Manila Archbishop Jose F. Cardinal Advincula marked two important milestones in his ministry on Tuesday, September 15, as the Archdiocese of Manila gathered for a Thanksgiving Mass at the Manila Cathedral celebrating his 50th anniversary of priestly ordination and 25th anniversary of episcopal ordination.
“Magpasalamat tayo sa Panginoon! Let us thank the Lord, who has gathered us today to celebrate the Eucharist and to praise him for all his blessings. And with a heart overflowing with gratitude, I stand before you today to give thanks to God for the extraordinary gift of vocation and ministry that he has entrusted to me,” Cardinal Advincula said.
The celebration also included the launch of Cardinal Advincula’s new book, ‘Audiam: A Listening Heart for a Synodal Church,’ which brings together some of his homilies and reflections on listening, faith, and the life of the Church.
In his message, he reflected on the years of his service and his journey that has been filled with both joys and challenges. He emphasized how the Lord has always been by his side, providing him with unwavering love and support.
“Fifty years ago, the Lord called me to share in the priesthood of Christ. And twenty-five years ago, he called me further to serve his Church as a bishop. Today, as I celebrate this double jubilee of my ordained ministry, I can only look back with humility and sincerely thank the Lord for his unfailing mercy and grace,” he said.
“These years have been a journey of joys and sorrows, of clarity and uncertainty, and of strength and weakness. Through all of these, God has never abandoned me; his loving and fidelity have always been steadfast and true,” he added.
The Cardinal drew inspiration from the day’s Gospel, highlighting the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross. The Cardinal admired her strength, compassion, and unwavering love during a time of great sorrow. In a similar way, he acknowledged the many people who have supported him throughout his ministry—family, friends, mentors, and the faithful of the Church.
“Today, I also realize how God has shown his steadfast love to me by sending me those persons who stood by me in the mission all these years, sharing in my joys and trials: family and relatives, friends and benefactors, mentors and formators, brother bishops and fellow priests, persons in consecrated life, and simple people of God faithful to their Christian vocation —from my formative years in Capiz, and my studies in Manila and in Rome, to my formation work in Ilocos, and my shepherding ministry in San Carlos Negros Occidental, Capiz, and now here in Manila,” he said.
Cardinal Advincula also reflected on his episcopal motto, “Audiam,” which means “I will listen.” He emphasized his commitment to being a listening shepherd, someone who hears the voices of both the young and the elderly, as well as the cries of the poor. However, he told the faithful by reminding them that it is God who listens to our hearts and understands our struggles even before we speak.
Among those who joined the Cardinal Advincula in the Eucharistic celebration were
the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown, fellow bishops including Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa who is curretnly the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), priests, religious, and lay faithful from different parts of the country, who came together to give thanks for his five decades of priestly ministry and 25 years of episcopal service.
The Cardinal was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Capiz in 1976, and in 2001, he was appointed as the bishop of San Carlos. In a historic moment, he was elevated to the rank of cardinal in November 2020, a recognition of his dedicated service to the Church.
In March 2021, he was appointed by Pope Francis as the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Manila, officially taking on his new role in June 2024. These milestones demonstrate his commitment and love for his mission as a shepherd of God’s people.
Copies of Audiam: A Listening Heart for a Synodal Church are now available for pre-order through St. Pauls Philippines at P520 per copy. The book will be available for release and distribution beginning in the first week of October 2026. Interested readers may place their pre-orders through the official St. Pauls Philippines website at https://stpauls.ph/product/pre-order-audiam-available-in-the-first-week-of-october/?fbclid=IwY2xjawUV6fxwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMVpFZmRxYlBOZUtYUlEzU3lzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeDd8X74_c3ttED6OmxKZu-a95HveapEsWZtsPtA40Eab3oHRjFndWb7ReoIo_aem_4KFelvgfDQQHGrUsc4oh5Q.
Photo by John Noel Guarte / RCAM Media | Photogallery
