Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Why Cardinal Chito Tagle is Being Billed as a Papabile?

Why is Manila's Cardinal Chito Tagle being billed as �papabile'?
Pope Francis (2nd R) waves at Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (L) during a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on September 4, 2024.
AFP / Tiziana Fabi

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:25 p.m.) — Following the death of Pope Francis, the Vatican has entered a period of sede vacante, with the College of Cardinals set to convene and elect the next Supreme Pontiff. Among the leading contenders named by members of the press covering the church in Rome is Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, a prominent figure in the Filipino clergy and recognized as one of the Church’s most influential voices.

Observers have labeled Tagle the “Asian Francis” due to similarities in pastoral focus and leadership style with the late pope. Why is he considered a strong contender for the throne of the Holy See? According to the College of Cardinals Report:

“Cardinal Tagle possesses not only attributes similar to Jorge Bergoglio and extensive pastoral and administrative experience but also significant theological and historical training.”

Currently, Tagle serves as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, a key post in the Roman Curia to which he was appointed in 2022.  He  was the second Filipino cardinal to head a dicastery in the Roman Curia. The first was Cardinal Jose Sanchez, who was the Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. His administrative and pastoral experience is extensive: He previously headed the Archdiocese of Manila. He also served as president of Caritas Internationalis, the official global network of Catholic charitable organizations, from 2015 to 2022.

While he was among the entire leadership team of Caritas relieved of their responsibilities by Francis in November 2022, Tagle, nominally president, was not involved in day-to-day operations, which were managed by the secretary general, who was a layman.  In 2020, he was made Cardinal-Bishop of San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle. A Cardinal-Bishop belongs to the highest order in the Catholic Church.

Tagle was also a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, among other significant roles. Congregations are the major departments of the Catholic Church's central governing body—the Roman Curia—which help the Pope manage the global Church.

Style and stance

Tagle’s approach and progressive stances have drawn comparisons to Pope Francis. Both have advocated for a Church that is inclusive, compassionate and attentive to the marginalized.

Tagle has consistently supported Francis’ vision, emphasizing service over status and compassion over condemnation.

On key issues, Tagle has taken notable positions:

On the drug war. As Archbishop of Manila, he was an outspoken critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, condemning drug-related killings and urging respect for human dignity.

On the LGBTQ+ communityTagle has criticized the Church’s “harsh words” against LGBTQ individuals, highlighting the harm caused by exclusion and advocating for a more welcoming approach.

Tagle believes that individuals belonging to those groups were labeled, which subsequently led to their isolation from the broader community.

“I don’t know whether this is true but I heard that in some circles, Christian circles, the suffering that these people underwent was even considered as a rightful consequence of their mistakes, so spiritualised in that sense… But we are glad to see and hear shifts in that,” Tagle said in 2015.

On divorce. He opposes the legalization of divorce, upholding the sanctity of marriage as a sacrament. However, he has called for a nuanced, case-by-case approach to the communion of divorced and remarried Catholics.

“Every situation for those who are divorced and remarried is quite unique. To have a general rule might be counterproductive in the end,” Tagle said in 2015.

The what-ifs. If elected, Tagle would be the first pontiff from contemporary Southeast Asia and the Philippines, a country with the region’s largest Catholic population. His fluency in Italian and English, as well as his multicultural background, further positions him as a global Church leader.

While Tagle is considered by observers as a leading contender, Vatican historians caution that papal elections are historically unpredictable. As an old Italian saying goes, “He who enters a conclave as a pope, leaves it as a cardinal.”

 Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article claimed that Tagle could be the first Asian pope. This has been corrected. Previous heads of the Catholic Church including Saint Peter (r.30-67), born in Bethsaida now part of modern-day Western Asia, could also be considered Asian by geographic origin. Pope Gregory III (r.731-734) hailed from Syria while Pope John VI (r. 701-705 was from Ephesus in Asia Minor, now part of Turkey.

Meanwhile, Did you know that..... 

A new theory by Dr. Richard Lieu challenges the Big Bang model, proposing that the universe evolves through ultra-rapid, recurring bursts called *temporal singularities*, not a single explosive origin event.
These singularities inject matter and energy in fleeting pulses across space, shaping cosmic structure without relying on dark matter or dark energy, and introducing a new explanation for cosmic expansion driven by negative pressure.
Published as a refinement of Lieu’s 2024 model, the theory claims these bursts occur too quickly and rarely to be observed, possibly explaining why dark matter and energy remain undetected despite decades of searching.

