Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle gets emotional as he talks about conditions for people in slum areas during a press conference in Manila in 2013 (Photo by Roy Lagarde)
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila has emerged as the frontrunner to head Caritas Internationalis, the global confederation of Catholic charities that will be electing new leaders in Rome next week, Church sources say.
Fr Edu Gariguez, executive secretary of Caritas Filipinas, said coming from a poor country in Asia is an advantage for Tagle because "Caritas is about working for the poor ... and part of the renewal in the Church is for it to become a Church of the poor".
Quoting sources in Vatican charities, the Catholic News Agency on Tuesday reported that Tagle would likely be elected head of Caritas Internationalis.
The report said Tagle, whose work with local Caritas agencies came to the attention of the international community during recent disasters in the Philippines, was identified as a candidate earlier this year.
Tagle has done a lot of work with the poor even before he became a cardinal, Gariguez told ucanews.com.
"But he is conducting his intervention in a very quiet way and without publicity," the priest said.
Gariguez said the prelate also has a lot of experience in development work and justice advocacy, "something that we need to highlight in our Caritas work".
"Becoming a voice of the poor while pursuing the prophetic calling and ministry for justice and development is a good combination for the head of the organization," said Gariguez.
The move to put Tagle at the helm of Caritas Internationalis has the support of most of the 164 international members of Caritas, a source at the Philippine bishops' conference told ucanews.com.
"The move started in Caritas Asia and it turned out that Tagle has also the support of the West, including Europe," said the source who asked not to be named.
"He is a strong contender," he added.
Gariguez said Tagle has been effective in bridging the gap between the poor and those in power.
"I am convinced that he and Pope Francis shares the same charism of genuine love and concern for the poor and the marginalized," the priest said.
Early this week, Tagle appealed to dioceses around Metro Manila to hold collections for earthquake victims in Nepal.
Last month the prelate also asked parishes under his archdiocese to allot the second collection in their Masses to storm victims in Vanuatu
Tagle is currently out of the country and could not be reached for comment.