Vatican foreign minister on 6-day visit to Manila

THE Vatican’s foreign minister arrived yesterday in Manila for a visit which will last until July 6 and see him engaging in talks with his Filipino counterpart Enrique Manalo, and paying a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The visit of Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, is the first since Manila and Vatican City established diplomatic relations over 70 years ago.

“The arrival of Archbishop Gallagher is the first official visit to the Philippines of a secretary for relations with states of the Holy See (i.e. foreign minister), in the 72 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Holy See,” the DFA said in a statement.

According to the DFA, Gallagher will discuss with Manalo “areas of cooperation between the Holy See and the Philippines, such as higher education, migration governance, interfaith dialogue, and climate change.”

“The two ministers will also exchange views on regional and international issues,” it added.

The DFA did not make public the dates of the meetings.

Gallagher has been Vatican’s secretary for relations with states since November 8, 2014, making him one of the longest-serving members of the Vatican bureaucracy under Pope Francis.

He is also the first Englishman to occupy the post, succeeding a Moroccan-born archbishop.

The DFA said aside from his talk with Manalo and courtesy call on Marcos, Gallagher will also address the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines during its plenary session in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, and deliver a lecture on “Moral Governance and Ethical Leadership” as part of the Mabini Dialogue Series of the department’s Foreign Service Institute.

The biannual CBCP conference will be held from July 2 to 4.