Finally, Light isn’t just what we see — it’s what we are.


Italian scientists have achieved the impossible: freezing pure light into a solid form for the first time ever.
• If the Big Bang was an explosion of light, then everything — you, me, the stars — is simply light at different densities.
• Science now echoes what spirituality always whispered: we are luminous beings refracted through a kaleidoscope of existence. This isn’t belief. It’s physics. Save this truth — and remember, you are made of light.

Monday, April 28, 2025

A Pre-Colonial Woman Leader of the Philippines- Alex Eala-Tennis Star

Did you know? Before the Spanish arrived, Sta. Ana, Manila was the heart of the Kingdom of Namayan — ruled by a woman, Queen Panginoan.
While Europe was dominated by kings and emperors, the Philippines had female monarchs calling the shots.

Namayan thrived near the Pasig River, trading with neighbors, and proving that gender didn't stop leadership in ancient Manila.

Meanwhile, Did you know that...
Before the Spanish arrived, Sta. Ana, Manila was the heart of the Kingdom of Namayan — ruled by a woman, Queen Panginoan.
While Europe was dominated by kings and emperors, the Philippines had female monarchs calling the shots.
Namayan thrived near the Pasig River, trading with neighbors, and proving that gender didn't stop leadership in ancient Manila.

Lastly, a paragraph on Alex Eala, Philippines New Tennis Star Sensation

It was a moment she fully deserved. During her time in Miami, Alex Eala compiled one of the most spectacular and surprising breakout runs of this century. A 19-year-old from the Philippines ranked No 140, she had entered the Miami Open with a wild card and few expectations. In her short career, she had won only two matches on the WTA tour and her form in 2025 had been unimpressive.

Simply winning her first-round match against the No 73 Katie Volynets marked this tournament as a success for Eala, but she just kept on going. She generated attention with her victory over Jelena Ostapenko, the mercurial 2017 French Open champion, then she forced the tennis world to take notice with her straight-sets win over Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion and world No 5. With all eyes on Eala, she then engineered one of the great upsets in recent times, toppling the five-time grand slam champion Iga Swiatek to reach the semi-finals.

One week ago, no Filipina woman had ever defeated a grand slam champion. Eala scuppered three in succession. She then showed that those victories were no fluke by pushing Jessica Pegula, the world No 4, to the limit in an intense, bruising three-set battle.

BREAKING NEWS : Tennis star Alexandra Eala donated her entire $5.4 million prize money and endorsement deal to charities and homeless relief. What she did next left everyone in awe.


From My FaceBook Page This Week:
"DON’T TRY TO BUY ME WITH MONEY!" – Tennis star Alexandra Eala fiercely rejected a $10 million offer from Elon Musk. This bold and principled decision not only stunned the media, but also prompted an unexpected reaction from Musk — leaving the world in shock!

Saturday, April 26, 2025

The Real Conclave is Coming- Pope Francis Has Been Interred

Today, News:  Pope Francis has been interred, Vatican says

Pope Francis has been interred at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, the Vatican said Saturday.

The “rite of the Entombment of the Roman Pontiff” began at 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET), in a ceremony presided over by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the “camerlengo” who had been tasked with making arrangements for Francis’ funeral, and who will soon help organize a conclave to choose Francis’ successor. The ceremony concluded at 1.30 p.m., the Vatican added.

Francis is the first pope in more than a century to be buried outside the walls of the Vatican. In his will, the late pontiff asked that his tomb be inscribed only with the word: “Franciscus.”

The Actual Conclave in Early May, 2025

https://youtu.be/Nj3Qnr_30Z4

From Last Week News: Right now, something big is happening in the Catholic Church—the seat of the Pope is empty! Yes, the leader of over a billion Catholics has passed on, and the Church has entered a special moment called “sede vacante,” which simply means “the seat is vacant.”
But don’t worry—it’s all part of a time-honored tradition. What happens next? It’s like a sacred adventure filled with prayer and mystery.
So… what happens next? Don’t worry, it’s not chaos!
First, the Church takes time to mourn the Pope. Then, the cardinals step in—not to become Pope, but to keep things running smoothly for now.
Next comes the big moment: the Conclave! Imagine a super serious, prayer-filled voting session in the Vatican. The cardinals are locked inside (literally!) and they vote until one of them gets a two-thirds majority.
Once they agree—boom! White smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel chimney and someone announces: “Habemus Papam!” (“We have a Pope!”)
The world meets the new leader of over 1.4 billion Catholics, and the Church moves forward, guided once again by a shepherd.
And that’s how the Catholic Church chooses a new Pope—with reverence, tradition, and a touch of Vatican's holy politics.

