Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown believes Pope Francis will soon appoint the replacement of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle in the Archdiocese of Manila.
(VATICAN MEDIA FILE PHOTO)
"I don’t think the waiting will go on that much longer,” CBCP News quoted Brown's interview with CNN Philippines Wednesday, February 24.
"I think that before too long his successor will be appointed here in Manila,” he added.
When Brown started his tour of duty in the Philippines in December last year, he said the process of naming a new Manila archbishop will move “much more quickly."
The Archdiocese of Manila has been left “sede vacante” after Tagle assumed his Vatican post as prefect of Propaganda Fide in February last year.
The archdiocese, one of the country’s largest with around three million Catholic population in more than 80 parishes, is currently led by Bishop Broderick Pabillo as apostolic administrator.
Aside from Manila, there are five more vacant sees in the country: San Jose de Mindoro, Taytay, Calapan, Alaminos and Malaybalay.
The country has also been without an apostolic nuncio for a year after Archbishop Gabrielle Caccia was named to lead the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York.