He loves the outdoors. When he was here, he spent a lot of time hiking. And he did that often; going to some remote areas to, at the same time, explore possibilities of establishing more mission stations.
These were some of the recollections of San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza about newly-elected Jose Cardinal Advincula, Jr., who served as prelate of the northern Negros diocese for 10 years, from 2001 to 2011.
Advincula was named cardinal by Pope Francis yesterday, Oct. 25, during his Sunday Angelus in the Vatican. He is the ninth Filipino to be accorded with the red hat and the second from Western Visayas after Jaime Cardinal Sin, of New Washington, Aklan, one of the central figures of the bloodless 1986 EDSA Revolution that dismantled the abusive Marcos regime.
Advincula, 68, a native of Dumalag, Capiz, is the fourth living Filipino cardinal alongside Gaudencio Rosales, Orlando Quevedo and Luis Antonio Tagle, currently the prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
But only Tagle and Advincula, who are both in their 60s, are eligible to take part in the conclave when the time comes to elect a new pope.
‘WE SHARE THE JOY & HONOR’
In an interview with the Negros Now Daily, the online edition of the Negros Weekly news magazine, Alminaza said he is happy to learn that Advincula, the Archbishop of Capiz prior to the pope’s announcement of his new post, will join the College of Cardinals.
“Being his successor, we share the joy and honor that he was named cardinal. We assure him of our prayers and support because as cardinal, he is now one of the advisers of the pope,” Alminaza, who replaced Advincula in 2013.
Not everyone, he said, is given that distinct position in the Church hierarchy.
“It is an acknowledgment of his service to the Church,” the 61-year-old Alminaza continued.
The Diocese of San Carlos covers Guihulngan City, Canlaon City, and La Libertad and Vallehermoso towns in Negros Oriental and the Occidental LGUs of San Carlos City, Don Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Toboso, Escalante City, Sagay City, Cadiz City and Manapla.
BISHOP OF INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES, MAGINAL FOLKS
The indigenous peoples, the hinterland folk and those who live in the fringes of society have a special place in Cardinal Advincula’s heart.
Alminaza recounted that even before his assignment to Negros, Advincula sought out the IPs of Tapas, Capiz and would spend his summer vacations with them in their community.
That’s why, when he became San Carlos bishop to replace the late Monsignor Nicolas Mondejar, he literally and figuratively walked the extra mile. His hiking expeditions in his effort to establish new mission stations, brought him to the far-flung, less travelled routes, including Barangay Prosperidad in San Carlos, Sitio Magazine in Barangay Bago, Don Salvador BBenedicto. He also visited communities in Hinakpan Hills in Guihulngan, among others.
“He loves to serve the poor, those who have less, those who live in the periphery of society,” Almimaza said. ETL
