Consistory, 24 March 2006Documentaion of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino
What is consistory? Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek syn(h)edrion from which we can read the Biblical sanhedrin.
In the Roman empire though, it was specifically applied to a formal meeting of the Comites consistoriales i.e. those members of the Emperor's court with the title of Comes (the translation count is rather confusing) who were assigned—and this conferred the highest rank amongst Comites—to advise him in official, important matters, suching as drafting bills and other written decisions, rather like the privy council of a feudal king. As the senate—in law still retaining the highest constitutional position, as the republic was never formally ended—lost most of its political importance, almost reducing it to a rubber stamp as a single-party state's parliament usually is, they stepped in as an official alternative power besides the throne, but real power could just as well lay mainly elsewhere, depending on the imperial favor and personal machinations.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the consistory is a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, except when convened to elect a new pope (then the name is conclave, and specific rules apply, also to its composition). Consistories are held in Vatican City for taking care of the business of the college, which usually involves advising the Pope on important matters concerning the church.
Since the Pope creates new cardinals in the presence of the college, the consistory is where this takes place. The identities of the cardinals-to-be are generally announced some time in advance, but only at the time of the consistory does the elevation to the cardinalate take effect, since that is when the Pope formally publishes the decree of elevation. Some men have died before the consistory date, and if a Pope dies before the consistory all the nominations are voided. However, the cardinal himself does not have to attend the consistory for his elevation to be effective.
Those new cardinals present are presented with their rings, zucchetti (small skullcaps), and biretti (four-cornered silk hats) by the Pope. Formerly they also received an elaborate broad-brimmed tasseled hat, the galerum rubrum, at the ceremony, but Pope Paul VI abolished this in 1967 and those cardinals who want these obtain them privately from a maker in Rome.
The zucchetto, the biretta, and the galerum rubrum are all scarlet, the distinctive color of cardinals' vestments. When a diocesan cardinal dies, his galerum rubrum is suspended from the ceiling of his cathedral.
At the consistory cardinals are generally assigned titular churches in the diocese of Rome, though Paul VI abolished their functional involvement in the governance of these churches; the cardinals formally "take possession" of these churches at a later date.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
The Pontifico Collegio Filippino (PCF) welcomed H.E. Gaudencio B. Rosales, Archbishop of Manila. He arrived in Rome at 9:25 a.m. (Local Time) at the Fiumincino Airport to attend the Consistory on March 24-25, 2006, during which he would be formally elevated to the College of Cardinals. Traveling with him were Fr. Reginald Maicdem-his Personal Secretary, Fr. Genaro Diwa – the Archdiocesan Liturgist of Manila, and Sr. Elsa Belen, MCST. Msgr. Stude Santos, the Rector of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino, welcomed them at the airport. When they arrived at the collegio by 10:30 a.m., student-priests happily received His Eminence and his staff . At the refectory, he exchanged pleasantries with the rest of the PCF communiy whose eagerness to personally meet the new Filipino cardinal reached to another level. Also present at the PCF to welcome the new Filipino Cardinal was Don Luis Navarro, a good friend of many Filipino priests in Rome from the Prelature of Opus Dei.
In the evening, the PCF priests and formators also prepared themselves for the memorable and enriching event by having a recollection with the renowned Marian theologian Msgr. Arthur Calkins whose topic focused on the Marian role of the Paschal Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
The spiritual preparation of His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, the 31st Archbishop of Manila, started today at the Little Sisters Convent in Tre-Fontane where he would be left alone to commune with the Lord Jesus Christ who called him now to closely collaborate with the Petrine Ministry as a new member of the College of Cardinals in looking after the one billion plus Catholics around the world. He stayed there until the morning of March 21, 2006.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Relatives of Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales started pouring in the Seat of Christianity. They mostly came from the United States of America and Canada. His brothers and sisters and company were welcomed at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino where they would stay in the course of the event. Some of his relatives were billeted at the nearby hotels.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
With spirit rekindled by the holy retreat, the Archbishop returned to the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in the afternoon. By 4:00 p.m. the Archbishop had interview with the Asia News in which the Archbishop was asked among other things how he sees this consistory through which he would receive the red hat from Pope Benedict XVI. In the evening, the Archbishop had dinner with his friends – Pol and Evelyn Reyes of Philcargo.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Today the General Vicar of the Legionaires of Christ, Fr. Luis Garza Medina, arranged a meeting with Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales. The meeting was probaly about their intention to have an apostolate in Manila. For lunch, the Archbishop did forego the scheduled lunch at the Generalate of the Society of Jesus where he would meet with the Superior General of the Jesuits.
