03 April 2014- The Filipino American community came in droves to Fordham University in New York City to witness the conferral of Doctorate of Humane Letters, honoris causa, to His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, on March 28.
About 350 people, mostly Filipino Americans, came to the ceremony. Fr. Joseph McShane, S.J. and Fr. Joseph O’Hare, S.J., the University President and President Emeritus led Fordham officials and students. Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York, was also in attendance as well as Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Cuisia, Jr., Ambassador Libran Cabactulan, Philippine Consul General in New York Mario De Leon, Jr. and the officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General in New York.
In the citation given to Cardinal Tagle, Fordham describes him as a “man who has captured hearts and raised hopes around the world with his warmth, his intellect, his stirring liturgies, and his overriding concern for the poor and downtrodden.” He was honored for “combining strong convictions with a moderate tone and an emphasis on dialogue rather than pronouncements” and “for his moral leadership, advocacy for the poor, and his many efforts on behalf of the Catholic Church.”
The 32nd Cardinal of Manila was only the fifth man of the church who was given the distinct honor by Fordham since its founding in 1841. Fordham became the first US university to bestow a doctorate degree to him.
In his remarks, Cardinal Tagle thanked Fordham and stated that the honorary degree was more than just about him, but about the Filipino people, especially the victims of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) who have inspired people worldwide with their relentless hope and resilience. He said he was accepting the degree on their behalf.
Cardinal Tagle then gave a discourse about “Migrants and Refugees”. He discussed the situations of migrants and refugees in several countries, including the Philippines. He said the Catholic Church affirmed at the Second Vatican’s Council the right of a person to migrate or to remain in his home country if so desired, and the importance for people to be aware of their freedom to migrate as well as not to be forced to do so.
According to the Cardinal, several problems of forced migration in regions of the world, such as the Middle East, Africa and Central and South America, were due to ongoing problems like social upheaval, war, and natural calamities. He emphasized the great need to address the issue of forced migration for many refugees who become deprived not only of their homes, but of their physical and social dignity and well-being as well.
He cited the data presented by the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council held from 22 to 24 May 2013 which conveyed the magnitude and gravity of forced migration around the world. He pointed out that the top countries that sent migrants to other countries included the Philippines, Pakistan, Russia, Bangladesh and Palestine while the U.S., Canada, Germany, France and the U.K. were among the top destination countries for migrants.
The International Red Cross estimated in 2012 that there were about 72 million forced migrants in the world and that many were related to regions of prime concern, particularly in Iraq and Syria, where ongoing civil war and violence had resulted in desperate refugees seeking asylum in other countries. There were about 20,000 refugees who had died in the Mediterranean seeking asylum in such nations as Italy, Malta, Spain and Greece.
Cardinal Tagle reminded the audience that the refugee problem was not about “statistics” and that forced migrants/refugees needed to be assisted and seen as “human beings” who constitute the core of the church’s social involvement. He said the church had consistently protected forced migrants/refugees as human beings with rights as laid out in biblical scriptures. He encouraged the community to do their part in uplifting the lives of suffering refugees worldwide.
He concluded by sharing a narrative about the plight of certain refugees, including that of a Vietnamese man who escaped his homeland when it was being ravaged by war, and later found refuge at a camp in Palawan, Philippines. Years later, this same man would go on to become a successfully ordained priest and entered a seminary where Cardinal Tagle at the time was the director.
Before the end of the conferral ceremony, students belonging to the Fordham University Philippine-American Club gave Cardinal Tagle a check donation of $5,000.
The next day, March 29, the Cardinal celebrated a Mass for the Filipino American community at the Fordham University Church. About 900 people, including 40 Filipino priests who concelebrated the Mass, were in attendance despite the rainy weather the whole day. The entire collections at the Mass were given to the Caritas Manila to enable the Cardinal continue assisting the Haiyan typhoon victims.
Following the Mass, Fordham hosted a reception for the community where the Cardinal gamely mingled with the guests. Four more organizations gave a total donation of $17,000 to Cardinal Tagle during the reception.
In the morning of March 30, Cardinal Tagle concelebrated a Mass with Timothy Cardinal Dolan of New York at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Consul General De Leon then hosted a luncheon at his official residence for the family of Cardinal Tagle, officials of Fordham, Filipino clergy, officers and staff of the Consulate General, and leaders of the Filipino American community. END