Red Hat and Red Velvet Cake: The 2020 Consistory

By Msgr. Regie A. Pamposa, P.C.

 

The time was 6 p.m.

Dinner was almost ready at the Archbishop’s Residence. The table was set with some typical Filipino dishes like bangus tinola sautéed white squash with shrimps, and a few pieces of pork adobo. But thanks to the generosity of some benefactors and friends, there were other dishes to choose from at another buffet table such as shrimp pasta in light white sauce, paella, a head of salmon sinigang, and a medium-sized wild native roast pork, popularly known in Capiz as baboy talonon.

 

A small dessert table can also be found in another corner with the following selections:  two rectangular cakes decorated on top with the cardinal’s coat of arms, courtesy of a popular cake shop in Roxas City, a red fondant cake decorated with a red-like biretta on top, which was made by the pastry shop of St. Joseph’s Technical and Vocational School of the Archdiocese of Capiz; a pecan pie and a red velvet cake, which are among the archbishop’s favorite cakes.

 

Fifteen minutes later, the cardinal-in-waiting emerged from his room. He wore his signature off-white shirt jacket polo and a simple pectoral cross. What caught his attention was the cakes spread in front of him. He was visibly amused looking at those cakes. In fact, he asked candidly for a mobile phone to take photos of the cakes. He would, according to him, be sending some pictures to his family members who could not join him on that important dinner before he officially becomes a cardinal.

 

Truly Filipino in spirit, he remembers in his moments of joy those people dear to his heart and life. It is well-known among priests and some lay people that Monsignor Joe is never keen on throwing a birthday party. In fact, every March 30, he would look for a faraway place where he could be possibly alone to pray the whole day. Thus, cakes are rarely found, if not occasionally seen, on his table during his birthdays.

 

Just five hours away from the opening of the ordinary consistory to be led by Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica on a Saturday, at 4 p.m., in Rome, the early dinner was also about to start right at the residence of the ninth Filipino cardinal-elect in Roxas City, Capiz. The dinner, though seemingly not really a table of plenty, was modest and decent enough, at least for that historic night. After all, Monsignor Joe has never been used to eating either like a king or a prince.

After the usual pleasantries and occasional photo-ops, Monsignor Joe asked a priest to bless the food. Due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, only a few priests were able to join him on this historic night: Msgr. Cyril Villareal, Msgr. Freddie Billanes, Msgr. Regie Pamposa, Frs. Berman Ibanez, Johnny Robles, Gybbyn Gumban, Mark Granflor, Ryan Barrios, Al Vincent Tumlos, Vincent Bernas, John Egbert Dumali, Ivan Delfin, Andromel Ambag, Mico Dellera, and Anthony Bautista,  overall coordinator for  the livestreaming of the consistory to be participated in by Archbishop Advincula all the way from Roxas City, Capiz. Yes, right in the comfort of his residence!

 

Archbishop Joe was supposed to have travelled to Rome for such a historic event, the ordinary public consistory summoned by Pope Francis for the creation of new cardinals from all over the world. Although he already had a plane reservation for November 9, he had to stay home due to travel restrictions brought about by the pandemic. Hence, it all goes back to Monsignor Joe’s residence in Roxas City, Capiz. Not all roads, at least for this time, lead to Rome.

 

Inside his dining area was a red wooden chair with a simple upholstery conspicuously prepared in front of which was a small table with a laptop. The simple red chair will be used by Cardinal-elect Jose F. Advincula Jr., the third archbishop of Capiz, during the livestreaming of the ordinary consistory direct from the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. The world is about to see Cardinal Joe from Capiz, Philippines, sitting in a simple red chair. The chair may not look fit for a prince of the Church but it speaks about who Cardinal Joe is. Behind him are two important indispensable symbols– a crucifix on his right side and the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary on his left side, both of which convey a subtle but powerful message that the cardinalate is not all about being called a prince of the Church but rather a service to the universal church.