Meanwhile, His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu, arrived in Rome at 9:25 a.m. together with H.E’s Angel Lagdameo, President of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines, and Archbishop Carmelo D. F. Morelos, Archbishop of Zamboanga – to witness also the elevation to the Cardinalate of Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales. Notable among the priests-companions of the Filipino Bishops was Fr.Dennis Villarojo, the trusted private secretary of the Cardinal-Archbishop of Cebu for almost two decades. Student-priests of the collegio were happy to see them again here in Rome. In the evening, His Eminence Cardinal Jose Sanchez served as host to the leading Philippine Church dignitaries at his modest apartment very near to the St. Peter’s Square.
But Archbishop Rosales by seven o’ clock in the evening headed for dinner to the Sedes Sapientiae Seminary where a good number of Filipino diocesan seminarians are being formed by the Prelature of Opus Dei and where MCST Filipino Sisters are the key personnel. Fr. Jun Bermejo, a Filipino priest-formator of the Sedes Sapientiae Seminary was the one introducing the Archbishop to the community. The Archbishop thanked the Prelature of Opus Dei and Saint Jose Maria Escriva for what the Philippine Church received from them. The Spiritual Director of the PCF, Fr. Rey Adalid, OP, accompanied the Archbishop and his staff.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
The collegio filipino today started to be full of life and activity as plenty of people, guests, relatives, and delegates from the Archdiocese began invading the whole 48 year old building (a home for filipino priests sent by their respective bishops for further ecclesiastical studies in Rome) in preparation for the consistory tomorrow morning. The PCF Vice-Rector and Procurator, Fr. Rico Ayo led the final stage of the physical preparation for the said occasion. Everything in PCF was readily “set in motion” to contain the influx of visitors from the Philippines, Europe and the USA.
Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales spent the day as a day for recollection and prayer with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. He celebrated also today his 48th anniversary as a priest – he was ordained March 23, 1958 at Lipa, Batangas. Today was also the time when the Pope consulted the Cardinals, including the 15 nominated Cardinals from all over the world about various pressing issues faced by the Church, from Lefevre to relation with Islam.
Lunchtime at the PCF: Msgr. Stude Santos announced the arrival of the following Filipino Bishops during lunch time: Bishop Gabriel Reyes of Antipolo, Bishop Jose Oliveros of Malolos, Bishop Leo Drona of San pablo Laguna, Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao, Bishop Edgardo Juanich of Taytay Palawan, Bishop Pedro D Arigo of P. Princesa. With them who came were some Manileno priests and guests. The student-priests coordinator, Fr. Midyphil Billones (Jaro), entertained the newly arrived guests.
In the evening, Bishop Jess Mercado of Paranaque, Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak of the Military Ordinariate, Bishop Antonio Tobias of Novaliches arrived and joined the rest of the Bishops who came earlier. The Ambassador to the Holy See, Her Exc. Lydia de Veyra invited all the Bishops to her residence for dinner.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Today came to the Filipinos as the GREAT DAY. It was opened with a Holy Mass presided over by Bishop Honesto Ongtioco (Cubao). The lauds was well –chanted by the PCF priests led by the community’s Liturgist Fr. Oliver Yalung (Pampanga) and by the PCF Spiritual Director Fr. Rey Adalid, OP.
Three buses which took the bishops, priests, relatives, and guests left Collegio Filippino at 9:00 o’ clock in the morning for the Ordinary Public Consistory through which Archbishop Rosales would be formally elevated to the Cardinalate. The white van was reserved for Cardinal Vidal and Archbishop Rosales with their aides. The bus of the bishops and the white van of the cardinals proceeded to the very door of the sacristy of the Basilica of St. Peter. The two buses of the priests and the guests were left at the Hotel Michelangelo from which they walked down to the St. Peter’s square taking the Gregorio VII's entrance to the square. The guests and relatives of Archbishop Rosales were sitted at the front of the steps of the basilica, whereas a good number of priests from the collegio filippino sitted at the back of the bishops wearing black cassock. As the clock chimed 10:25, the 15 Cardinals-to-be began making procession from the left side of St. peter's square to the cheers and applause of the faithful. They all wore crimson red robes. The fifteen were: Archbishop William Joseph Levada, Archbishop Emeritus of San Fransisco, California and now the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Franc Rode, Emeritus of Ljubljana (Slovenia), Archbishop Agostino Vallini, Archbishop Emeritus of Albano (Italia), Archbishop Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino of Caracas (Venezuela), Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, Archbishop of Manila (Philippines), Archbishop Jean-Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux (France), Archbishop Antonio Canizares Llovera of Toledo (Spain), Archbishop Nicholas Cheong Jinsuk of Seoul (Korea), Archbishop Sean Patrick O’Malley, OFM, Cap., of Boston, Archbishop Stanizlaw Dziwsz of Krakow (Poland), Archbishop Carlo Caffara of Bologna, Archbishop Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, SDB, of Hongkong, Archbishop Andrea Cordero Lanza Di Montezemolo, titular Archbishop of Tuscania, Archbishop Peter Poreku Dery, Emeritus of Tamale (Ghana), Padre Albert Vanhoye, SJ, from the Pontifical Biblical Institute.
