KEY officials of the country, headed by President Arroyo, will be among the guests in Friday's installation of Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales as the next Archbishop of Manila to succeed retired Jaime Cardinal L. Sin, now Archbishop Emeritus.

Rosales, the 31st Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Manila, will be installed in solemn liturgical and canonical rites at the Manila Cathedral around 9 a.m.

Before the scheduled installation, a civic reception will be held outside the cathedral at 8:30 am wherein the new See of Manila will be welcomed by government officials starting from the Metro Manila mayors led by Manila city's Lito Atienza, to be followed by a welcome from President Arroyo at the steps of the cathedral.

According to Ms. Peachy Yamsuan, head of the Archdiocesan Office of Communications, after the civic reception, the liturgical reception and canonical installation will proceed with the Archbishop seated at the "cathedra" to signify his leadership.

She also said Rosales would conduct the homily, while the Nuncio and Cardinal Sin will be speaking at the ceremony. She added no politician, not even the President, will be giving any speeches.

"Their participation will be on the civic reception but after that and when they come inside the cathedral, they will all be among the congregation," Ms. Yamsuan said in a telephone interview.

Aside from GMA, other leaders invited to the installation are vice-president Teofisto Guingona, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., House Speaker Jose De Venecia, as well as cabinet members and congressmen.

Former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos are also expected to attend.

She said Apostolic Nunciature Archbishop Antonio Franco as well as all the members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), headed by its new president Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, will be around witness the installation.

More than 600 priests and bishops are expected to attend and more than a third of the priests will be from the Archdiocese of Manila.

The installation of Archbishop Rosales will be the first in almost 30 years, after the installation of Cardinal Sin in March 1974, Ms. Yamsuan said.

Rosales will be staying at the Arzobispado de Manila while Cardinal Sin will continue to hold residence at Villa San Miguel.

Prior to his installation, Rosales vowed he would not let any politician use him for an endorsement in the 2004 presidential elections.

He also said his main concern would be to know the needs of the poor sector in the Manila Archdiocese. He also said he will find time to meet the parish priests in the archdiocese to know their needs as well as their ideas and opinions on various matters.

issue on 21 Nov,2003

by Sun Star