience with Cardinal Vidal was a compelling argument.
Vidal, who served Cebu for 29 years (1982 to 2011), was hailed "as champion of peace and sobriety," to whom government leaders listened; one time expressing his mind on one mayor's "gag order," saying he didn't practice it among his clergy. The mayor dropped or modified the idea, apparently influenced by Vidal's comment. His peacemaking influenced political leaders during martial law in the 1980s.
Could he have done the same acts if he were just a bishop? Maybe but his title and duties of a cardinal lent gravitas. "His tenderness and soft-spoken wisdom," as his successor Archbishop Palma put it on the second anniversary of his death, went well with the position of being a "prince" of the church.