Happy 5th Anniversary in the Philippines, Archbishop Brown!

Dominus Est
15 hours ago
8 min read

by Joel V. Ocampo

Five years ago, on September 28, 2020, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Charles John Brown, Titular Archbishop of Aquileia, the then Apostolic Nuncio to Albania, as the new Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.

Early Life and Mission

His Excellency, the Most Rev. Charles John Brown was born in New York City (United States of America) on October 13, 1959, forty-two years after the date of the final of the six apparitions of the Our Lady of Fatima. Thirty years later, he was ordained at the Saint Patrick Cathedral to be a priest for the Archdiocese of New York on May 13, 1989, the Feast of the Our Lady of Fatima, through the laying of hands of †Archbishop John Joseph Cardinal O’Connor (Archbishop of New York). He started his mission as a priest when he was almost thirty, about the same age when the Lord Jesus began his ministry (Lk. 3:23). He served as assistant parish priest of St. Brendan’s Church in Bronx, New York.

According to Archbishop Brown himself, “I decided to go to the seminary in the year 1983. I was a student, and I was traveling in Asia. I went to India, to Northern India, to the Himalayan Mountains, because I like to travel and walk in the mountains. Before I went, I brought my rosary with me. Even though I didn't really pray the rosary so much as a young person, but I brought my rosary with me when I went to the mountains. I was 23 years old, and I was walking in the mountains, day after day. What was I doing to pass the time as I was walking? I was praying the rosary, praying the Hail Mary, again and again and again. In a period of about two weeks, something changed in my heart. I knew that Mary wanted me to become a priest. It wasn't like Mary appeared to me, but Mary gave me the inspiration to become a priest. To leave everything and to follow Jesus, her Son. It's really because I was praying the rosary.”

According to records, from 1994, he was an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith in the Vatican. Then in September 2009, he was appointed as adjunct secretary of the International Theological Commission, which helps the Holy See, primarily the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in examining doctrinal questions of major importance.

On November 26, 2011, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to be the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland and Titular Archbishop of Aquileia, elevating him to the dignity of archbishop. Then on January 6, 2012, on the traditional Solemnity of the Epiphany, he was ordained Bishop at the San Pietro Basilica in Rome, by †Pope Benedict XVI himself as the Principal Consecrator, and Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Cardinal Bertone, S.D.B. (Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati) and †William Joseph Cardinal Levada (Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria in Domnica) as Co-Consecrators.

On March 9, 2017, Pope Francis appointed him as the Apostolic Nuncio to Albania. After three years, on September 28, 2020, on the Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, Archbishop Brown was appointed as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Philippines.

John the Baptist and the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Blessed Virgin Mary inspired Archbishop Brown to become a priest. Thus, in every Mass that he presides, he usually ends his homily saying, “Let us ask Our Lady to continue to bless us, to shower her blessings, which she, through her intercession, obtains from Jesus and gives to us, all of those things that each of us have in our hearts is evening.”

In addition, like St. John the Baptist, Archbishop Brown kept reminding the faithful about the importance of our baptism. In a Mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay, Taal, Batangas, he said, “We blessed everything with holy water, as a symbol of baptism. So, blessing the walls, the altar with holy water. So, just like all of us, the members of the Church come into that life of God through baptism, so too, the building of the church is baptized, we can say, in the water.”

In another Mass, he said, “We are baptized into God's life. Baptism is the beginning of a new form of life that is in us. Even in us physically in our bodies, a new form of life. The church is a place where life is given. The font of baptism at the entrance of the church is a beautiful symbol. When you come into the church, the first thing you receive is the life of baptism.”

Then during the 2025 Fiesta Celebrations at Quiapo Church, he blessed the faithful with holy water to remind them of their baptism.

Apostolic Nuncio to Philippines

In the Philippines, Archbishop Brown became known as a nuncio that goes to the peripheries, to be with the sheep, to seek the lost sheep, and to smell like a sheep. Some of his many immersions with the people of God in the Philippines are the following:

December 25, 2021 – Archbishop Brown spent his Christmas with those affected by Typhoon Rai/Odette. He celebrated Mass at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Del Carmen on Siargao Island on Christmas Day. He also visited the residents of the island that were affected by the typhoon.
December 26, 2021 – He celebrated a Mass in Municipality of Dapa, Surigao del Norte. Then presided another Mass at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish, also known as the Surigao Cathedral. The faithful forged on with a formidable Christmas spirit in a purely candle-lit mass as the province was without electricity for Simbang Gabi at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish also known as the Surigao Cathedral.
February 2, 2022 – Archbishop Brown led the Filipino and Japanese faithful in the Eucharistic Celebration for the Feast of Blessed Justo Takayama Udon. In this Mass he emphasized, “Indeed, here in the Philippines, the beautiful Catholic culture was already in place here in Manila. You received with open arms these Catholic refugees from Japan. You received, perhaps, not an angel unawares, but a saint unawares. Let us remember, reflect, and also be proud of the spirit also here in the Philippines of receiving immigrants and people who need shelter and protection.”
March 20, 2022 – He presided the Mass for the Centennial Celebration of SVD Presence in Lubang Island in Mindoro, Philippines, where he exhorted the faithful, “Let us dedicate ourselves to not only keeping the faith but spreading the faith. Parents, makes sure your children are baptized, make sure that your children are instructed in the Catholic faith. No child should be left behind.”
April 15, 2022 – Archbishop Brown participated in the Good Friday Procession that was held by the Saint Augustine Parish Baliwag, Bulacan. In this event, he said, “For me, as the Apostolic Nuncio, I'm delighted to be here for my first time in Baliwag for this amazing celebration. It's great to see so many people participating: young people, old people, and families. For me it’s just a great source of edification, that means something that really builds us up in our Catholic faith.”
January 28, 2023 – During the 125th Plenary Assembly of the CBCP, he reminded the Philippine Bishops, “Our faith calls us to go forth. Faith is calling us to go out, to go forth, to journey.”
June 7-8, 2023 – Archbishop Brown made his pastoral visit at the Prelature of Batanes. Before leaving San Carlos Borromeo Parish in Mahatao, Batanes, Archbishop Brown left this message, “On my first visit to Batanes, I want to say a very sincere ‘thank you’ to everyone who made my trip to this beautiful island possible. May God bless everyone in this parish!” He also wrote this blessing, “May God bless all the people of San Carlos Borromeo Parish!” Archbishop Brown also visited San Vicente Ferrer Parish, in Sabtang Islands where he imparted God’s blessing to the people.
June 25, 2023 – He united his prayers with the devotees of the Mother of Perpetual Help at the Baclaran Church. In his homily, Archbishop Brown encouraged the devotees, “God knows you, He cares for you, and He gives you the gift of Mary, Mama Mary, to be your mother.”
August 15, 2023 – He went to the Diocese of Tagbilaran in the Island of Bohol. During the Mass, he emphasized in his homily, “If we want to be close to Jesus, we need to be close to Our Lady, because she will lead us to Jesus.”
August 23, 2023 – Archbishop Brown visited the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay, Northern Palawan. Before leaving the place, he exhorted the faithful in Palawan, “As you celebrate this 400th anniversary, let's thank God for the gift of this Catholic life that's come into us through the sacraments. Let's thank God for the gift of Jesus. Let's thank God for the gift of Mama Mary, our Blessed Mother who was always watching over us, caring for us, leading us always to Jesus.”
February 16, 2024 – He led the Eucharistic Celebration for the 40th Founding Anniversary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mati, Davao Oriental, Philippines. In this celebration, he emphasized the importance of vocation. “Is one vocation better than another? No. Every vocation is different. Each of us is equal in the eyes of God. Our responsibility is to live our vocation to the full, no matter what it is. Whether a mother of a family, whether a teacher in a Catholic school, whether a parish priest, whether a papal nuncio, whether a teaching sister. Do your vocation the way God wants you to do it. That's what the Church is. That's what this synodal process is. To respect everyone's vocation. To value your vocation. To live your vocation to the full.”
February 18, 2023 – Archbishop Brown joined the fishing community at the St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Apalit, Pampanga. In the Holy Mass, he encouraged the faithful, “We ask the Lord to give us the courage of Saint Peter. That when we stumble, when we fall, when we falter, we will have the humility to go back to the Lord.”
June 14, 2024 – Archbishop Brown made a significant visit to Napsan, Puerto Princesa City, where he planted an ipil tree as a symbol of unity with nature. In this event he emphasized the importance of recognizing the beauty in nature, stating, “Whenever we see something beautiful in nature, it makes us realize that nature has a creator and that creator has also created us.” In addition, he also visited the faithful and celebrated Mass at Sta. Cecilia Chapel Sitio Bull-bualan, one of the remotest community in Palawan.
October 19, 2024 – He visited another fishing community, the faithful of Santo Rosario Parish, Barangay Malusac, an isolated island in Sasmuan, Pampanga. During his stay, he said to the faithful, “For me as your Apostolic Nuncio, as someone who works for the ‘chief fisherman’ of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis―it gives me so much joy to be with you in your fishing village, here in this beautiful town, a beautiful Barangay of Malusac.”
January 2, 2025 – Archbishop Brown united himself with the devotees of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and participated in the celebration for the Feast of Jesus Nazareno. In his homily, he emphasized, “If we are going to follow the Way of Jesus Nazareno, if we are going to follow His image through the streets of Quiapo, we need to follow the Truth in the other 364 days of the year. Because by loving the Truth, we love Jesus, because Jesus is the Truth. That means we shouldn’t tell lies. When we tell lies, when we say things that aren't true, we're not following Jesus Nazareno.”
February 10, 2025 – During the Memorial of Saint Scholastica, he exhorted the Benedictine Sisters, the educators, and the students, “We have balance between our work and our prayer, but there is a priority. We need to pray. We need to put the first place in prayer. We need to be people who pray, people who come in contact with Jesus, people who listen to Him. Because if our interior life is strong and sound, if we’re receiving God’s life in the sacraments, if we are praying like Mary [of Bethany] symbolizing at the feet of Jesus, then our activity will be infused and filled with that power that comes from prayer.”