When the fifteen reached their respective seats near the makeshift altar at the center of the wide steps of the basilica, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI solemnly appeared at 10;30 a.m. from the main door of the basilica descending to the altar which he incensed before he went to his chair approximately ten meters away from the altar to start the rite of giving the “red hat” to the cardinals. The delegates from from 12 countries were full of excitement as the Pope with smile appeared before the huge crowd that applauded him and shouted Viva il Papa! Heralded by joyous choral music, which echoed off the ancient stone of St Peter's, the Pope began the ceremony with a prayer inviting people to turn to God and asking for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and then read out formula of elevation followed by the solemn proclamation of the names of the 15 cardinals-elect, each name greeted by cheers by flag-waving, festive crowd. The big flag and flaglets of the Philippines waved above the crowd when the name Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales was solemnly proclaimed. When the Holy Father finished calling each one’s name, il primo dei nuovi cardinali, Cardinal Levada gave the address of homage and gratitude to the the Holy Father, on behalf of everyone.
The Liturgy of the Word: The first reading is taken from the first Letter of Peter 5:1-11. It was read in Latin. It talks about tending the flock of God by the elders of the Church and the suffering they share in Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd. The Responsorial Psalm was taken from Psalm 88: Laudate Dominum in voce exultaionis! The gospel reading was taken from Mark 10: 32-45. It was not read but sung by a deacon in Latin. The gospel makes us return to the very origin of the Church and specifically to the origin of the Petrine ministry. With the eyes of our hearts we see the Lord Jesus once again, to whose praise and glory this act in which we are engaged is totally directed and dedicated. The words he speaks to us recall to our minds the definition of the Roman Pontiff so dear to the heart of Saint Gregory the Great: "Servus servorum Dei". When Jesus explains to the twelve Apostles that their authority will have to be exercised quite differently from that of "the rulers of the Gentiles", he expresses it in terms of service: "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all" (here Jesus uses a stronger word – Mk 10:43-44). Total and generous availability to serve others is the distinctive mark of those in positions of authority in the Church, because it was thus for the Son of Man, who came "not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mk 10:45).
The Homily of the Holy Father followed the reading of the Gospel. Here were the important points: Venerable and dear Brothers, I want to sum up the meaning of this new call that you have received in the word which I placed at the heart of my first Encyclical: caritas. This matches well the colour of your cardinalatial robes. May the scarlet that you now wear always express the caritas Christi, inspiring you to a passionate love for Christ, for his Church and for all humanity. You now have an additional motive to seek to rekindle in yourselves those same sentiments that led the incarnate Son of God to pour out his blood in atonement for the sins of the whole world. I am counting on you, venerable Brothers, I am counting on the entire College into which you are being incorporated, to proclaim to the world that "Deus caritas est", and to do so above all through the witness of sincere communion among Christians: "By this", said Jesus, "all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn 13:35). I am counting on you, dear Brother Cardinals, to ensure that the principle of love will spread far and wide, and will give new life to the Church at every level of her hierarchy, in every group of the faithful, in every religious Institute, in every spiritual, apostolic or humanitarian initiative. I am counting on you to see to it that our common endeavour to fix our gaze on Christ’s open Heart will hasten and secure our path towards the full unity of Christians. I am counting on you to see to it that the Church’s solicitude for the poor and needy challenges the world with a powerful statement on the civilization of love. All this I see symbolized in the scarlet with which you are now invested. May it truly be a symbol of ardent Christian love shining forth in your lives.
