MANILA – Former Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle is among the five cardinals appointed by Pope Francis as new members of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue announced by the Vatican on Wednesday.
Other appointees to the said council are: Cardinals Dieudonne Nzapalaiga, Archbishop of Bangui; Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, Vicar Apostolic of Vientiane; Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, Archbishop of Jakarta and Ordinary of the Military Ordinariate of Indonesia; and Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg. The council is headed by its President, Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, who has held the post since May 2019.
Based on the published report of Vatican News, the Pontifical Council is the central office of the Catholic Church for the promotion of interreligious dialogue in accordance with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, in particular the declaration Nostra aetate.
The council is also responsible for promoting mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration between Catholics and followers of other religious traditions; encouraging the study of religions; and promoting the formation of persons dedicated to dialogue.
Aside from his new assignment, Cardinal Tagle is the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of People. Aside from the five new cardinals, the council is also composed of 15 archbishops and bishops from all parts of the world and other high ranking officials of the Church.