The Catholic Church's most senior officials, known as the College of Cardinals, will wait 15 days before beginning the vote on who the next Pope should be.


Currently, there are 252 Catholic cardinals, 138 of whom are eligible to vote for the new Pope.  The new pope need 2/3 of the 138 eligible votes. 


Meanwhile, One of the Papillo Being Talked About: Cardinal Tagle of the Philippines, But Who Knows?
In a few weeks, the Catholic Church will select a new Pope. Several candidates are conservatives who are against the LGBTQ+ community, the right to divorce, progress for women in the Church, and even caring for migrants.
But one candidate rising as a potential Pope is Cardinal Luis Anthony Tagle of the Philippines. He is an outgoing, engaging, progressive Catholic who believes the church should be more open, inclusive, and forward-thinking. If selected, Tagle would be the first Asian Pope.

Cardinal Tagle has decades of pastoral experience – meaning he has been an active Church leader among the people as opposed to a diplomat for the Vatican or cloistered expert on Church law.

The Church is massively influential in the Philippines, where about 80% of the population is Catholic. The country currently has a record five members of the College of Cardinals – which could make for a significant lobbying faction if they all back Cardinal Tagle.


He is considered a moderate within the Catholic definition, and has been dubbed the "Asian Francis" because of a dedication to social issues and sympathy for migrants that he shared with the late pope. He has opposed abortion rights, calling them "a form of murder" – a position in line with the Church's broader stance that life begins at conception. He has also spoken against euthanasia.


But in 2015 when he was Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Tagle called for the Church to reassess its "severe" stance towards gay people, divorcees and single mothers, saying past harshness had done lasting harm and left people feeling "branded", and that each individual deserved compassion and respect. The cardinal was considered a candidate to be pope as far back as the 2013 conclave in which Francis was elected. The 86 millions Filipino Roman Catholics will be ecstatic including myself if Cardinal Tagle becomes the New Pope. 

Here are the other three most-talked names to be the new pope besides Cardinal Tagle 

1. Pietro Parolin- Softly spoken Italian Cardinal Parolin was the Vatican's secretary of state under Pope Francis – making him the pope's chief adviser. The secretary of state also heads the Roman Curia, the Church's central administration. Having acted effectively as deputy pope, he could be considered a frontrunner. He is viewed by some as more likely to prioritise diplomacy and a global outlook than the purity of Catholic dogma. His critics consider that a problem, while his supporters see a strength.

2. Fridolin Besungo- It's very possible the next pope could be from Africa, where the Catholic Church continues to add millions of members. Cardinal Ambongo is a leading candidate, hailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He has been Archbishop of Kinshasa for seven years, and was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis. He is a cultural conservative, opposing blessings for same-sex marriage, stating that "unions of persons of the same sex are considered contradictory to cultural norms and intrinsically evil".

3. Peter Appiah Turkson-If chosen by his peers, the influential Cardinal Turkson would likewise have the distinction of being the first African pope for 1,500 years. Like Cardinal Ambongo, he has claimed not to want the job. "I'm not sure whether anyone does aspire to become a pope," he told the BBC in 2013. Asked if Africa had a good case to provide the next pope based on the Church's growth on the continent, he said he felt the pope shouldn't be chosen based on statistics, because "those types of considerations tend to muddy the waters". He was the first Ghanaian to be made a cardinal, back in 2003 under Pope John Paul II. Like Cardinal Tagle, Cardinal Turkson was considered a potential pope a decade later, when Francis was chosen. In fact, bookmakers made him the favourite ahead of voting.

Personal Note: It is for sure that a woman will not be elected as the Next Pope in this coming Conclave.  However unlike in the Movie, Cardinal Benitez the elected Pope was not a trans man but an intersex person, born with external male genitalia but female internal organs. People who are intersex have genitals, chromosomes or reproductive organs that don't fit into a male/female sex binary.

