To our venerable brother Rufino J. Cardinal Santos
Media
Part of Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas
- Title
- To our venerable brother Rufino J. Cardinal Santos
- Language
- English
- Year
- 1972
- Subject
- Cardinal Santos, Rufino J., 1908-1973
- Catholic priests
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- TO OUR VENERABLE BROTHER RUFINO J. CARDINAL SANTOS ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA Joyfully We have received the glad news that a fitting commemoration of a most happy event for you will take place in October this year: 25 years will have passed since you received your episcopal ordination. As the excellent occasion means and demands, you will celebrate such solemnity together with the clergy and the people of your Archdiocese of Manila, who will share the pious joys of their leader and teacher and will offer a public token of their love and veneration for you. With the desire of joining Our selves to these festive gatherings. We send the present Letters of congratulation which may signify, not with a new but a more conspicuous testimony, that our mutual communion of faith and charity is strengthened and becomes patent to all. Chosen as sacred pastor for the Church of Manila, and honored by Our predecessor John XXIII with the Roman Car dinals’ purple, you have shown the precious gifts of your soul in the zeal to defend and propagate our most holy religion, in the faithful vigilance for Catholic unity, and in your diligent and never failing love for your dear country. Endowed with an acute and versatile mind, you have undertaken and accomplished noble enterprises for the good of the Church and also of the State. What else then is to be desired now and prayed for you. for your good as well as that of the most holy cause for which you are contending, and of the community entrusted to your care? Let our dear people of the Philippines venerate you. veteran soldier of the Cross, pontifex shining with virtues, watching with solicitude, as a good and kind shenherd. over their welfare. For you to govern is just to be of service to POPE’S LETTER 673 others; and, with the luster of your conduct and the examples of your wisdom, you deserve the Scripture’s praise: “This is a man who loves the brethren and the people of Israel; this is he who prays much for the people and the holy city” (cfr. II Mach.15,14) and thus you will bind with stronger links of char ity those who are yours, nay who are Christ’s. May God’s bounty shower upon you the riches of His good ness; and may His truth cover you as with a shield (cfr. Ps90.5) and keep you always in His love as a pious model, active in time of rest, tranquil in time of action, waiting for the heavenly bliss that has no clouds and knows no dusk, after a truly long course of years, which We wish you to enrich with good works and merits, under the guidance of the most Blessed Virgin Mary. Mother of the Church and the brightest archtype of Sanctity, to whose eyes of mercy and patronage We earnestly commend you. praying that everything may turn out happily for you. We extend these wishes to you from our heart. Venerable Brother, and through you to your zealous Auxiliary Bishops, and to the flock of Christ entrusted to your care, and We lovingly bestow our Apostolic Blessing, as a pledge of heavenly help and protection. From the Vatican Palace, this 12th day of October 1972. in the 10th year of our Pontificate. PAULUS PP. VI The Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas extends congratu lations and prayerful greetings to HIS EMINENCE RUFINO J. CARDINAL SANTOS on the 25th anniversary of his episcopal ordination: 1947 —Oct. 24 — 1972.