Cardinal José Fuerte Advincula, the current Archbishop of Manila, is a staunch proponent of synodality and shares a similar vision for the Church as Pope Francis.

Born on March 30, 1952, in Dumalag, Capiz, Philippines, he pursued his early education at St. Pius X Seminary in Roxas City, where he completed both his high school and philosophy studies.

He later studied theology at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. On April 14, 1976, Advincula was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Capiz. Early in his career, he served as spiritual director, professor, and dean of studies at St. Pius X Seminary. In addition to his theological training, Advincula earned degrees in guidance and counseling from De La Salle University and canon law from both the University of Santo Tomas and the Angelicum in Rome.

Throughout his priesthood, Cardinal Advincula worked at various seminaries in Vigan, Nueva Segovia, and Jaro, before returning to Capiz, where he was appointed rector of St. Pius X Seminary in 1995. He took on multiple roles within the archdiocese, including Defender of the Bond, Promoter of Justice, and Judicial Vicar. In 1999, he was appointed pastor of Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish in Dao.

On July 25, 2001, Advincula was appointed Bishop of San Carlos, and ten years later, on November 9, 2011, he was elevated to Archbishop of Capiz. His rise in the Catholic hierarchy continued when Pope Francis made him a cardinal on November 28, 2020. Shortly after, on March 25, 2021, he was appointed Archbishop of Manila.

Cardinal Advincula has been an active participant in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, serving on the Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Commission for Indigenous Peoples. During his tenure as Archbishop of Capiz, he focused on reaching out to underserved communities, establishing mission stations and schools in remote areas, and emphasizing the importance of bringing the Church closer to people living on the peripheries.

Cardinal Advincula has been a strong proponent of synodality. During the launch of the Synod on Synodality in 2021, he emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for dialogue and listening at the local level. He stated, “In God’s family, you have a voice, and your voice counts,” encouraging the involvement of as many people as possible in the synodal process.

The Cardinal expressed his commitment to listening to various groups, including women, children, the elderly, business sector members, government officials, the LGBTQ+ community, and ordinary workers. He emphasized, “We want to listen to you. We want to journey with you. We want to discern God’s will with you.”

Regarding divorce, following the passage of the Absolute Divorce Law in the Philippines in May 2024, Cardinal Advincula viewed the bill as a challenge for the Catholic Church in its ministry on the importance of the Sacrament of Matrimony. He cautioned that the law is “not a magic pill that can solve marital problems.”

Cardinal Advincula’s approach seems to emphasize dialogue, inclusivity, and listening to diverse voices within the Church community, aligning with Pope Francis’s vision for a more synodal Church.

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Cardinal Advincula received his red hat as a cardinal in the Philippines in June 2021, rather than in Rome. He was formally installed as Archbishop of Manila on June 24, 2021, a significant event that coincided with the 450th anniversary of the founding of the city of Manila.

In 2024, Cardinal Advincula made headlines when he suspended a priest who was involved in a public scuffle.