I entrust this my prayer into the maternal hands of the Holy Virgin of Nazareth, source of the life-blood which the Son of God was to pour out on the Cross as the supreme expression of his love. In the mystery of the Annunciation which we are about to celebrate, it is revealed to us that the divine Word was made flesh through the action of the Holy Spirit and came to dwell among us. Through Mary’s intercession, may the Spirit of truth and love be poured out abundantly upon the new Cardinals and upon us all, so that as we become ever more fully conformed to Christ, we may dedicate ourselves tirelessly to building up the Church and to spreading the Gospel in the world.
After the homily, the new Cardinals then made the profession of faith in front of the people of God and each one took the oath which states: "I [name and surname], Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, promise and swear to be faithful henceforth and forever, while I live, to Christ and his Gospel, being constantly obedient to the Holy Roman Apostolic Church, to Blessed Peter in the person of the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI, and of his canonically elected Successors; to maintain communion with the Catholic Church always, in word and deed; not to reveal to any one what is confided to me in secret, nor to divulge what may bring harm or dishonor to Holy Church; to carry out with great diligence and faithfulness those tasks to which I am called by my service to the Church, in accord with the norms of the law. So help me Almighty God."
What came next was the giving of the red hat and the assigned Title or Deaconry. Tue s Petrus was sung as background as each one approached the Pope and knelt before him to receive the red hat (birreta). It is red as a sign of the dignity of the office of a cardinal, signifying that the Cardinal is ready to act with fortitude, even to the point of spilling his blood for the increase of the Christian faith, for peace and harmony among the people of God, for freedom and the spread of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Rosales received the red hat at exactly 11:30 a.m. to the delight of the Filipino people that waved their flags as he approached and knelt before the Pope who gave the bull of creation of cardinal and assigned the Filipino Cardinal the TITOLO DEL SANTISSIMO NOME DI MARIA a Via Latina as a sign of his participation in the Pope’s pastoral care of the City of Rome. The exchange of kiss of peace with the new members of the College of Cardinals followed. While the Cardinals did the kiss of peace, the choir sang Euntes in Mundum. Then, the Prayers of the Faithful. It was prayed in French with the intention for the whole Church, in Filippino with the intention for the Pope that he may be filled with wisdom, determination, and strength of the Holy Spirit, in English with the intention for the New Cardinals that they may serve the Gospel more intensely and love the Church more deeply, in Polish with the intention for the leaders of nations that they may concretely realize freedom, justice, peace and solidarity that are in the hearts of all people, in Chinese with the intention for all races that still suffer because of their Christian faith that with patience and love they may at last enjoy and reunite with the Mother Church, in Spanish with the intention for all of us that we may imitate the examples of the Blessed Virgin Mary , the Mother of God. Then the Holy Father led the singing of the Pater Noster and gave his blessings to all people. The final hymn was the Alma Redemptoris Mater. The celebrations came to an end at exactly 12:00 noon.
The reception at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino. Every "square inch" of the Refectory, Lobby and San Lorenzo Ruiz Hall was filled with festive Filipinos and guests. The presidential table where the ecclesiastical and civil dignitaries sitted was in front of the lobby of the main chapel of the collegio. The estimated crowd inside the collegio reached four hundred people. There were ten Filipino Bishops, namely: Bishops Pedro Arigo of P.Princesa, Leo Drona of San Pablo- Laguna, Reynaldo Evangelista of Boac, Edgardo Juanich of Taytay –Palawan, Jesus Mercado of Paranaque, Jose Oliveros of Malolos, Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao, Gabriel Reyes of Antipolo, Antonio Tobias of Novaliches, and Leopoldo Tumulak of Phil. Military Ordinairiate. There were two Filipino Archbishops: Archbishop Dominador Morelos of Zamboanga and Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Jaro and President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. There were two Filipino Cardinals: Cardinal Vidal of Cebu and Cardinal Jose Sanchez, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation of the Clergy. There were some members of the Roman Curia, notable among them; Cardinal Francesco Marchizano, Vicario Generale per lo Stato della Citta del Vaticano, A Secretary of the Congregation___________. A belgian Bishop________. From the Secretariat of State: Archbishop Antonio Franco who celebrated his birthday today, former Nuncio to the Philippines, Mons. Barnie Ausa and Mons. Montemayor. There were a hundred of Filipino priests, diocesan and religious. Ambassador Lydia de Veyra – ambassador to the Holy See and Ambassador Philipp Lhulillier – Ambassador to the Quirinale together with Miss Luli Arroyo representing the President of the Philippines came to grace the occasion. There were a hundred relatives of Cardinal Rosales and leaders of Filipino communities here in Rome..