In the news: Following the passing of Pope Francis, viewership of ‘CONCLAVE’ increased by 283%, reaching nearly 7 million minutes watched. THE TWO POPES’ also experienced a significant rise with viewership up by 417% since Sunday. I have watched both of the above excellent movies.

Here are other Movies Dealing with The Choosing of The Popes

1. The Shoes of the Fisherman ( 1968)

2. Habemus Papam ( 2013)

3. Pope Joan ( 1972)

4. The Pope Must Die ( 1991)

Other Movies and TV series about the Pope and Vatican but not directly dealing with the Pope election are: The Agony and Ecstasy, Angels and Demons and the Young Pope.

For Details visit: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/pope-movies?srsltid=AfmBOoopbOli1wY_dsrL_z0deBtxxCb485V675YrMcJbOB9jPf7LMN8P

Rest in Peace, Pope Francis! 

Friday, April 25, 2025

The Ultimate UK Road Trip

Hoping this posting will put a Smile in your Face! Let me hear from You, Dear Readers!
From My Travel Readings This Week- This hilarious and unique road trip is packed with charm and laughter, making it the perfect adventure for anyone who loves quirky British place names!🚘
Get Ready for a road trip that will have you laughing and soaking up the British countryside? 

Check out this cheeky itinerary and take a detour through some of the most amusingly named places in the UK! 👇
1️⃣ Twatt, Orkney 🏘️
Yes, you read that right! This tiny hamlet is surrounded by beautiful green fields and traditional stone cottages, offering a picturesque photo op. 📸
2️⃣ Cock Bridge, Aberdeenshire 🏞️🐑
Nestled near Cairngorms National Park, this spot offers breathtaking views of Scotland’s natural beauty—perfect for a scenic stop.
3️⃣ Dick Place, Edinburgh 🏰🌸
A charming street with Victorian homes. Explore nearby Holyrood Park and the Royal Botanic Garden for some lovely views. 🌷
4️⃣ Cockermouth, Cumbria 🐓🏡
Birthplace of poet William Wordsworth! Take a stroll through the Lake District and visit his historic home. 📜
5️⃣ Penistone, South Yorkshire 🍞🧺
A bustling market town full of charm, history, and friendly locals. A great place to enjoy some local treats.
6️⃣ Cock Alley, Derbyshire 🌳🚶‍♂️
A peaceful lane perfect for a stroll and some classic English countryside vibes.
7️⃣ Fingringhoe, Essex 🐦🌿
A birdwatcher’s paradise, home to the Fingringhoe Wick Nature Reserve, where you can spot rare birds and enjoy marshland views. 🌅
8️⃣ Shitterton, Dorset 🏡💦
Despite its name, this charming village with its stone cottages and scenic brook is straight out of a storybook.
9️⃣ Ass Hill, Somerset 🐴🌄
Rolling hills, farmland, and countryside beauty at its finest. The perfect place for a quintessential English countryside experience. 🌞

Meanwhile, Did you know that.....
The penis of a blue whale is 2.8 meters long. When it ejaculates, it releases 1,800 liters of semen. It only takes 200 liters to impregnate the female. When you take a few sips of water on the beach, remember where the remaining 1,600 liters are.

Finally Have You Heard of The Icelandic Phallological Museum (IcelandicHið íslenzka reðasafn [ˈhɪːð ˈistlɛnska ˈrɛːðaˌsapn̥]), located in Reykjavík, Iceland?

It houses the world's largest display of penises and penile parts. As of early 2020 the museum moved to a new location in Hafnartorg, three times the size of the previous one, and the collection holds well over 300 penises from more than 100 species of mammal. The museum also holds 22 imagined penises from creatures and peoples of Icelandic folklore.

In July 2011, the museum obtained its first human penis, one of many promised by would-be donors. Its detachment from the donor's body did not go according to plan and it was reduced to a greyish-brown shriveled mass that was pickled in a jar of formalin. The museum continues to search for "a younger and a bigger and better one." In the meantime, they have begun exhibiting a cast of Matt Barr of Great Britain who has "the longest urinary measurement ever recorded and...the longest and girthiest phallus, of any man alive today. For Details read:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Phallological_Museum#:~:text=The%20Icelandic%20Phallological%20Museum%20(Icelandic,of%20penises%20and%20penile%20parts.

https://www.flitterfever.com/the-icelandic-phallological-museum-penis-museum-reykjavik-iceland/