VATICAN CITY. Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle, often referred to as the “Asian Francis,” has emerged as one of the most talked-about potential successors to Pope Francis as Catholic cardinals prepare to gather for the secret conclave this week.
Tagle, known for his warm smile, pastoral charisma, and deep concern for the poor, is seen by many as a natural continuation of Francis’ legacy. “He would represent a continuity of what Pope Francis has been doing,” said Rev. Emmanuel Alfonso, a former student who has known Tagle for decades. “He’s really like Pope Francis in terms of his love for the poor, his approachability, and so on.”
If elected, Tagle would become the first pope from what is now considered Asia. While early popes came from areas now known as the Middle East, a region technically part of Asia, none have hailed from East or Southeast Asia. His election would signify a powerful message of continuity and openness, reinforcing the late pope’s progressive reforms and signaling a new era for the Catholic Church’s global leadership.
Tagle, now 67, has been serving for the past five years as head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, which oversees missionary work and the Church’s outreach in developing nations. Before this, he was Archbishop of Manila and Bishop of Imus, gaining critical pastoral and administrative experience in the Philippines, the world’s third-largest Catholic country.
His relocation to the Vatican in 2020 drew criticism from then-President Rodrigo Duterte, who accused Tagle of meddling in politics. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines strongly denied the allegation, with Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan calling Duterte’s claims “unbelievably ludicrous.”
Tagle has wide appeal among both faithful and clergy, particularly in Asia, a region viewed by Church leaders as a crucial area for growth. His popularity was cemented when he hosted Pope Francis in the Philippines in 2015, during a historic visit that drew nearly seven million people to a single Mass—the largest crowd in papal travel history.
Fluent in Italian, English, Spanish, and Tagalog, Tagle is admired not only for his personal humility and ability to connect with people, he reportedly didn’t own a car when he first became bishop in 2001, but also for his strong theological credentials. In the 1990s, he served under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) on the Vatican’s International Theological Commission.
His former professor, Rev. Joseph Komonchak of the Catholic University of America, described him as “one of my best students in 45 years of teaching,” adding: “Not the least of Chito’s virtues was the joy that he radiated on everyone who encountered him. He had a fine sense of humor, which endeared him to his fellow students.”
However, Tagle’s candidacy is not without scrutiny. In 2022, he was removed from his symbolic leadership role at Caritas Internationalis, a Vatican-based confederation of 162 Catholic aid groups, following a management shakeup prompted by reports of bullying by top staff. While he wasn’t directly implicated in the scandal, some critics question whether he has the managerial rigor for the papacy.
Still, his supporters argue that his theological depth, cross-cultural appeal, and Francis-like style make him a strong contender. At 67, Tagle is also considered relatively young by Vatican standards, possibly making him an ideal candidate for a moderate-length pontificate that would bridge generations.
Whether or not he is elected, Tagle’s name continues to resonate among the faithful and the hierarchy alike, an indication of how much the Church is shifting towards a more inclusive and global future.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
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