Capiz Archbishop Jose Advincula is one of the 13 new cardinals named by Pope Francis on Sunday, October 25.
The Pontiff made the surprise announcement during his Sunday Angelus at the Vatican, according to the official news service of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Advincula will be elevated with the new cardinals at a consistory on November 28, 2020.
He is the ninth cardinal in the Philippines, following cardinals Orlando Quevedo, Luis Antonio Tagle, Gaudencio Rosales, Jose Sanchez, Ricardo Vidal, Jaime Sin, Julio Rosales and Rufino Santos.
He is also the fourth living Filipino cardinal, along with Rosales, Quevedo, and Tagle, who currently serves as the prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Advincula was born in Dumalag, Capiz, on March 30, 1952. He was ordained as a priest of Capiz on April 14, 1976 before being appointed bishop of San Carlos in 2001.
The 68-year-old has been serving as head of the Archdiocese of Capiz since January 2012.
Catholic prelates, for their part, expressed their support for Advincula’s appointment.
“Amidst this COVID-19 pandemic, the appointment of Jose Advincula is our sign of hope, source of joy, and moment of comfort. We are grateful to our Holy Father and we accompany Jose Cardinal Advincula with our prayers and collaboration,” said Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos.
“It is an abundant blessing to our country, indeed immense grace to our Church. We now have a Cardinal from Visayan region, a worthy gift to the universal Church,” he added.
“We are indeed very happy for this new appointment of Archbishop Jose Advincula, DD as one of the 13 new cardinals… We assure him of our prayers and support,” Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco said in a separate statement.
Meanwhile, Sorsogon Archbishop Emeritus Arturo Bastes pointed out that Advincula is one of the new cardinals under the age of 80 eligible to elect the Pope’s successor.
“We Filipinos are grateful to have another Cardinal who can participate in the next Conclave who will elect the successor of Pope Francis,” he said.
