MANILA, Philippines — The Archdiocese of Manila and ST PAULS launched AUDIAM: A Listening Heart for a Synodal Church, a collection of selected homilies of Manila Archbishop Jose Fuerte Cardinal Advincula, on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila.
The launch followed the 9:30 a.m. Eucharistic Celebration and formed part of the celebration of Cardinal Advincula’s 50th anniversary of priestly ordination and 25thanniversary of episcopal ordination.
Cardinal Advincula is the 33rd Archbishop of Manila. Born in Dumalag, Capiz, in 1952, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Capiz in 1976. Trained in counseling and canon law, he later served as Bishop of San Carlos, Negros Occidental, and Archbishop of Capiz. He was created a cardinal in 2020 and appointed Archbishop of Manila in 2021 by Pope Francis.
The book’s Latin title, AUDIAM, meaning “I will listen,” reflects a defining dimension of the Cardinal’s pastoral ministry and the Church’s call to become a more listening and synodal Church.
The God Who Listens First
In his message at the launch, Cardinal Advincula directed attention beyond his own ministry to God as the first listener.
“It is actually God who has been listening with attentive ears and an open heart,” Advincula said.
He recalled how God had listened to his silent prayers, shared in his struggles, received his songs of praise, and heard the voices of the people he encountered throughout his ministry—even “the groaning of all creation.”
He expressed hope that AUDIAM would lead readers to prayer and reflection on “a God who listens to us in His love.”
Mary Who Stayed, Joseph Who Listened
The launch on the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows gave particular meaning to the book’s theme.
At the foot of the Cross, Mary remained beside her suffering Son, listening through her silence and steadfast presence. She held in her heart what she could not fully understand.
Her presence offers an image of the Church’s synodal journey: remaining close to people in their suffering and walking with them even when there are no easy answers.
St. Joseph, the Cardinal’s namesake and protector, provides another image of listening. In the Gospel, Joseph responds to God’s word not with speeches but with faithful action. His quiet presence points to a listening that leads to discernment, obedience and service.
Mary and Joseph thus offer complementary expressions of faith: Mary who stayed, and Joseph who listened and acted.
From Listening to Walking Together
The homilies gathered in AUDIAM span different stages of Cardinal Advincula’s pastoral ministry and reflect the people and communities he has served.
They address their joys, struggles, questions and hopes, while engaging themes of humility, communion, service, hope, accompaniment, priestly fraternity and missionary discipleship.
In the book’s foreword, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Section for the First Evangelization and New Particular Churches of the Dicastery for Evangelization, described listening as a defining characteristic of Advincula’s ministry.
“Those who have known Cardinal Advincula can affirm that listening has always characterized his ministry. Serving as a priest, seminary formator, bishop, archbishop, and now Archbishop of Manila, he has never sought to be the center of attention. Rather, he has always made room for other people, their stories, hopes, wounds, and questions.”
Tagle said Advincula’s humble and quiet ministry reminds the Church that “before the Church teaches, she must first hear; before she proposes, she must first accompany; before she answers, she must first understand; before she acts, she must first listen.”
The volume also carries an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Leo XIV, given on the occasion of Cardinal Advincula’s jubilee celebrations.
In his homily during the launch, Archbishop Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, highlighted the value of preserving the Cardinal’s spoken words in writing.
Citing the Latin expression Verba volant, scripta manent—words fly away, but what is written remains—Brown noted that the book allows Advincula’s words to continue accompanying readers beyond the communities and occasions in which they were first proclaimed.
A Church Gathered in Gratitude
The launch brought together bishops, priests, consecrated persons, seminarians, lay faithful, and members of Cardinal Advincula’s family, along with representatives of the communities he has served throughout his pastoral ministry.
Among those present were Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, Bishop of Kalookan; Archbishop Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines; Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines; Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, Negros Occidental; Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista of Imus, Cavite; and Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines.
Also present were Bishop Emeritus Antonio Tobias of Novaliches, Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani of Novaliches, and Bishop Emeritus Jesse Mercado of Parañaque, as well as priests from the Archdiocese of Manila, Archdiocese of Capiz, and Diocese of San Carlos.
Complimentary copies of the book were presented to bishops, representatives of the clergy and religious, lay faithful, and members of Cardinal Advincula’s family.
The program included an introduction to the book by Fr. Carmelo “Jek” Arada Jr., Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Manila, a message from Cardinal Advincula, the distribution of complimentary copies, and words of gratitude from Msgr. Reginald Malicdem, Vicar General and Moderator Curiae of the Archdiocese of Manila.
Malicdem said Cardinal Advincula had not initially sought to hold the gathering but eventually embraced it at the community’s urging as an opportunity to celebrate God’s goodness. He described the Cardinal as “a precious gift to the Archdiocese” and expressed the hope that the Lord would grant him many more years of fruitful ministry.
The celebration concluded with “I Will Listen,” performed by Fr. Carlo Magno S. Marcelo and group.
Many Hands, One Mission
The publication was a collaborative undertaking of the Archdiocese of Manila and the Society of St. Paul, whose apostolate communicates the Gospel through publishing and the other means of social communication.
From the Society of St. Paul and ST PAULS, the project involved the Publishing Sector, headed by Fr. Angelo Paolo Asprer, SSP, Creative Director, with Fr. Albert Garong, SSP, Assistant Creative Director; Cl. Almir John Bagabaldo, SSP, Books & Bibles Managing Editor; and Ms. Issa Reyes Dela Cruz, Project Coordinator.
Also present at the launch were Fr. John Klen Malificiar, SSP, Director General for Apostolate; Fr. Andres Inting, SSP, Diffusion Director; and Fr. Ronel Delos Reyes, SSP, Marketing Manager, together with lay collaborators from the Audiovisuals, Diffusion, and Marketing teams.
From the Archdiocese of Manila, editors Fr. Carmelo “Jek” Arada Jr., Fr. Isidro Marinay, and Mr. Leo Martin Angelo Ocampo worked closely with ST PAULS and other representatives throughout the publication process.
The partnership brought together the Archdiocese’s pastoral vision and the Pauline mission of communicating the Gospel through the written word.
The Listening Heart
AUDIAM gives lasting form to Cardinal Advincula’s pastoral voice. His episcopal motto becomes a vocation shared by the entire People of God.
Every baptized person is called to an auditus cordis—a listening heart attentive to the Spirit and to the joys, wounds and hopes of humanity.
For a synodal Church, AUDIAM is a call to listen, discern and walk together, following the God who listens first, gathers the joys and fears of His people, and leads them toward healing and unity.
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