Cotabato Archbishop is first Filipino cardinal named by Pope Francis

Published January 12, 2014 8:43pm

Cotabao Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, 74, a former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, is one of the 16 prelates who were named cardinals by Pope Francis on Sunday.

"As was previously announced, on February 22, the Feast of the Chair of Peter, I will have the joy of holding a Consistory, during which I will name 16 new Cardinals, who, coming from 12 countries from every part of the world, represent the deep ecclesial relationship between the Church of Rome and the other Churches throughout the world," the Pope said in his announcement posted on the Vatican Radio website.

"Let us pray for the new Cardinals, that vested in the virtues and the sentiments of the Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd, they might be able to help more effectively the Bishop of Rome in his service to the universal Church," he added.

Quevedo, who served as CBCP president from 1999 to 2003, will be the first cardinal from the Philippines appointed by Pope Francis. He will join the pope's elite group of advisors.

The most recently created cardinal was Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle, created by Pope Benedict XVI.

A pope's choice of cardinals is one of the clearest signals of the direction in which he wants the 1.2 billion-strong Roman Catholic Church to go, and what type of man he wants to succeed him.

Quevedo is reputed to be one of the country's more progressive bishops, actively promoting social justice in far-flung areas through basic ecclesial communities.

His name was dragged into the controversy regarding some bishops that allegedly obtained sports utility vehicles from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in 2009. At a Senate hearing, however, Quevedo said what the Cotabato archdiocese received was a van used for distribution of medicines and relief goods in disaster-hit areas.

Synod of bishops

According to CBCP Online, Quevedo was born on March 11, 1939 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, and was ordained on June 5, 1964 in Washington D.C.

His episcopal ordination was on Oct. 28, 1980 in Kidapawan, Cotabato.

Quevedo received his basic education at the Laoag Shamrock School and Marbel Central Elementary School, and Notre Dame of Marbel High School.

He attended San Jose Seminary from 1954 to 1956, and St. Peter's Novitiate in Texas from 1956 to 1957. He took Philosophy at San Jose Seminary from 1957 to 1960.

The prelate also attended Oblate College (Catholic University of America) and took postgraduate studies in educational management at the University of Santo Tomas. He attended Theology of Religious Life at St. Louis University in Missouri from 1976 to 1977.

Among the highlights of his career are:

1970: Received Ford Foundation Travel and Study Grant to Indonesia
1973: One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines
1973-1977: Set up Colleges of Nursing, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Socio-Economic Research Center at Notre Dame University
1980-1986: Defended and promoted justice and peace issues, grassroots empowerment, and Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) during Martial Law Years, Diocese of Kidapawan
1983: Initiated the creation of the CBCP Public Affairs Committee
Since 1983: Principal drafter of several CBCP Pastoral Letters and Statements
1992: Initiated a modified tithing system and abolished the arancel system in the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
1994: Elected with the highest vote to membership in the General Council of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, Rome

Pope Francis said he will preside at a solemn concelebration with the new cardinals on Feb.23.

On Feb. 20 and 21, he "will hold a Consistory with all the cardinals to reflect on the theme of the family." — JDS/YA, GMA News

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