 

A cardinal, with few exceptions, is a bishop who must be ready to sacrifice following in the footsteps of the apostles all of whom chose to die as martyrs. Red, then, symbolizes such supreme act of giving oneself for the sake of Christ who died on the cross. These are what the world, through live streaming in various social media platforms and news agencies, will see about Cardinal Joe during the ordinary consistory of November 28, 2020.

 

And while the night was relatively young, Archbishop Joe had to excuse himself for a much-needed rest as it would again be literally his longest night. He usually goes to bed at 9 p.m. but not during that night, his big night, so to speak. Before he left, however, Archbishop Joe invited all priests present and the staff of the Archbishop’s Residence to pray the Act of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary and sing the Salve Regina. A short but meaningful night prayer, indeed, before the waiting began.

On the eve of the first Sunday of Advent, the priests present at the Archbishop’s Residence still had to wait for another three hours before the start of the consistory at 11 p.m., Philippine time. Waiting can be strenuous and meaningless sometimes, but not on that historic night for those priests present at the Archbishop’s Residence including the entire Capiz Clergy in their respective rectories. As they tried to pass time, priests present at the Archbishop’s Residence continued to exchange banters and cheers over a glass of wine or a cup of coffee spiced up with occasional discussions on things mundane and other ecclesiastical concerns. After all, they needed to be wide awake until the end of the consistory.

 

While they continued their lively conversation, a live video feed coming directly from the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome popped up. The Capizeno priests, Frs. Marvin Funa, Virgilio Ciudadano, Brylle Deocampo, and Milwauk Navarosa, were also on line celebrating together in union with their brother priests in Capiz. And, in a flash of a second, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, came from nowhere and joined the Capizeno priests in Rome. The former cardinal-archbishop of Manila was also in high spirits, probably because his brother-bishop from the Philippines will soon join him in the College of Cardinals. He will no longer be literally alone in the next conclave or consistory. The good cardinal, then, extended his simple but invigorating greetings to the Clergy of Capiz both in Rome and in Capiz.

 

After a few seconds, the rector of Pontificio Collegio Filippino, Rev. Fr. Greg Gaston of the Archdiocese of Manila, also joined the Capiz Clergy in a short video chat. He, too, was beaming with pride and excitement as his fellow Ilonggo-speaking kababayan would soon be made a cardinal. Indeed, the virtual world seemed to be surreal, at least, during the consistory of November 2020. From all its indications, however, the gathering of priests, virtual and actual, made the dinner at the Archbishop’s Residence more significant and unforgettable, as it also looked like a big happy family brought together by a common bond of joy and fraternal charity.

 

By means of modern technology, the unprecedented public consistory on November 28, 2020 during the global pandemic will be seen live all over the world through various media platforms. On his part, Archbishop Joe will participate in the consistory in a virtual manner through livestreaming, as he also joins the old and new cardinals present at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

 

Notably, there are wide TV screens set up inside St. Peter’s Basilica that will help facilitate Archbishop Joe’s virtual presence during the ceremony as he follows the rite of the creation of the new cardinals being broadcast live on tv or in a particular website with link access under the Vatican News Agency or the Office for Liturgical Celebrations of the Vatican. At the Archbishop’s Residence, too, the necessary technical preparations have been ensured with the able assistance of the Capiz Social Action Center of the Archdiocese.

 

Waiting for the historic event proved to be meaningful and unforgettable. It was almost 10 in the evening when Archbishop Joe emerged from his room. This time, he was already wearing the red choir dress often used by bishops during important ceremonies or formal occasions. Upon seeing the archbishop in full regalia, the priests present cheered and clapped excitedly, for after all they seldom see Archbishop Joe in such a formal vesture. The archbishop is known to eschew excessive finery in his liturgical vestments. Priests present rushed anew to capture the moment by snapping their phone cameras, taking pictures of the archbishop then ready to sit in his designated red chair. The cameras, ring lights, batteries, and video equipment for livestreaming were ready, and so was the ninth Filipino cardinal from Capiz.