As the guests continued minching Filipino food, a short program (the host of which was Fr. Jimel Varela from Catarman) in front of the dignitaries was held. Msgr. Stude Santos first welcomed them with these words….The CBCP president gave his message emphasizing the three points about what is a Cardinal: On this special occasion, let me give you as my message, a brief catechesis on the significance of the Cardinal in the Catholic HCurch. Regarding its etymology, “Cardinal” comes from the Latin word “cardo” which means, hinge. In tagalong, cardo, means “bisagra”. A hinge has a double function. It serves as a pivot on which, fro example, a door swings in a doorjamb; it also attaches the door (something from outside the doorjamb itself) to the wall. Its definition, according to Canon 349, states that the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church constitutes a special college whose responsibility can be summed in three major functions, namely: to elect the Bishop of Rome, provide advices to the Pope regarding questions of major impotance; and finally assist the Pope through various special offices (e.g. Roman Curia). But what is the theological foundation of the Cardinal in the Church? Cardinals trace their mission from the mission of the “Twelve”. Just as college of bishops are successors of the apostles; so it is the same with the college of cardinals. To them individually and collectively is given the mission together with the Pope to build up communion in the church. Wherever he is: in the huge plenary council, in a national search for justice and truth, or in the solemn prayers around the Eucharist, - a cardinal by virtue of this theological orientation becomes the focal point for communion. His whole life is to be given in service and in oblation for this communion.
When the poorest of the poor who runs and knocks at the door of the Church, finds the door swinging wide open to him and there find acceptance, solidarity and hope, then the "cardinal" fades to become only a title of honor, but truly becomes the "hinge" of redemption that he is meant to be by the Lord! Passionate fidelity to this essence of his call is our prayer for our new Cardinal!
Then the PCF Priests presented two songs beautifully arranged by Fr. Joselito Jopson (Pasig) and Fr. Rene Ritardo(Tagum): one song entitled “Lord make me an instrument of peace” and the other one was “Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa.” The collegio priests received a thundering applause from the audience for the songs magnificently rendered to the new Filipino Cardinal.
Then, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, the Archbishop of Cebu, stood up and gave his message with wit and intelligence: One of the most memorable introductions I had as a Cardinal was when I visited a home in the United States. A little girl opened the door for me, and upon seeing me, went running to her Mom in the kitchen to announce to one and all: "Mommy, the Carnival is here!"?
Depending on how you see it, the crimson robes of a Cardinal can be a sign of nobility, or it can be a subject of levity. Being called "Your Eminence" can be a heavy thing to bear, if you take yourself too seriously. It was G.K. Chesterton who said: "Angels fly because they take themselves lightly". In the same angelic tradition, I heard that His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales announced to his clergy that he was coming to Rome "to pick up (his) costume". I have wanted to lend him mine, but I was afraid it would look like a mini-skirt on him.
My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ...
Behind this crimson robe is a call to martyrdom for the sake of Christ and his Church. The dignity conferred on a Cardinal reminds me of the words the Lord spoke to James and John, the Sons of Thunder: "Can you drink of the cup that I am going to drink?" The cup of the Lord comes in different shapes and sizes. One thing is sure though: it is always bitter. Bitter when you will have to make decisions that not everyone is going to like. Bitter when they criticize you for saying nothing. Bitter when they criticize you all the same for saying something.
This bitter cup, however, will not be foreign to His Eminence. "Si mortuum fuerit, fructum affert". The seed that falls on the ground and dies, only that seed will bear fruit. His Eminence has sown the seeds of goodness on the soil of his ministry. He does not call them seeds though. He calls them crumbs. And they do not fall. They are collected, like manna in the desert. With his heart set on helping the poor help themselves, our new Cardinal will lead us to the Promised Land, as his predecessor, Jaime Cardinal Sin has led us out of political bondage. As we congratulate congratulate him on his elevation to the College of Cardinals, we also unite ourselves with him in his passion to alleviate the lives of the poor.May the Lord be with you always, Your Eminence, as you strive to preach the Gospel of Generosity and Solidarity to our People.
In response to all, the new Cardinal with soft voice narrated to the people about the story of his vocation to the priesthood. His late Father was very hesitant to send him to the seminary because he wanted him to become a doctor. But later his Father allowed him to become a priest with the condition that he should become a good priest. The new Cardinal then expressed his gratitude to his Family and relatives who came, to the guests and Filipino Bishops and priests came all the way from the Philippines, and to the Rector and staff of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino that made the consistory memorable to all Filipinos in the Philippines and here in Rome.
