Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines

Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippines
Map
Address2140 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila, Philippines
Coordinates14°34′9.8616″N 120°59′32.6796″E / 14.569406000°N 120.992411000°E / 14.569406000; 120.992411000
Apostolic NuncioMost Rev. Charles John Brown, DD

The Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippines is a top-level diplomatic mission assigned by the Holy See to the Philippines, located at 2140 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila.

Diplomatically, an apostolic nuncio may be equivalent to an ambassador, and often carries the ecclesial title of archbishop. The nuncio works closely with the Archdiocese of Manila, and is by custom the doyen of the diplomatic corps.

History

The Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippines was erected circa 1902. Though the official residence of the nuncio is located in Manila, he is not subject to the Archbishop of Manila but directly to the Roman Catholic Church head Pope like other bishops and archbishops.

World War II

When the Philippines was caught in World War II following the commencement of the Japanese invasion of East Asia, communication between the Holy See and the Philippine Delegation (Msgr. Guglielnao Piani, SDB), or any of the other delegations of the region, was not permitted. However, the Apostolic Delegation in Tokyo (Msgr. Paolo Marella) was permitted to communicate with the censored delegations.[1]

In 1943, the Second Philippine Republic was inaugurated. In a letter dated October 14, 1943 (the day of the inauguration), the newly elected president of the puppet government, Jose P. Laurel, wrote to Luigi Cardinal Maglione, the Vatican secretary of state:[2]

I have the honor to inform your excellency that of october fourteenth nineteen hundred and forty three the Philippines proclaimed her independence and declared herself a sovereign nation and organised a Government republican in form.' In comunicating [sic] the foregoing to your excellency, I desire to take advantage of the opportunity to express my sincere desire that there shall exist between the two countries the most cordial relation of amity and friendship. With the assurance your excellency of my most distinguished consideration.

Although, Cardinal Maglione received the telegram, he told the Japanese ambassador to the Holy See, Ken Harada, that as long as the war continues, the Holy See will not recognize any new states, including the new Philippine Republic.[3] Harada acknowledged the Holy See's decision and did not pursue the matter further.[3] Later, Cardinal Maglione directed Msgr. Piani, through Msgr. Marella, to continue to pursue and protect the interests of the Catholic religion in the country. He added that the local bishops are permitted to deal with local ecclesiastical affairs as long as they are not diplomatic in character. However, they could, if necessary, appeal to the authorities on affairs that are purely ecclesiastical.[4]

The apostolic delegation helped clear up a misunderstanding that Msgr. Paul Taguchi, Archbishop of Osaka, visited Manila not to supplant the authority of the Archbishop of Manila but to establish contacts with the Catholics of that city.[5]

Rumors were also spreading that Pope Pius XII personally communicated a telegram to Laurel. Maglione clarified via a letter to the Apostolic Delegate in London that since the Holy See did not recognize any new states for the duration of the war, no such telegram was ever sent.[6]

Role in the hierarchy: vicariates

Monsignor Giuseppe Pinto, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines (fourth from left seated), at the Good Friday processions of Baliuag, Bulacan.
Archbishop Charles John Brown, Fiesta

As an apostolic vicar, the nuncio also serves a role in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. An apostolic vicariate is a territorial jurisdiction established in areas which do not have a diocese and the nuncio serves as metropolitan bishop to these vicariates.

In the Philippines, the apostolic vicariates are:

List of papal representatives to the Philippines

Apostolic delegates

In 1900 a papal legation with the rank of apostolic delegation in the Philippines was established. There have been seven apostolic delegates of the Philippines, until the Vatican promoted the papal legation in the Philippines to the status of apostolic nunciature on August 9, 1951.

