Cardinal Luis Tagle, (age 57) Archbishop of Manila, is the new president of Caritas Internationalis. The general assembly of the umbrella organization of Catholic charities elected the Filipino cardinal with 91 votes out of 133.
Cardinal Tagle will replace Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga as president of Caritas Internationalis. Cardinal Rodriguez, who offered his congratulations and warm support to the new president, stepped down after serving two terms.
Cardinal Tagle has played major roles in raising with the Filipino government various issues affecting the marginalized sector, and showed his effort in helping Filipino population, which is continuously stricken by an average of 20 typhoons per year.
Born in Manila on June 21, 1957 and ordained a priest in 1982, Cardinal Tagle was appointed bishop of Imus in 2001. In 2011, Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Manila, and created him cardinal in Nov. 2012, during his last consistory.
What is Caritas International?
Caritas Internationalis is confederation of over 160 members who are working at the grassroots in almost every country of the world. When a crisis hits, Caritas is already on the ground. The diverse members give us our strength – from small groups of volunteers to some of the biggest global charities. Inspired by Catholic faith, Caritas is the helping hand of the Church – reaching out to the poor, vulnerable and excluded, regardless of race or religion, to build a world based on justice and fraternal love.
Caritas Internationalis has its headquarters in Rome – co-ordinating emergency operations, formulating development policy and advocating for a better world for everyone. All national Caritas organisations are members of their own regional Caritas networks and the international confederation.
From the founding of the first Caritas in Germany in 1897, to the setting up of Caritas Internationalis in 1951, until today, Caritas has a rich history of listening respectfully to the suffering of the poor and giving them the tools to transform their own lives. The deep moral and spiritual principles of dignity, justice, solidarity and stewardship still guide Caritas today.