Pope Promotes Tagle to Cardinal-Bishop

Pope Francis has elevated former archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, to the rank of cardinal-bishop, the highest within the College of Cardinals.

According to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website on Friday night, the 62-year-old Tagle would join the roster of 13 other cardinal-bishops – 10 from the Latin Church and three cardinal-patriarchs from the Oriental Rites.

The College of Cardinals is structured in three ranks: cardinal-deacons, cardinal-priests, and cardinal-bishops.

Cardinal-bishops hold jurisdiction over a church in a suburb of Rome while working in departments of the Roman Curia, the central administration of the church.

Cardinal-deacons, often called “the Pope’s cabinet”, also work full time in the curia, while cardinal-priests work in dioceses all over the world.

It is also from the ranks of cardinal-bishops that the Dean of College of Cardinals is elected.

The dean presides at the conclave in the case of “sede vacante”, a period when there is no pope. He also represents the Holy See during the “sede vacante” and asks the pope-elect if he accepts the role.

There are customarily six cardinal-bishops from the Latin Church until Pope Francis broke the tradition and appointed more of them.

In February, Tagle left the country to assume his post as prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples after his appointment by the Holy Father last December. (PNA)