After the program at three p.m., the PCF community proceeded to the chapel where the PCF community picture taking was held together with the three Filipino Cardinals, Filippino Bishops, some members of the Roman Curia, and the two respective Ambassadors to the Quirinale and to the Holy See.
Thirty minutes later, PCF priests and guests went back to the St. Peter’s Square to have courtesy calls on new Cardinals. Cardinal Rosales was at the Hall of Blessings receiving guests who either congratulated him or have his picture taken with them. Noticeably, Asian pilgrims or delegates, Chinese and Koreans, went to Cardinal Rosales in droves, for the Cardinal looked like one of them. “Cardinal of note” at this time was Cardinal Stanislaw Dsiwisz, the long-time private secretary of the late Pope John Paul II. Long queue of well-wishers patiently waited their turns to see the man who was always at the side of the Great Pope John Paul II until he expired to eternity on April 2, 2005.
In the evening, the Holy Rosary and Vespers were made at the PCF Chapel. Many attended and thanked the Lord for the blessings received these days.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Solemnity of the Lord’s Annunciation. The day when Cardinal Rosales received the ring from Pope Benedict as a sign of his closeness and intimacy with the Petrine Ministry.
To start the day, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales presided over the Solemn Lauds at the PCF Chapel at 7:20 in the morning. With the admirable talents of the Liturgist, the organist, and the guitarist, the opening morning schedule became more conducive to prayer and thanksgiving to the Almighty Father. After breakfast at 8:00 a.m., buses outside the collegio were waiting for the priests, bishops, and guests to bring them again by 9:00 a.m. to St. Peter’s Square for the Holy Mass during which the new Cardinals would receive the pastoral ring from Pope Benedict XVI. The white van was used to bring Cardinal Rosales and Cardinal Vidal with their private secretaries very near to the sacristy of St. Peter’s Basilica from where they proceeded to the steps of the holy square. The Bishops were in their choir dresst, the priests in black cassock, and the guests in their best Sunday dress. The two Cardinals were in crimson red choir dress with their birreta.
By 10:30 a.m., the fifteen concelebrants, the new Cardinals started the procession from the left side of St. Peter’s square to begin the Holy Mass to be presided by Pope Benedict XVI who was at the end of the procession to the delights and cheers of the people as he passed by. The Angelus Dominu was sung as they approached the altar. Psalm 45 in Latin was the verses being sung and the response from the people to every verse was the Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae….The Pope made the sign of the cross in Latin to open the Holy Mass. He introduced the celebration in Italian – the mystery of the Incarnation with the joyful annunciation of the Angel to Mary, the meaning of the giving of the pastoral rings to the New Cardinals. The Kyrie and the Gloria were sung in Latin. The first reading was read in English, taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 7:10-14, about the virgin to give birth to a son and be named Emmanuel. The Responsorial Psalm in Italian was taken from Psalm 39. The second reading was read in Spanish, taken from Hebrews 10:4-10. The gospel was beautifully proclaimed by a deacon in Latin, taken from Luke 1:26-38, the annunciation. As the Deacon sang the gospel, the Filipino priests behind the lectern were seen in the camera deeply listening and meditating the good news brought by the Archangel Gabriel to Mary. This was the homily of the Holy Father:
For me it is a source of great joy to preside at this concelebration with the new cardinals after yesterday's consistory, and I consider it providential that it should take place on the liturgical solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. In the incarnation of the Son of God, in fact, we recognize the origins of the Church. Everything began from there. Every historical realization of the Church and every one of her institutions must be shaped by that primordial wellspring. They must be shaped by Christ, the incarnate word of God. It is he that we are constantly celebrating: Emmanuel, God-with-us, through whom the saving will of God the Father has been accomplished. And yet -- today of all days we contemplate this aspect of the mystery -- the divine wellspring flows through a privileged channel: the Virgin Mary. St. Bernard speaks of this using the eloquent image of "aquaeductus" (cf. "Sermo in Nativitate B.V. Mariae": PL 183, 437-448). In celebrating the incarnation of the Son, therefore, we cannot fail to honor his mother. The angel's proclamation was addressed to her; she accepted it, and when she responded from the depths of her heart: "Here I am ... let it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38), the eternal Word began to exist as a human being in time. From generation to generation, the wonder evoked by this ineffable mystery never ceases. St. Augustine imagines a dialogue between himself and the angel of the Annunciation, in which he asks: "Tell me, O Angel, why did this happen in Mary?" The answer, says the messenger, is contained in the very words of the greeting: "Hail, full of grace" (cf. "Sermo" 291:6). In fact, the angel, "appearing to her," does not call her by her earthly name, Mary, but by her divine name, as she has always been seen and characterized by God: "Full of grace -- 'gratia plena,'" which in the original Greek is "beloved" (cf. Luke 1:28). Origen observes that no such title had ever been given to a human being, and that it is unparalleled in all of sacred Scripture (cf. "In Lucam" 6:7). It is a title expressed in passive form, but this "passivity" of Mary, who has always been and is for ever "loved" by the Lord, implies her free consent, her personal and original response: In being loved, Mary is fully active, because she accepts with personal generosity the wave of God's love poured out upon her. In this too, she is the perfect disciple of her Son, who realizes the fullness of his freedom through obedience to the Father. In the second reading, we heard the wonderful passage in which the author of the Letter to the Hebrews interprets Psalm 39 in the light of Christ's incarnation: "When Christ came into the world, he said: ... 