Cardinal Quevedo: To be a cardinal is a duty not a privilege

COTABATO CITY, PHILIPPINES–Mindanao’s first cardinal, Orlando Cardinal Quevedo says being a cardinal is not a privilege but a duty.

In his thanksgiving Mass, March 11 at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral here, Cardinal Quevedo said until now he doesn’t know why Pope Francis has chosen him to be the first cardinal in Mindanao.

He added maybe he was chosen because he is the archbishop of Cotabato and the local church is a picture of the situation of Mindanao where armed conflict, poverty, natural disasters, and others are present–challenges that surround the local church.

Cardinal Quevedo said the issue on the conflict between the Bangsamoro and the military and also the poverty and natural disasters in the Bangsamoro territory are maybe among the considerations why Pope Francis chose a cardinal from Mindanao.

“The pope has selected a cardinal in Cotabato not for the wisdom I might possess. Cotabato is a chosen place,” Cardinal Quevedo said, adding:

“The pope is a pope of surprises. God is a God of surprises.”

Cardinal Quevedo on that day, March 11 celebrated his 75th birthday, the mandatory age of retirement for bishops. He has written his letter of resignation addressed to the pope and will be delivered by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto who graced the thanksgiving mass along with other bishops from the entire Philippines.

He said he doesn’t know what are the plans of the pope after electing him as cardinal despite his age. He added that the road to peace in Mindanao is difficult, which he sees as a difficult task as a cardinal.

He finds comfort in the support and prayers of his flock that he will live up to the challenge of his new role as cardinal, who will be one of the advisers of the pope.

“The call to be a cardinal is a deeper call to mission. To be a cardinal is to serve further at a higher level purpose but on a lower level position of servanthood,” the new cardinal said, referring to how Jesus washed the feet of the apostles, a sign of humility. (John Frances C. Fuentes/@dcherald)