The widespread corruption in the Philippines, the most Catholic country in Asia, “is like a dagger pointed at our hearts, our Catholic hearts”, Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle said in an exclusive interview on February 9, in which I asked about some of the challenges he faces as the new archbishop of Manila.
On 13 October 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as archbishop and spiritual leader of 2.8 million Catholics in the capital city of this south-east Asian country with more than 7000 islands and a population of 94 million people, the overwhelming majority of whom are Catholic.
Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales handed over the symbols of office to his 54 year-old charismatic successor on December 12 during mass for his installation in Manila cathedral.
During his recent visit to Rome, I asked him about the challenges facing the Church in the Philippines as he begins his ministry as Archbishop of Manila.
Q. What are the main challenges you see as you begin your ministry as Archbishop of Manila?
A. To be existential about it, at the moment my biggest concern is how to slide into the new archdiocese with the weight of its history, the weight of tradition, with Manila being the centre of practically everything in the Philippines – political, economic and so. I am at that stage of getting to know the issues.
Some things are constant, of course: the formation of priests where this whole sexual misconduct problem is also related, the formation of the lay people, and the problem of the poor – the teeming masses of the poor. These are constant concerns wherever you find yourself. Right now I am in that mode of getting to know the new diocese and seeing where the calling for renewed response is to be heard.
Of course there are national issues in the Philippines, like corruption in government, making government officials accountable too for misdemeanors in the past and for the corruption etc.
Now since Manila is not the Philippines – this is one of my concerns too, especially in the Church - I do not want to make it appear that Manila dictates to all the other dioceses. I would rather the Church in the Philippines to be a Church of real communion, where the bishops would help one another. In the past, in the distant past, they would always talk about ‘Imperial Manila’, you know Manila dictates to the whole country, Manila gives the direction. I guess it’s time for the other dioceses, especially the poorer ones, to be heard; they have much wisdom to share. And the Church’s response, I think, will be much enriched if Manila listens also.
Q. Corruption is widespread in the Philippines, as you mentioned earlier. The former President is under arrest in hospital for alleged electoral sabotage, and the Chief Justice is being impeached for corruption and other offences. How is it that there is all this corruption in the most Catholic country in Asia?
A. It is a question that we ask ourselves too, and it causes us a lot of discomfort, to say the least. It is like a dagger pointed at our hearts, our Catholic hearts. How come this lifestyle of corruption seems to be widespread and also accepted?
We seek to contribute to address this problem. The Government is doing its share, and we trust this present Administration is serious about pursuing accountability and justice, but we just hope that it will not be only directed at people of the past administration, that it will really become some sort of a culture in government, that integrity be the ideal. And there we – as Church and Church leaders - really need to contribute from the spiritual, the moral perspective.
So we in the Church are also undergoing a lot of soul-searching. Where did we fail? What is happening to our catechesis? What is happening to Catholic education? Are we able to form consciences? How come that many of them are products of Catholic schools but when they get into the political system, and government service, service disappears and becomes self-serving? What has happened to the formation of conscience?
Q. So this is a very big challenge for you and the Church!
A. It is a big challenge, and it is not to be minimized. Some people want to see grand, grand things, but going into the secret, the sacred spot of the person – the conscience - is hard work. It will be harder.
Q. Poverty is a tremendous problem in the Philippines too. 11 million Filipinos have had to emigrate to other countries to seek work because of this poverty. Your revered predecessor, Cardinal Rosales, organized the collection of small coins every week to try and help the poor. How high is this problem of poverty on your agenda as archbishop?
A. It is high! I assure you that the restoration of integrity and lifestyle, and the culture of integrity, accountability is important for us from the moral, educational, catechetical and even communal dimension of the Church’s mission. And that’s mostly tied to poverty.
Not that corruption is the only cause of poverty, indeed poverty is a complex reality too, but again - from the perspective of the Gospel – we are disturbed, to say the least, disturbed that so many people in a Catholic country are living in squalor. What has happened to human dignity?
What makes the scandal of poverty worse is the fact that we have also some pockets of wealth. That’s why in one reflection session we said: Ok, The Gospel is good news for the poor, but how can it be good news for the rich and those who benefit from a corrupt system? How could it be good news for them? How can we present the Gospel of sharing, of love, of neighborliness as really being good news for those who are benefitting from a corrupt system? That is our challenge!
Q. For many years, there has been armed conflict in the country and the army is responding in a military way as we have seen in recent days. How important is it to work to bring peace in the Philippines?
A. Again, corruption, poverty, peace are interconnected. If you look at the country, the concentration of recently reported cases of banditry and armed conflicts are found in places where poverty thrives. Even in the urban settings, in the big cities, you find high instances of violence where poverty thrives. And this is not just a poverty that is a lack of money or something to eat, but it is the poverty you see when you go to those places what they call now ‘informal settlements’ (but formerly they called them “squatters areas’), where there are some places where the people don’t see the sun at all, they don’t see the sky. What they call ‘houses’ are really shanties where you bump into each other. So the whole setting there generates a certain anger, a certain desire to get out. Tolerance gets low, so violence is being bred in those places.
Of course there are conflicts related to religion, to ideologies, also. But the hidden types of violence, of conflicts are very seldom reported. There is a daily violence happening in places where poverty thrives. This is another challenge that we as Church face in working for peace. And, as Church, we are called to work for peace, to be peace-makers.