Following the specific instruction of the Vatican, Archbishop Joe wore a red choir dress on top of which was a mozetta with a pectoral cross in a green cord. He also used an embroidered surplice, a red biretta, and a red zucchetto. His scarlet biretta and zucchetto reserved for cardinals will be  imposed on him by a papal representative in a ceremony to be determined in a later date in the Philippines, and hopefully, in Capiz.

It was seconds away from the much-awaited moment in the history of  the Archdiocese of Capiz that is about to unfold right in the midst of the Archbishop’s Residence in Roxas City and the world. At 10:56 p.m., the consistory began with the pope processing to the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica; the choir could be heard singing Tu es Petrus. Silence started to engulf the Archbishop’s Residence at the beginning of the solemn ceremony being translated from Italian and Latin into several languages such as French, German, Portuguese, and English. Meanwhile, Archbishop Joe was seated calmly in his red chair inside an enclosed dinner area free from unnecessary noise or disruption. He looked calm, following intently and religiously the ceremony being broadcast via Vatican News and EWTN.

 

At 11:22 p.m., the pope, reading the Latin text of the creation of the new cardinal, pronounced solemnly: “Itaque auctoritate omnipotentes Dei, sanctorum Apostolorun Petri et Pauli ac Nosta hos Venerabiles Frates creamus et sollemniter enuntiamus Sanctae Romane Ecclesiae Cardinales…” That indeed was the most-awaited moment. The pope pronounced the names of the new 13 cardinals, among whom was Cardinal Jose F. Advincula Jr. The official rite, published by the Office for Liturgical Celebration of the Vatican and titled Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico Presiduto Dal Santo Padre Francesco, includes the name of Mons. Jose F. Advincula, Arcivescovo de Capiz (Filippine). He was listed number five among the 13 new cardinals.

 

As indicated by the rite, the new cardinals were then asked to make a profession of faith which was followed by an act of fidelity and obedience to the Holy Father and his successors.  The cardinals present then approached the Holy Father who imposed on each of them a cardinal’s zucchetto and a biretta. Each of them also received the cardinal’s ring, aside from the so-called bulla or decree of appointment including the assignment of a titular church in Rome. His is the Church of St. Vigilius. The solemn and simple rite ended with the singing of Salve Regina.

 

Back to the Archbishop’s Residence in Capiz, the priests present could not contain their joy seeing their Archbishop right in front of a camera being beamed live throughout the world. It was also exhilarating to hear the Archdiocese of Capiz being mentioned in the hallowed grounds of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Surprisingly, the priests present at the Archbishop’s Residence remained attentive, perhaps mesmerized by the ceremony happening at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.  Not minding that it was already way beyond their bedtime, they were, to some extent, witnesses of an unprecedented consistory and the unfolding of one of the most significant events in the history of the Archdiocese of Capiz and in the new ministry of Cardinal Joe. Just months before the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, the Church of Capiz received a gift that surpasses all expectations– the election of its third archbishop to the College of Cardinals.

 

The new cardinal finally stood from his red chair to signal the end of the ceremony. As the Italians would say, finalmente! Finally, the Archbishop of Capiz is now a cardinal! As Cardinal Joe was about to emerge from the enclosed dining area, Msgr. Cyril Villareal, vicar general, opened the glass door. Everyone cheered and clapped, trying to surround the new cardinal. Well, it looked far from the usual sight of having a newly elected pope coming out of a conclave with white smoke rising from a chimney, and with the famous Latin announcement: habemus papam! But by all means, it was an entirely new experience that, perhaps, will not be duplicated in the near future. Only God knows, however.

 

As the new cardinal approached his priests who waited and stayed throughout the virtual consistory, smart mobile cameras once again clicked left and right to capture the historic moment. And Cardinal Joe remarked unashamedly, salamat sa pag-unong. It was almost 12 midnight. Surrounded by priests, he looked like a father who was surely overjoyed but humbled by the honor and new ministry bestowed on him. As the cliché goes, the rest is history. The third archbishop of Capiz is formally the ninth Filipino cardinal.

 

(Fregie20@hotmail.com)