A Summary of The Week...

Some incredible things going on this week - Steve summarises it better than I can in this short video, especially the ridiculous new proposal from the useless Catholic Bishops of England & Wales!

Tagle is interesting. He is largely reported as being a problematic liberal but I think it is important that we avoid guilt by association.

Cardinal Tagle is a seriously respected theologian (unlike Pope Francis's chosen personal theological adviser and scribe Archbishop Víctor Manuel “Tucho” Fernández). Tagle was appointed to the International Theological Commission under Cardinal Ratzinger's Presidency, consecrated bishop by Pope St John Paul II, archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI who then created him Cardinal. He did not not abuse their trust in him. Some commentators are suggesting he has been an advocate for and on behalf of the position that divorced and civilly remarried Catholics should be admitted to Holy Communion. The fact is that he offered a cautious opinion that whether or not they could be is worthy of consideration, see his interview here with Raymond Arroyo:

Tagle is involved in many social issues in the Philippines, with emphasis on helping the poor while defending the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion, contraception and what he has called "practical atheism".

Tagle earned his Doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Catholic University of America from 1987 to 1991. He wrote his dissertation under the direction of Joseph A. Komonchak (for those who might be unfamiliar with that name, Komonchak is a leading interpreter of the Second Vatican Council, co-editor of the English version of the five-volume history of the Council, and the chief editor of The New Dictionary of Theology. In June 2015 he received from the Catholic Theological Society of America the John Courtney Murray Award, the highest honour it bestows. He served as a consultant to three committees of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and published more than 150 articles. Komonchak had as a teacher at the Gregorian Jesuit theologian Bernard Lonergan, whom he credited with the restoration of his faith in the future of Catholic intellectualism. He is Professor Emeritus of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, where he retired in 2009) on "Episcopal Collegiality in the Teaching and Practice of Paul VI".

Tagle also attended doctrinal courses at the Institute of Pope Paul VI University. In Komonchak's estimation, Tagle was "one of the best students I had in over 40 years of teaching" and "could have become the best theologian in the Philippines, or even in all of Asia" had he not been appointed bishop. Tagle has received honorary degrees from Catholic Theological Union  and La Salle University. Tagle is fluent in speaking his native Tagalog language, as well as the English and Italian languages. He is also proficient in reading Spanish, French, and Latin.

In short - Tagle is a very different fish to Pope Francis. He is very clever and educated, a talented theologian with a common touch and the ability to move people with his preaching and praxis. I reserve judgement about how he will proceed in the future for the universal Church, but let's not pre-judge him, instead let's pray for him!