Latest news with #CaritasInternationalis
Herald Malaysia
29-05-2025
- Business
- Herald Malaysia
Caritas: ‘Crippling' debt weighing down developing countries
Vatican officials, charity workers, and internationally-recognised economists come together to discuss debt reform in an online town hall organised by Caritas Internationalis. May 29, 2025 A participant at an International Monetary Fund meeting stands near the organisation's logo (Johannes P. Christo) By Joseph Tulloch3.3 billion people – or nearly half the world's population – live in countries that spend more money on debt than on healthcare. That was one of the more shocking statistics to emerge from a recent online town hall organised by Caritas Internationalis , the charitable arm of the Catholic Church. Held on Wednesday, the webinar brought together more than 200 individuals – humanitarian workers, internationally-recognised economists, and senior Vatican officials – to discuss debt, climate, and development. 'Turn debt into hope' Alastair Dutton, Caritas' Secretary-General, introduced the discussion. He suggested that the fact that so many countries spend more on servicing their debt than on healthcare and education shows that, in today's economy, human beings are secondary "to economic interest'. Dutton also highlighted that the subject of debt reform has already been raised by Pope Leo, just weeks into his pontificate. The topic was also seen as crucial, the Caritas chief noted, by the late Pope Francis – who, in 2024, called for a 'multinational mechanism' to manage debt between countries, avoiding an 'every man for himself' mentality in which 'it is always the weakest' who lose out. In his remarks, Dutton highlighted Caritas' Turn Debt Into Hope campaign, which calls for the forgiveness of unjust debt. The aim of the campaign – as Caritas officer Alfonso Apicella explained – is to build public pressure around unfair debt practises, particularly in view of the Catholic Church's ongoing 2025 Jubilee Year, a period traditionally associated with financial clemency. 'There are 1.4 billion Catholics in the world,' Apicella said, 'and we want to show that they have agency.' The impact of the debt system Among the other speakers at the event was Professor Martin Guzmán of Columbia University, a former Argentinian Minister of Economy. Professor Guzmán highlighted the devastating effects of the global debt system on the world's poorest countries, which, he said, are charged higher interest rates than their richer peers. He also discussed the work of the Vatican's Jubilee Commission of Experts, chaired by the Nobel-prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, which is producing a report on debt and development crises in the Global South. Meanwhile, Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Holy See's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, highlighted Pope Francis' notion of the 'ecological debt' owed by rich countries towards the poorer countries - which are suffering the effects of a climate crisis which they have contributed much less to causing. This was a topic also touched on by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, who noted that the concept of ecological debt was also highlighted by Pope Francis in his Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year. Archbishop Caccia stressed the importance of clearly communicating the impact of the debt system on poor countries. 'It's not just a technical matter of economics,' he said, but 'a clear hindrance to integral human development.'--Vatican News
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
The papal frontrunner who could become the first Asian pope
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, a 67-year-old, is considered a strong contender to be the next pope. He currently leads the Vatican 's Dicastery for Evangelisation and is seen as a potential successor to Pope Francis due to their shared progressive views. Cardinal Tagle's experience in his native Philippines and at the Vatican, combined with his youthful energy, makes him an appealing candidate to many. A potential obstacle is his involvement in a management scandal at Caritas Internationalis, though his role was largely ceremonial. If elected, Cardinal Tagle would be the first Asian pope and would signal a continuation of Pope Francis's reforms.
