[REFLECTION] Of titles and designations

‘When the Pope names a brother bishop a cardinal, it means he’s asking him to assist in finishing up his bridge-building process’

How does one handle a cardinal? Effectively, it relies upon. In case you are nonetheless residing within the medieval occasions when the Pope was considered a monarch and his advisers as princes, you handle him as “Your Eminence.” You’ll even have to handle bishops as “Your Excellency” or “Your Grace,” if he heads a metropolitan province. 

However we aren’t residing in these occasions anymore, are we? These titles are a factor of the previous. And people who cling to them proceed to dwell up to now.

If we go additional again to the true previous on which the Church is based — on Jesus and the apostles — you’ll know the way inconsistent these titles are with Jesus of Nazareth. He advised his disciples to not imitate the Pharisees who “put on their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels… love locations of honor at banquets, seats of honor… greetings… and titles….” (Mt. 23:6-7)

He instantly admonished the 2 younger disciples who had been aspiring for titles of honor. He stated to them in Mk 10:43-45, “It shall not be so amongst you. Fairly, whoever needs to be nice amongst you’ll be your servant….”  

Apparently that’s why the cardinals are made to put on pink — the colour of martyrdom. These bloody pink vestments (pardon the double that means) are imagined to be a press release that will sound ridiculous to some and even fanatical to others: “I’m a lifeless man strolling. I now not dwell for myself. I dwell just for Christ. These robes are washed by the blood of Christ.”

“How would you prefer to be addressed?” This was requested by the facilitator of our work group on the Synod. No one gave a title; only a first title. So I stated, name me Ambo, just like the “ambo” of the Church, the stand from which the Phrase of God is proclaimed. That’s what my ministry as Bishop is actually about.

However I additionally know that within the Asian tradition, individuals would really feel awkward to handle an aged individual by first title. By including a relational designation to the individual we’re addressing, we are able to truly name them by title. Like Ate Viring, Kuya Mike, Tito Maning, Tita Mila, Nanay Linda, Tatay Mar, Lolo Ponsing, Lola Iska. They don’t seem to be titles for us; they’re an expression of how we relate with them and who they’re in our lives.

That’s why “Father” shouldn’t be actually a title for us; “Reverend” is. To name a priest “Father Edgar” is an endearing gesture. “Bishop” shouldn’t be considered a title; “Most Reverend” is. To name your bishop “Bishop Rene” is an endearing gesture. “Cardinal” shouldn’t be a title, “Eminence” is. To name Cardinal Tagle “Cardinal Chito” is an endearing gesture. 

Pope shouldn’t be a title; “Your Holiness” is. You see, even the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church is solely referred to as “Papa,” to emphasize his position within the Church as a father. So we endearingly name him Pope Francis, or Holy Father, not “His Holiness, the Supreme Pontiff.” He himself merely refers to himself as “Bishop of Rome” and indicators his title merely as Franciscus or Francis. 

He by no means forgot how Filipinos referred to as him “Lolo Kiko.”

The retired Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales was fondly referred to as “Lolo Dency,” that means Grandfather Dency. I wouldn’t thoughts being referred to as that, however perhaps in my native Kapampangan: “Apung Ambo.” In order for you me to frown at you, name me “Eminence.” In order for you me to smile at you, simply name me “Apung Ambo.”

If you wish to be a bit formal, name me by my ministry — Bishop Ambo. That’s the ministry which I used to be ordained for. (There isn’t any ordination for a bishop if he turns into a cardinal. He stays a bishop.)

Even the Pope is principally only a bishop, like all different bishops. It’s simply that his being bishop of Rome and successor of Peter offers him the accountability of “presiding over his brother bishops in charity.” We bishops are all simply that — servants of God. And the Pope, who is named a Supreme Pontiff, is the servant of the servants of God, and is anticipated to be “the supreme bridge-builder.” That’s what Supreme Pontiff means — keeper of the communion of the common Church. 

When the Pope names a brother bishop a cardinal, it means he’s asking him to assist in finishing up his bridge-building process. That may solely be executed with a variety of kenosis — self-emptying, that angle that Jesus expects of his buddies when they’re given a share in his mission. (Philippians 2:1-11) That is the angle that claims — “there must be much less of me for there to be extra of him. It’s Jesus at work, and he’s solely asking us to take part in his life and mission.” 

Our motto needs to be that of Saint John the Baptist, who calls himself the Pal of the Bridegroom — “He should enhance; I need to lower.” (Jn 3:30)

From right here on I’ll take severely the little recommendation Pope Francis gave me after I met him the opposite day and had the gall to complain and say to him, “It is best to have a minimum of given me a sophisticated discover!” He stated, “Tomátelo con un granito de humor divino.” Take it with a bit grain of divine humor.

I will even take into account what he stated in his letter to our batch of 21 whom he’s calling to a consistory on December 7: “I guarantee you of my prayers that the title of ‘servant’ will more and more eclipse that of ‘eminence’. – Rappler.com

Pablo Virgilio David, bishop of Kalookan, is president of the Catholic Bishops’ Convention of the Philippines. He’s one in all 21 new cardinals whose appointments Pope Francis will formalize in a consistory on December 7.