Bound by faith, commitment to social justice: Cardinal Tagle's relationship with Pope Francis
With Pope Francis' passing on April 21, some names are being thrown around as "papabili" (papal candidates) to succeed him, including one Filipino: Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.
In 2022, the Catholic Herald, a Catholic newspaper based in London, wrote that Tagle was being considered as a possible successor.
From serving as the Archbishop of Manila, Tagle was made a cardinal in 2012 by Pope Benedict. Francis later in 2019 transferred him from Manila and made him head of the Church's Dicastery for Evangelization.
As cardinal, the 67-year-old Filipino is not only a high-ranking clergyman, he is also one of Pope Francis' advisors. Their connection went beyond roles and titles—it was rooted in a shared dream of a Church that walks with the poor, listens to the hurting, and welcomes everyone with open arms.
A shared vision for a humble, missionary church
Both Francis and Tagle believe in a Church that reaches out to the poor, the marginalized, and the forgotten. They preach compassion over condemnation and service over status—making them natural allies in their pastoral approach.
For instance, Tagle supported the late Pope's approach to Church governance and teaching.
"[Francis'] first year in a way articulated many of the things that I believed in and probably could not or have not been able to articulate verbally or even pastorally in terms of action," Tagle explains via the College of Cardinals report.
Moreover, the cardinal was appointed president of Caritas Internationalis in 2015. A few months later, he encouraged Indonesia's Catholic community to be active in interfaith working groups and to spread the message of Pope Francis' Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si, a call for a "global shift in perspective on our relationship with the Earth and all its creatures."
'Asian Francis'
Their similarities don't end there, as Tagle was often referred to as the "Asian Francis" over their similar values and leadership style.
"He was, in many respects by the way he exercised his ministry, a Pope Francis before Pope Francis," Fr. Joseph Komonchak, Tagle's doctoral dissertation director, said.
They both have similar stances as well toward LGBTQ+ issues.
During his address in London in 2015, Tagle said that the Church must abandon its harmful treatment of the LGBT community. He criticized those who use "harsh words" against LGBT Catholics because this has left them feeling socially ostracized.
"The harsh words that were used in the past to refer to gays and divorced and separated people, the unwed mothers etc., in the past they were quite severe. Many people who belonged to those groups were branded and that led to their isolation from the wider society," Tagle said, as reported by The Telegraph.
Francis famously spoke on LGBTQ+ topics throughout his papacy. "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?" he said in 2013.
Tagle's Vatican promotion
In 2019, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Tagle as Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples—a major Vatican office responsible for missionary work worldwide.
A year later, the pontiff elevated Tagle to Cardinal-Bishop, the highest ranking within the College of Cardinals. This is the first time a Filipino cardinal has held this rank.
As a Cardinal-Bishop, Tagle oversees a church in a suburb of Rome while working in departments of the Roman Curia, the church's central administration.
He was further appointed to other positions, including as a member of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See and the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in 2021.
Francis also named him a member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in 2022.
Emotional connection and warm friendship
The two often exchange smiles, embraces, and laughter during public appearances. Tagle has described Pope Francis as someone who leads with love and mercy, values that resonate with them.
Tagle expressed gratitude to the pontiff for a special Mass marking the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines.
Similarly, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Tagle as his Special Envoy to the National Eucharistic Congress in the United States in 2024, a "strong sign" of trust and esteem.
Morever, as the two worked together as members of the Ordinary Council of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops from 2005 to 2008, Tagle said that while many people rightly consider Francis as an "influential mover and shaper," he saw in their conversations, a "simple parable of God's closeness and compassion."
"And by being such a 'parable', Pope Francis can move and shape history," Tagle said.
Meanwhile, later in February, Tagle also led a prayer service for Pope Francis as the head of the Catholic Church continued his hospitalization, surviving a serious bout of double pneumonia. It was held at St. Peter's Square and attended by pilgrims and senior Church figures.
Tagle has expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for the gift of his papacy and wished him continued well-being in an interview with the Vatican News during the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis' election to the Petrine ministry.