The Guardian
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Who is Luis Antonio Tagle? The Philippine cardinal and ‘karaoke priest' in the running for pope
Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle laughed when asked in 2015 if he had ever considered that he might one day be pope. 'I make a public confession here. I cannot even manage my life. How can I imagine a worldwide community?' Despite his self-deprecating response, the Filipino cardinal is among those tipped as a potential successor to Pope Francis. If appointed, he would be the first Asian pope in modern times. Tagle, who goes by the nickname 'Chito,' has been described as the Asian Francis, due to his progressive outlook and humble lifestyle. He has previously criticised the 'harsh' stance toward single mothers, and people who are gay or divorced. As bishop of Imus, a city near Manila, he rode jeepneys, cheap public minivans and invited the destitute to eat with him. Known as approachable and unpretentious, Tagle is also a fan of singing and dancing. Videos of him on Tiktok have been shared widely, winning him the approval of many in the Philippines, where karaoke is practically a national sport, and beyond. 'When he speaks and gives lectures he's not the usual, formal priest. He sings. He's a Filipino. He is a karaoke priest,' said Michael Xiao Chua, a historian at De La Salle University. Tagle has an 'off the cuff' style, and is like 'a rock star' after mass, he added, saying he had seen volunteers circle around Tagle to manage queues of people wanting to greet him. Tagle, 67, was born in Imus, near the capital region Metro Manila, to Catholic parents who worked in a bank. 'He's [from] a very simple family – not poor but not rich,' said Mary John Mananzan, a missionary benedictine sister who has known Tagle for decades. Tagle reportedly wanted to become a doctor, but entered the church after a priest tricked him into applying to a seminary in Quezon City. He obtained a doctorate at the Catholic University of America and became Bishop of Imus and, later, archbishop of Manila. He was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. But his rise to the top echelons of the Catholic church has not been without controversy. Tagle served as president of Caritas Internationalis from 2015 until 2022 when the leadership team was removed due to concerns over mismanagement. At the time Tagle – who was not involved in day-to-day operations – said the decision did not relate to allegations of sexual abuse or mismanagement of money. This March a survivors group, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, called for an investigation into Tagle, and five other cardinals, in relation to the handling of alleged child abuses cases by Caritas Internationalis in New Zealand and the Central African Republic. Tagle has not commented on these calls. Campaigners have said Tagle has not worked hard enough to tackle sexual abuse in the church. Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of said last week the church in the Philippines was in the 'dark ages' on the issue, and that guidelines on dealing with allegations have not been published on the website of the Manila archdiocese or the Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Questioning his suitability, she said: 'If Cardinal Tagle cannot even get his brother bishops from his home country to publish guidelines. What on earth can we expect for him to achieve as pope of a global church?' However the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines defended Tagle, stating that during his tenure as bishop of Imus and archbishop of Manila he had 'actively participated in the development and implementation' of guidelines on handling sexual abuse cases but that he 'no longer holds direct authority over any diocese in the Philippines'. Tagle, it said, 'has consistently advocated for a humble and responsive Church that listens to the cries of the wounded and acts decisively to protect the vulnerable.' In the Philippines, Tagle has also been accused of being slow to condemn former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte's so-called war on drugs. As many as 30,000 people were killed in the crackdowns, which began after Duterte took office in June 2016. Many victims were young men, who were shot dead in the streets. In 2017, Tagle wrote a pastoral letter criticising the killings, saying: 'We cannot govern the nation by killing. We cannot foster a humane and decent Filipino culture by killing.' However, some say he should have spoken out more clearly earlier. Duterte's war on drugs marked a difficult chapter for the Catholic church in the Philippines. Some priests risked retaliation by criticising the killings, and despite international outrage over the killings, Duterte remained highly popular among the Catholic-majority population. Mananzan said Tagle was not 'the condemning type'. 'He had very strong statements about the extrajudicial killings… But he never [talked] about Duterte as a person.' Tagle opposed the passing of the Reproductive Health Bill in the Philippines, which offered free contraceptives and information on family planning. He also opposes abortion rights. Were Tagle to be appointed pope, it would be met by huge celebrations in the Philippines, where 80% of the population is Catholic. Despite a 500-year history with the Catholic church, the Philippines has always felt that it exists on the outskirts, said historian Xiao Chua. Pope Francis was the first non-European pope in centuries, he said, of a trend that should continue. 'We need [another] pope from the peripheries.'
