Philippine Nunciature warns against person claiming to be close to Pope

By Robin Gomes

The Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippine capital Manila has alerted the country’s bishops against a certain Cristian Eduardo Tietze who is falsely claiming to be close to Pope Francis and Vatican officials. Tietze introduces himself as president of the “Peace for Life Foundation”.

In a May-22 circular letter to bishops and diocesan administrators, Father Marvin Mejia, the Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said that Monsignor Julien Kaboré, chargé d’affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila, has written to CBCP President, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, warning dioceses and religious communities against Tietze.

Father Mejia warned that the person is “claiming to be close to the Holy Father and to the Holy See”.

“Having learned about this questionable person”, Father Mejia wrote, the Vatican Secretariat of State “encourages all concerned to use maximum prudence in dealing with persons and groups when mention is made of the name of the pope and other curia officials”.

Several Philippine church leaders have warned the public in the past against a scheme that uses the name of bishops to solicit money from people and church institutions.

In recent weeks, reports surfaced of scammers targeting Catholics amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Catholic Church of the Philippines has asked the faithful not to send cash donations without verifying with their diocesan chanceries.

Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, Bishop Alberto Uy of Tagbilaran, and Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, Archbishop Emeritus of Cotabato have reportedly alerted the faithful regarding the scam.