In 2015, when asked whether he ever dreamed of becoming pope, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle chuckled and replied, “I make a public confession here. I cannot even manage my life. How can I imagine a worldwide community?” For all the humility in his statement, Tagle has become one of the leading candidates to become the next pope. If he is elected, he would be the first Asian pope in contemporary history.
The “Asian Francis” and His Simple Life
Cardinal Tagle, normally endearingly referred to as “Chito,” has been likened to Pope Francis in terms of being easy to approach and liberal-minded. While bishop of Imus, he rode public transportation regularly and invited the poeple to eat with him. He has openly criticized the previous strictness of the church against single mothers, LGBTQ people, and the divorced.
A singing and dancing enthusiast, Tagle exudes charisma. Footage of him singing on TikTok has made him popular, particularly in the Philippines, where karaoke is culturally relevant.
“When he speaks and gives lectures he’s not the usual, formal priest. He sings. He’s a Filipino. He is a karaoke priest,” said De La Salle University historian Michael Xiao Chua. Tagle’s popularity was described by Chua as follows, “He is like a rock star after mass.”
Simple Roots and a Path to the Vatican
Tagle was born in Imus, just outside Metro Manila, to Catholic working parents in a bank. Cardinal Tagle, who has known her for years, says Sister Mary John Mananzan, “He’s from a very simple family – not poor but not rich.” Tagle initially dreamed of becoming a doctor, but his direction was changed when a priest encouraged him to apply to the seminary.
Following his doctorate from the Catholic University of America, he was made bishop of Imus and subsequently archbishop of Manila. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him a cardinal, solidifying his position in the higher ranks of the Catholic Church.
Controversy and Issues of Leadership with Cardinal Tagle
Taqle was the president of Caritas Internationalis between 2015 and 2022. The leadership, however, was ousted following accusations of mismanagement. Tagle explained that he was not hands-on when it came to everyday operations and that the controversy involved neither sexual abuse nor financial abuse.
In March, SNAP called for the investigation of Tagle and five other cardinals for the way they dealt with reported cases of abuse at Caritas branches in New Zealand and the Central African Republic. Tagle has not answered publicly to the call.
His critics feel that Tagle has not acted sufficiently in dealing with sexual abuse in the Church. Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director at BishopAccountability.org, said, “If Cardinal Tagle cannot even get his brother bishops from his home country to publish guidelines. What on earth can we expect for him to achieve as pope of a global church?”
Defenders Point to His Initiatives AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
Even with scathing critique, the Philippines’ Catholic Bishops Conference has come to the defense of Tagle, claiming he actively participated in the creation and implementation of abuse guidelines in his previous roles as bishop of Imus and archbishop of Manila. The statement continued that he is no longer directly in charge of any Philippine diocese but continues to be a voice for a listening and safeguarding Church.
Response of Cardinal Tagle to Duterte’s Drug War
Another controversial issue in Tagle’s public life was his reaction to the brutal war on drugs of former President Rodrigo Duterte, which resulted in the killings of as many as 30,000 people. Critics claim that Tagle was slow to denounce the extrajudicial killings.
In 2017, he issued a pastoral letter stating, “We cannot govern the nation by killing. We cannot foster a humane and decent Filipino culture by killing.” But he stopped short of mentioning Duterte by name, which some see as an opportunity for moral leadership lost.
“He had very strong statements about the extrajudicial killings… But he never [talked] about Duterte as a person,” said Sister Mananzan.
Tagle has also come under fire for his stance against the Reproductive Health Bill in the Philippines, which encourages access to family planning and contraception. He is strictly against abortion rights, as is traditional Catholic teaching.
Potential Milestone for Asia and the Global Church
If the College of Cardinals elects Tagle as pope, the event will mark a historic moment for both the Catholic Church and the Philippines, where 80% of the population is Catholic. Although Catholicism has shaped the nation for 500 years, the global Church has frequently sidelined the Philippines from its mainstream.
Historian Chua highlighted the symbolic value of Tagle’s possible papacy, saying, “We need [another] pope from the peripheries.”
Pope Francis ended centuries of European hegemony in the papacy, and Tagle’s ascension would further propel this movement toward global representation. To many, his candidacy represents hope, renewal, and an inclusive vision for the future of the Church.
