Manila (AsiaNews) – Cardinal José Fuerte Advincula, 73, archbishop of Manila, Philippines, is a strong supporter of the Church "Ad Gentes" (to the nations). This expression derives from the decree of the Second Vatican Council on missionary activity, aimed at bringing the Church closer to the people who live in the peripheries, as Pope Francis stressed several times during his 12 years of pontificate.
As bishop of San Carlos (2001-2011), then as archbishop of Capiz (2011-2021), and finally as the head of the Archdiocese of Manila, Card Advincula has constantly set up missionary centres in rural and remote areas with resident priests and Catholic schools.
When he arrived in Manila in 2021, he openly pledged to reach out to the poor and the young. The Archdiocese of Manila is home to more than three million Catholics with more than 80 parishes.
According to Advincula, the Church sometimes does not pay enough attention to the poor and the young. "It is my ardent desire to listen to all, especially the lambs, which represent the youth and the people on the peripheries, because of the least attention given to them by the Catholic Church sometimes," he said.
Pope Francis appointed him cardinal on 28 November 2020, when he was still archbishop of Capiz. On that occasion, the pontiff urged him to be humble and not forget poor people.
“It is my hope that this vocation to which the Lord calls you will make you grow in humility and in the spirit of service,” the pope said on that occasion.
“It’s one of the lines that really catch my attention,” the cardinal said. “But I think it’s not only addressed to me but to all of us priests and bishops”.
Overall, Advincula's approach emphasises dialogue, inclusivity, and listening to many perspectives, ideas, and viewpoints within the Church. This approach aligns it with Pope Francis’s vision of a more synodal Church.
In addition to his constant commitment "Ad gentes", Card Advincula continued the programmes of the Social Action Center for the Poor, particularly in missionary centres.
The Archdiocese of Capiz runs some missionary and vocational schools in distant areas. In Manila, the cardinal continued to provide scholarships to poor and deserving students to help them become professionals. Thanks to bursaries, hundreds attend different schools, colleges, and universities in and around Manila and other parts of the country.
The Philippine prelate is convinced of the importance of education for poor people. Once educated, they can have paid work, support their families, and contribute to nation building and the common good.
The 73-year-old cardinal is also aware of the importance of the pastoral challenge. “All of us, Filipinos, are called to take up such a challenge, in our respective ministry or area of responsibility, most especially for us leaders of our nation – both in the Church and in the civil government,” said Cardinal Advincula.
Advincula was born on 30 March 1952 in Dumalag, Capiz. After finishing his primary school education in his home town, he entered the high school seminary of Saint Pius X in Roxas City, where he also remained for his philosophical studies. He then attended theology courses at Dominican-run Santo Tomas University in Manila.
After his priestly ordination in the Archdiocese of Capiz on 14 April 1976, he served as spiritual director of Saint Pius X Seminary, also acting as professor and dean of studies.
He pursued his studies, first in psychology at De la Salle University in Manila and then in Canon Law at both the Santo Tomas University in Manila and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.
Before becoming a bishop, he spent his priestly life teaching in seminaries. A graduate in Canon law, he was appointed Rector of Saint Pius X Seminary in Capiz in 1995, becoming also Defender of the Bond, Promoter of Justice and then Judicial Vicar in Capiz. In 1999 he became pastor of Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish in Dao.
At the national level, he became a member of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), serving on the Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Commission for Indigenous Peoples. Since 2021 he has chaired the CBCP Standing Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses.
Pope Francis appointed him to the Dicastery for the Clergy in 2020, and to the Dicastery for Bishops in 2022.
Advincula is also a leading voice regarding synodality, one of Pope Francis’s foremost ideas, which he sees as a platform that allows listening, dialogue and shared journey. To this end, he has encouraged people to take an active part in the process of synodality. “In God’s family, you have a voice, and your voice counts,” he said.
Indeed, he has shown willingness to listen to a wide variety of groups, including women, children, the elderly, members of the business sector, government officials, LGBTQ+ people, and ordinary workers. “We want to listen to you. We want to journey with you. We want to discern God’s will with you,” he said.
In May 2024, the House of Representatives passed the Philippines divorce bill, but it is still pending in the Senate. For Cardinal Advincula, the law is a challenge to the Catholic Church in its ministry of caring for the sacrament of marriage; in his view, the proposal is not a panacea to deal with the problems that might arise in couples.