No. Picture Name Born Died Term Coat of arms
1. Placide Louis Chapelle August 28, 1842
Fraissinet-de-Lozère, Lozère, France 		August 09, 1905
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States 		September 28, 1899 – April 30, 1901
2. Donato Sbarretti November 12, 1856
Montefranco, Italy 		April 01, 1939
Rome, Italy 		September 16, 1901 – December 26, 1902
3. Giovanni Battista Guidi April 26, 1852
Collepardo, Italy 		July 22, 1904
Manila, Philippines 		September 25, 1902 – June 22, 1904
4. Ambrose Agius, O.S.B September 17, 1856
Alexandria, Egypt 		December 13, 1911
Manila, Philippines 		September 05, 1904 – December 13, 1911
5. Giuseppe Petrelli February 14, 1873
Montegiorgio, Italy 		April 29, 1962
Lima, Peru 		May 30, 1915 – May 27, 1921
6. Guglielmo Piani, S.D.B. September 16, 1875
Martinengo, Italy 		September 27, 1956
Mexico City, Mexico 		March 17, 1922 – October 05, 1948
7. Egidio Vagnozzi February 26, 1906
Rome, Italy 		December 26, 1980
Rome, Italy 		March 09, 1949 – August 09, 1951

Apostolic nuncios

No. Picture Name Born Died Term Coat of arms
7. Egidio Vagnozzi February 26, 1906
Rome, Italy 		December 26, 1980
Rome, Italy 		August 09, 1951 – December 16, 1958
8. Salvatore Siino October 05, 1904
Capaci, Italy 		October 08, 1963
Rome, Italy 		March 14, 1959 – October 08, 1963
9. Carlo Martini October 01, 1913
Cadeo, Italy 		July 16, 1986
Piacenza, Italy 		November 29, 1963 – August 05, 1967
10. Carmine Rocco April 12, 1912
Camigliano, Italy 		May 12, 1982
Rome, Italy 		September 16, 1967 – May 22, 1973
11. Bruno Torpigliani April 15, 1915
Asciano, Italy 		May 02, 1990
Asciano, Italy 		June 06, 1973 – April 10, 1990
12. Gian Vincenzo Moreni January 29, 1932
Montichiari, Italy 		March 03, 1999
Montichiari, Italy 		September 08, 1990 – March 03, 1999
13. Antonio Franco March 24, 1937
Puglianello, Italy 		April 06, 1999 – January 21, 2006
14. Fernando Filoni April 15, 1946
Manduria, Italy 		February 25, 2006 – June 09, 2007
15. Edward Joseph Adams August 24, 1944
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 		September 03, 2007 – February 22, 2011
16. Giuseppe Pinto May 26, 1952
Noci, Italy 		May 10, 2011 – July 01, 2017
17. Gabriele Giordano Caccia February 24, 1958
Milan, Italy 		September 12, 2017 – November 16, 2019
18. Charles John Brown October 13, 1959
New York City, New York, United States 		September 28, 2020

See also

References

  1. ^ "La Délégation du Japon à la Secrétairerie d'Etat, 4 November 1942. S.E./22 (A.E.S. 7391/42, orig.)". Actes et Documents du Saint Siège Relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale (PDF). Vol. 7. Rome: The Holy See. pp. 102–3.
  2. ^ "Le président des Philippines Laurel au cardinal Maglione, Manila, 14 October 1943. Tél. nr. Io6 (A.E.S. 7349/43)". Actes et Documents du Saint Siège Relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale (PDF). Vol. 7. pp. 704–705.
  3. ^ a b "Notes du cardinal Maglione. Vatican, 22 October 1943. (A.E.S. 7349/43, orig. autogr.)". Actes et Documents du Saint Siège Relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale (PDF). Vol. 7. p. 712.
  4. ^ "Le cardinal Maglione au délégué apostolique A. Tokyo Marella. Vatican, 25 October 1943. Tél. nr. 305 (A.E.S. 7349/43)". Actes et Documents du Saint Siège Relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale (PDF). Vol. 7. p. 714.
  5. ^ "Le clélégué apostolique à Manila Piani au clélégué à Tokyo Marella. Manila, 9 November 1942. Sans nr. (A.S.S. 63794, orig.)". Actes et Documents du Saint Siège Relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale (PDF). Vol. 8. pp. 746–747.
  6. ^ "Le cardinal Maglione au délégué apostolique à Londres Godfrey. Vatican, 14 January 1944. Tél. nr. 501 (A.E.S. 754144)". Actes et Documents du Saint Siège Relatifs à la Seconde Guerre Mondiale (PDF). Vol. 11. pp. 102, 123.