Nuncio Bids Farewell to CBCP

MANILA, March 23, 2011— Outgoing Papal nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams bid farewell to the Filipino prelates yesterday preparatory to assuming his new position in Greece.

Adams said he enjoyed his almost three-year stay in the Philippines and urged the Filipino bishops to continue the church’s mission of “truth, kindness and charity.”

“Being a human being is to dialogue… being with others, to listen to them, to talk to them, to understand them, to be understood by them, to love them and to be loved by them,” he said.

“This should be the definition of a bishop… to be in the company of God, to participate in and to facilitate great conversation…,” said Adams.

Adams made the statement during a “despedida dinner” hosted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines at its headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.

Bishop Nereo Odchimar, CBCP President, noted Adams’ “fatherly” figure and was always impressed about his naturalness.

“I would like to consider myself fortunate to have such a special person like you… that we learned to care to so much about and this makes saying goodbye hard,” he said.

Odchimar also lauded Adams for his “solicitude” for the Church and the hierarchy, adding: “We truly felt the sincerity of his friendship.”

“We will treasure the memory we have with you,” the CBCP head said.

In attendance were the three cardinals of the Philippines: Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, retired Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Jose Cardinal Sanchez who is prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy in Vatican.

CBCP Vice President and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and more than 50 other prelates also attended the gathering.

“As you move on to greater challenges in your new assignment, we accompany you [with] our prayers,” Vidal told Adams.

“Your work in the Philippines will bear much fruit… it is a legacy that we will cherish and remember,” he said.

On Feb. 22, Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Adams as Apostolic nuncio to Greece, with about 50, 000 Catholics or about 0.5 percent of the country’s total population.

The 66-year-old American prelate is set to leave the Philippines for Greece after the Holy Week. (CBCPNews)