MANILA – Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar on Sunday welcomed the arrival of the Vatican’s newly-appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.
Andanar, along with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Vice President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David and Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado, received Archbishop Charles John Brown, who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport this morning .
In his message, Secretary Andanar looked forward to strengthened partnership with the Catholic Church on cultivating Christian faith in Filipino communities.
“We wish Archbishop Charles John Brown, the new Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, a productive and collaborative engagement not only with the Catholic community, but also with the Philippine government in enriching the Filipino nation’s faith and its dedication to collectively prosper,” he said.
From the airport, the archbishop offered prayers at the Mary, Mother of Good Counsel Parish Church in Parañaque City, his first visit to a church in the country.
Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Brown on September 28, 2020. He replaced Italian Archbishop Gabriele Caccia who was appointed as the Holy Father’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York in November 2019.
Prior to this appointment, Archbishop Brown was also appointed as the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland in 2011, and the pontiff’s representative to Albania since March 2017.
One of Archbishop Brown’s first tasks is to appoint a new Manila Archbishop succeeding Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who is now the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