'Here I am, I have come to do your will, O God'" (Hebrews 10:5-7). Before the mystery of these two "Here I am" statements from Christ and from the Virgin, each of which is reflected in the other, forming a single Amen to God's loving will, we are filled with wonder and thanksgiving, and we bow down in adoration. What a great gift, dear brothers, to be able to conduct this evocative celebration on the solemnity of the Lord's Annunciation! What an abundance of light we can draw from this mystery for our lives as ministers of the Church! You above all, dear new cardinals, what great sustenance you can receive for your mission as the eminent "Senate" of Peter's Successor! This providential circumstance helps us to consider today's event, which emphasizes the Petrine principle of the Church, in the light of the other principle, the Marian one, which is even more fundamental. The importance of the Marian principle in the Church was particularly highlighted, after the council, by my beloved predecessor Pope John Paul II, in harmony with his motto "Totus tuus." In his spirituality and in his tireless ministry, the presence of Mary as Mother and Queen of the Church was made manifest to the eyes of all. More than ever he adverted to her maternal presence in the assassination attempt of May 13, 1981, in St. Peter's Square. In memory of that tragic event, he had a mosaic of the Virgin placed high up in the Apostolic Palace, looking down over St. Peter's Square, so as to accompany the key moments and the daily unfolding of his long reign. It is just one year since his pontificate entered its final phase, full of suffering and yet triumphant and truly paschal. The icon of the Annunciation, more than any other, helps us to see clearly how everything in the Church goes back to that mystery of Mary's acceptance of the divine Word, by which, through the action of the Holy Spirit, the covenant between God and humanity was perfectly sealed. Everything in the Church, every institution and ministry, including that of Peter and his successors, is "included" under the Virgin's mantle, within the grace-filled horizon of her "yes" to God's will. This link with Mary naturally evokes a strong affective resonance in all of us, but first of all it has an objective value. Between Mary and the Church there is indeed a connatural relationship that was strongly emphasized by the Second Vatican Council in its felicitous decision to place the treatment of the Blessed Virgin at the conclusion of the constitution on the Church, "Lumen Gentium." The theme of the relationship between the Petrine principle and the Marian principle is also found in the symbol of the ring which I am about to consign to you. The ring is always a nuptial sign. Almost all of you have already received one, on the day of your episcopal ordination, as an expression of your fidelity and your commitment to watch over the holy Church, the bride of Christ (cf. "Rite of Ordination of Bishops"). The ring which I confer upon you today, proper to the cardinalatial dignity, is intended to confirm and strengthen that commitment, arising once more from a nuptial gift, a reminder to you that first and foremost you are intimately united with Christ so as to accomplish your mission as bridegrooms of the Church. May your acceptance of the ring be for you a renewal of your "yes," your "here I am," addressed both to the Lord Jesus who chose you and constituted you, and to his holy Church, which you are called to serve with the love of a spouse. So the two dimensions of the Church, Marian and Petrine, come together in the supreme value of "charity," which constitutes the fulfillment of each. As St. Paul says, charity is the "greatest" charism, the "most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31; 13:13). Everything in this world will pass away. In eternity only love will remain. For this reason, my Brothers, taking the opportunity offered by this favorable time of Lent, let us commit ourselves to ensure that everything in our personal lives, and in the ecclesial activity in which we are engaged, is inspired by charity and leads to charity. In this respect too, we are enlightened by the mystery that we are celebrating today. Indeed, the first thing that Mary did after receiving the Angel's message was to go "in haste" to the house of her cousin Elizabeth in order to be of service to her (cf. Luke 1:39). The Virgin's initiative was one of genuine charity, it was humble and courageous, motivated by faith in God's word and the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit. Those who love forget about themselves and place themselves at the service of their neighbor. Here we have the image and model of the Church! Every ecclesial community, like the Mother of Christ, is called to accept with total generosity the mystery of God who comes to dwell within her and guides her steps in the ways of love. This is the path along which I chose to launch my pontificate, inviting everyone, with my first encyclical, to build up the Church in charity as a "community of love" (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," Part 2). In pursuing this objective, venerable Brother Cardinals, your spiritual closeness and active assistance is a great support and comfort to me. For this I thank you, and at the same time I invite all of you, priests, deacons, religious and lay faithful, to join together in invoking the Holy Spirit, praying that the College of Cardinals may be ever more ardent in pastoral charity, so as to help the whole Church to radiate Christ's love in the world, to the praise and glory of the Most Holy Trinity. Amen!