Boston Globe
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
A contender for the papacy in the mold of Francis
Francis was the only pope in the modern era who was born outside Europe. If Tagle ascends to the papacy, he would be the first Asian pontiff in modern times. (Several popes in antiquity were from Syria, which is technically in West Asia, though it is now considered part of the Middle East.) Advertisement At the Vatican, Tagle oversees missionary work. Widely known by his nickname 'Chito,' he is often called the 'Asian Francis' for his ability to connect with the poor, his call for action against climate change and his criticism of the 'harsh' stance adopted by Catholic clerics toward gay people, divorced people, and unwed mothers. He is popular for his humility, and his homilies have drawn the faithful to the pews and to Facebook streams. Advertisement But as leader of the church in the Philippines, he was criticized by activists and fellow priests as being timid about the scourge of clerical sex abuse. Those complaints continued as his profile in the church rose. Last month, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, an advocacy group, urged the Vatican to investigate Tagle's conduct in relation to cases of alleged clerical abuse in the Central African Republic and New Zealand. (The group also sought inquiries into five other cardinals.) Separately, in 2022, Pope Francis removed the entire management team of Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican's charitable arm, including Tagle, who served as president. An external review had found management and morale problems at Caritas' head office. Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle attended a rosary prayer next to a portrait of late Pope Francis at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome on April 24. MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images At home, Tagle has been faulted for not adequately addressing former president Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, in which tens of thousands of people were summarily executed. 'Had Chito spoken clearly and courageously during the Duterte administration, fewer people could have died,' said the Rev. Robert Reyes, who was in seminary with Tagle. At the time, the cardinal was archbishop of Manila. He called for an 'end to the waste of human lives' but did not confront Duterte directly. Tagle did not respond to a request for an interview. Today, Tagle is one of five cardinals from the Philippines. Some Vatican insiders see Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, who has a lower profile, as a potential pope as well. When the Philippine legislature proposed a bill to make it easier to access contraception, Tagle called on lawmakers to reject it. But he said later he disagreed with fellow members of the clergy who threatened several lawmakers with excommunication. Advertisement 'He tries to persuade people rather than intimidate them,' said the Rev. Joseph A. Komonchak, who taught Tagle at The Catholic University of America in Washington in the 1980s. While Tagle was leader of the church in the Philippines, Duterte frequently mocked Catholicism and insulted Pope Francis. Duterte has said he was molested by a priest when he was a child. Some priests, including David, criticized his drug war. But Tagle stayed silent. His critics often point to Cardinal Jaime Sin, who was instrumental in toppling dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Related : On the issue of clerical abuse, Tagle has said that survivors' accounts 'wound' him. But he has also said that survivors should seek justice through the church's canonical process because 'the victims, once exposed to the public, might also be shamed.' The church, he said, should also care for 'the abuser, who is definitely lost.' 'This is a very Asian approach,' he told the Union Catholic Asian News in 2013, 'and that approach leads to healing.' 'The sad thing is that Cardinal Tagle is very much out of touch with the realities facing the sexual abuse of children by priests and brothers,' said the Rev. Shay Cullen, an Irish priest working in the Philippines. He said the cardinal had told him the church was more concerned about matters like divorce. Tagle's approach has contributed to a culture of impunity in the church in the Philippines, according to a watchdog group, Tagle has acknowledged being criticized for 'not being strong, that I don't condemn enough,' but he said he took heart from Francis' example, according to a 2015 interview with Crux, a publication specializing in the Catholic Church. 'Who am I to judge?' he said, repeating Francis' position on gay priests. Advertisement Born in Manila, Tagle was raised in the city of Imus by parents who worked in a bank. He wanted to be a doctor but entered seminary after attending Ateneo de Manila, a top Jesuit university. Ordained in 1982 at the age of 24, he later wrote his doctoral thesis on Pope Paul VI at Catholic University. In Washington, on his own initiative, he regularly visited a hospice for people suffering from AIDS, said the Rev. Peter Bernardi, a classmate. He returned to Imus in 1992, where he was known to travel by bicycle or jeepney, a cheap mode of public transport. In the following decades, he was named archbishop of Manila, then a cardinal, and eventually he moved to the Vatican. Now he could rise to the helm of the church. This article originally appeared in .
