Appointment of new apostolic nuncio 'good news' for Filipino faithful amid COVID-19 crisis —CBCP

The appointment of Archbishop Charles John Brown as the new apostolic nuncio to the Philippines is "very good news" to the faithful amid the crisis brought by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said on Tuesday.

"It is a very good news for us. The appointment of new nuncio is a welcome relief and comfort for us in this trying and troubling time of COVID-19," Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Pontificio Colegio Filipino, told Church-run Radio Veritas.

"[W]ith the physical presence of the Apostolic Nuncio, we are 'sub umbra Petri' as if our beloved Holy Father is not only watching us from afar but walking with us and working for us," he added.

San Pablo Bishop Buenaventura Famadico, chairman of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Clergy, meanwhile said he was grateful for Archbishop Brown's new mission together with the local leaders of Catholic Church in the Philippines.

"Isang biyaya ng Diyos na dapat ipagpasalamat," Famadico said.

"This is good news for us that we have a new nuncio; we are happy to welcome him and we pray that he will have a fruitful work here in the country," Manila Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo, chairman of the Episcopal Commission on the Laity, meanwhile said.

Bishop Roberto Gaa of Novaliches meanwhile said Brown's appointment will further improve the relations between Vatican and the Philippines.

"We welcome you to this different church; we're always serving the people and because of this pandemic there is a new normal; a new way of loving people, a new way of serving people and we are very thankful of having had a new Nuncio to journey with us to receive guidance from the Pope," Gaa said.

Gaa added that the appointment of a new papal nuncio is crucial as he contributes in the decision on who will be the next Archbishop of Manila, temporarily headed by Bishop Pabillo.

"Malaking bagay na mayroong Nuncio kasi isa siya sa mag-screen kung sino ang bagong archbishop of Manila," Gaa said.

Brown will take over the nunciature left by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia towards the end of 2019 to become the Vatican’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations.

Brown is from New York and was ordained priest in May 1989. He previously served as nuncio to Albania since 2017.

As of Brown's appointment, five positions in the Pilipinas remain "sede vacante", namely the Archdiocese of Manila; Dioceses of Malaybalay and Alaminos; and the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose Mindoro and Taytay in Palawan. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News