When the name of the late Pope John Paul II would be mentioned during the homily, the people would clap their hands and Pope Benedict XVI looked at the crowd with eyes swollen with tears, remembering his predecessor with whom he collaborated for twenty-three long years.
After the homily, each new Cardinal approached the Pope to receive the ring with these words in Latin Accipe anulum de manu Petri et noveris dilectione Principis Apostolorum dilectionem tuam erga Ecclesiam roborari.(Receive this ring from the hand of Peter and know that with the love of the Prince of the Apostles it strengthens your love to the Church.) At Exactly 11:25 a.m., Cardinal Rosales walked solemnly towards the "Cathedra" to receive the ring from Pope Benedict XVI. The Filipinos heavily applauded him as he knelt before the Pope and as he stood up to go back to his seat. The profession of faith was followed by the prayers of the faithful recited in different languages. The first intention for the Pope was said in French, the second for the new cardinals and the whole college was in Korean, the third for the Church and nations of origin of the new cardinals was in Dagaari, the fourth for the suffering because of war or injustice or sickness was in German, the fifth for consecrated persons was in Sloveno, the sixth for the assembly gathered today was in Potuguesse. The mass continued as usual in Latin. As the Pope intoned the Pater Noster, communion distributors solemnly began to descend towards the thronged piazza. At exactly 12:15 noon, the Holy Mass came to an end. The people went home with much joy and blessings from God, the Father.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
The Basilica of St. Mary Major was filled to overflowing as His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales celebrated his thanksgiving mass with Filipno migrants at 3:30 p.m. Cardinal Bernard Law, the former Archbishop of Boston and now the Archpriest of the Basilica, welcomed Cardinal Rosales shortly after the Introductory Rites of the Holy Mass. Hundred of Filipino priests and a few Italian priests who love Filipinos concelebrated the Holy Mass. Sitting in front pews of the basilica are not only the new Cardinal's family and relatives, but also number one supporters of the Archdiocese of Manila, to name a few; Mrs. Zobel, Mrs. Enrile, Mrs. Syquia, etc. The presence of the mayor of Lipa City, Ms. Vilma Santos added excitement to the affair . Her husband Sen. Ralp Recto is a nephew of the new Cardinal. The Homily of the Cardinal focused on the teaching of Jesus to LOVE. He mentioned about Pundong Pinoy which served, according to him, as the concretization of love in the Archdiocese of Manila. He encouraged all Filipinos to imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary in living this love in the day to day affair of their life here in Rome. The prayers of the fiathful was prayed in Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapangpangan, Ilonggo, Cebuano, and Waray- the major dialects of the Filipino nation. Before the final blessings, Her Excellency Ambassador Lydia Veyra gave her thanks and gratitude to all who were present for the Mass, on behalf of Msgr. Stude Santos, the PCF Rector and Conferenza Episcopali Italiani -National Coordinator for Pastoral Care of Filipino Migrants in Italy and Fr. Alberto Guevara, the Filipino Chaplain in Rome . The mass ended at 5:15 p.m. As the Filipino priests went back to the sacristy, they made a point to say hello to Cardinal Sanchez who was sitted beside Cardinal Bernard Law. Meanwhile, Cardinal Rosales was thronged by people who wished "to touch even the edge of his cloak". For the Filipinos in Rome, that day was too good to close. Their desire to stretch that day beyond its natural limit may be fulfilled by the pastoral care of Filipino priests who remained here in Rome.
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