The Cardinal of Manila, Gaudencio Borbon Rosales, has spent the last two weeks visiting the Cook Islands. He took time out this week to chat about his visit, his life and renewable energy.
Sitting on the veranda of the Bishop’s House in Avarua, Cardinal Rosales looks as though he enjoys life.
“I am astounded by how people live here,” he says.
“I was really touched by the friendliness of the people here, the hospitality and the songs. It is the first time I have heard power singing.”
The cardinal is on his first private visit since retiring in December.
“I chose to accept the invitation to New Zealand and the Cook Islands because our communities here are very isolated – particularly our missionaries.”
Rosales spent his first 14 years as a priest working as a teacher and consequently has been closely associated with the missionary organisations.
“Education underlies all missionary work. Many people think of missionary work as something that happened in the 19th century. That was the heroic age of missionary work. When people left Europe, they were saying good bye to friends and family for ever. They spent a very long time travelling and it could be dangerous. Today, missionary work is easier and more comfortable.”
Cardinal Rosales also believes that missionary work is more culturally sensitive than it used to be.
“Today they are assimilated with the people. Missionaries I’ve visited speak the local languages. They respect the culture of the people and try to purify it. They help to improve the quality of life and it also includes evangelical work.
“The missionaries teach and help where they can and the communities will help them. It works both ways,” said Rosales.
“There are many more missionaries today than there were in the 19th century. They include priests, nuns and laypeople.”
The cardinal believes that many make the mistake that only priests should be involved in religious activities.
“This is not the case, it is not only priests, nuns and bishops who need salvation. All of us need salvation and all of us can work towards it. Belief keeps you young,” says the sprightly 79 year old.
Cardinal Rosales was elected to the College of Cardinals in 2007 and has spent the last fifty years as a Roman Catholic priest. As a cardinal his role was to assist the pope in his work, provide counsel and advice and to assist in the administration of several papal dicasteries (or departments) of the Catholic Church.
There are 120 members in the College of Cardinals which is the highest ranking position within the Church apart from the Pope. It is also the College of Cardinals that elects the new pope.
Cardinal Rosales was responsible for running the Pontifical Commission for Social Communications which included broadcasting, presenting the Good News, and also teaching modern communication including using modern technologies such as email, internet, social media tools.
The Cardinal’s role in modern communication demonstrates his broader interest in technology as a whole. An interest that goes back to the 1980s when he was a bishop in the Philippines.
“We had to fight commercial and illegal logging and I became very interested in environmental issues and renewable energy.”
His practical experience was supported by his faith. “There is a very strong message that comes through our teachings that God created the world for everyone. If we use more resources than we should, if we deplete our environment, we are stealing from our descendents. This seems very wrong to me.”
Consequently the Cardinal was quick to adopt solar energy.
“I have been using solar power for the past thirty years. It is renewable but it also teaches you to manage your electricity. Because you only have a small amount produced each day you turn off appliances you don’t need. It enables you to decide what is really important.”
Copyright © Peter Campbell 2013, www.intrepid-adventure.com
