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CBCP Welcomes Election of Abp. Rosales to the College of Cardinals
23 February 2006 --- Philippine Catholic Bishops' Conference President, Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo today warmly welcomed the election of Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales as  a new cardinal.
His appointment was formally announced by outgoing Papal Nuncio Antonio Franco at a Pontifical Mass held last night at the Manila Cathedral.
Archbishop Lagdameo, in a statement, said the CBCP joined everyone in praying for the new Cardinal as he took on the awesome responsibility of leading his new ministry in the Church.
"The CBCP profoundly thanks His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for honoring on of its members, the Archbishop of Manila, with the dignity of a Cardinal," he said.
"The CBCP joins the Archdiocese of Manila in its rejoicing over the promotion of Archbishop Rosales."
Rosales, 73, was one the 15 new cardinals announced by the Vatican.
He will now be joining the line of Filipino Cardinals which includes Rufino Cardinal Santos, Julio Cardinal Rosales and Jaime Cardinal Sin. he two living Cardinals are Jose Cardinal Sanchez, who is retired in the Vatican, and Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, the Archbishop of Cebu.
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking just below the Pope and appointed by him as a member of the College of Cardinals during a consistory.
The duties of the cardinals are to attend the meetings of the Sacred College and to make themselves available individually if the Pope desires their counsel. Cardinals have additional duties either leading many of the church's dioceses and archdioceses or running the Roman Curia.
The most important function of Cardinals in the Church is to elect the Roman Pontiff who usually comes from their rank.
Rosales was born on August 10, 1932. He was ordained as a priest on March 23, 1958.
On August 1974, he was appointed by the late Pope Paul VI as Auxiliary Bishop of Manila. While in that capacity he also served as Bishop in-Charge of Antipolo (East Antipolo, Rizal) and Director of the Pontifical Mission Society. In 1980-1982 he took charge of San Carlos Seminary as Rector.
On June 1982, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the then Prelature (later) Diocese of Malaybalay, Bukidnon, and shortly assumed as the Ordinary.
On December 1992, the Holy Father Pope John Paul II assigned him to the Archdiocese of Lipa, his home and original Diocese.
He was formally installed Archbishop of Manila on November 21, 2003. *
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