New York Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
A Contender for the Papacy in the Mold of Francis
He never aspired to be a priest. After he rose to be a bishop, he implied that he suffered from impostor syndrome. And when Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle of the Philippines is asked if he could become the first Asian pope — a frequent question in recent years — he says it is impossible. 'Thinking of myself in that position, no, no, I laugh at it,' Cardinal Tagle told the BBC in 2015. 'I cannot even manage my life. How can I manage a worldwide community?' By then he had already been talked about as a potential replacement for Pope Benedict XVI. Now 67, Cardinal Tagle (pronounced TAG-leh) is once again on many unofficial short lists of 'papabile' cardinals, or those with a good shot at succeeding Pope Francis. The most prominent candidate from Asia, his election would be an emphatic marker of the Roman Catholic Church's shift away from Europe to Africa and Asia, where it continues to grow. Francis was the only pope in the modern era who was born outside Europe. If Cardinal Tagle ascends to the papacy, he would be the first Asian pontiff in modern times. (Several popes in antiquity were from Syria, which is technically in West Asia, though it is now considered part of the Middle East.) At the Vatican, Cardinal Tagle oversees missionary work. Widely known by his nickname 'Chito,' he is often called the 'Asian Francis' for his ability to connect with the poor, his call for action against climate change and his criticism of the 'harsh' stance adopted by Catholic clerics toward gay people, divorced people and unwed mothers. He is popular for his humility, and his homilies have drawn the faithful to the pews and to Facebook streams. But as leader of the church in the Philippines, he was criticized by activists and fellow priests as being timid about the scourge of clerical sex abuse. Those complaints continued as his profile in the church rose. Last month, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, an advocacy group, urged the Vatican to investigate Cardinal Tagle's conduct in relation to cases of alleged clerical abuse in the Central African Republic and New Zealand. (The group also sought inquiries into five other cardinals.) Separately, in 2022, Pope Francis removed the entire management team of Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican's charitable arm, including Cardinal Tagle, who served as president. An external review had found management and morale problems at Caritas's head office. At home, Cardinal Tagle has been faulted for not adequately addressing former President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, in which tens of thousands of people were summarily executed. 'Had Chito spoken clearly and courageously during the Duterte administration, fewer people could have died,' said the Rev. Robert Reyes, who was in seminary with Cardinal Tagle. At the time, the cardinal was archbishop of Manila. He called for an 'end to the waste of human lives' but did not confront Mr. Duterte directly. Cardinal Tagle did not respond to a request for an interview. Today, Cardinal Tagle is one of five cardinals from the Philippines. Some Vatican insiders see Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, who has a lower profile, as a potential pope as well. When the Philippine legislature proposed a bill to make it easier to access contraception, Cardinal Tagle called on lawmakers to reject it. But he said later that he disagreed with fellow members of the clergy who threatened several lawmakers with excommunication. 'He tries to persuade people rather than intimidate them,' said the Rev. Joseph A. Komonchak, who taught Cardinal Tagle at The Catholic University of America in Washington in the 1980s. While Cardinal Tagle was leader of the church in the Philippines, Mr. Duterte frequently mocked Catholicism and insulted Pope Francis. Mr. Duterte has said he was molested by a priest when he was a child. Some priests, including Cardinal David, criticized his drug Cardinal Tagle stayed silent. His critics often point to Cardinal Jaime Sin, who was instrumental in toppling the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. . On the issue of clerical abuse, Cardinal Tagle has said that survivors' accounts 'wound' him. But he has also said that survivors should seek justice through the church's canonical process because 'the victims, once exposed to the public, might also be shamed.' The church, he said, should also care for 'the abuser, who is definitely lost.' 'This is a very Asian approach,' he told the Union Catholic Asian News in 2013, 'and that approach leads to healing.' 'The sad thing is that Cardinal Tagle is very much out of touch with the realities facing the sexual abuse of children by priests and brothers,' said the Rev. Shay Cullen, an Irish priest working in the Philippines. He said the cardinal had told him the church was more concerned about matters like divorce. Cardinal Tagle's approach has contributed to a culture of impunity in the church in the Philippines, according to a watchdog group, Cardinal Tagle has acknowledged being criticized for 'not being strong, that I don't condemn enough,' but he said he took heart from Francis's example, according to a 2015 interview with Crux, a publication specializing in the Catholic Church. 'Who am I to judge?' he said, repeating Francis's position on gay priests. Born in Manila, Cardinal Tagle was raised in the city of Imus by parents who worked in a bank. He wanted to be a doctor but entered seminary after attending Ateneo de Manila, a top Jesuit university. Ordained in 1982 at the age of 24, he later wrote his doctoral thesis on Pope Paul VI at Catholic University. In Washington, on his own initiative, he regularly visited a hospice for people suffering from AIDS, said the Rev. Peter Bernardi, a classmate. He returned to Imus in 1992, where he was known to travel by bicycle or jeepney, a cheap mode of public transport. In the following decades, he was named archbishop of Manila, then a cardinal, and eventually he moved to the Vatican. Now he could rise to the helm of the church. Back during the election of Benedict's successor, who proved to be Francis, Cardinal Tagle wrote to Father Komonchak, asking his former teacher to 'pray for me.' 'I took him to mean that he was overwhelmed by the possibility of his being elected pope,' Father Komonchak said. 'Who wouldn't be?'
