Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Bishop Soc pays tribute to mentor Cardinal Sin, says nation needs a prophet like him
Philippines
Bishop Soc pays tribute to mentor Cardinal Sin, says nation needs a prophet like him
Bishop Soc pays tribute to mentor Cardinal Sin, says nation needs a prophet like him
Published Jun 22, 2020 12:00 am
By Leslie Ann G. Aquino
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas paid tribute to the late Jaime Cardinal Sin who marked his 15th death anniversary on Sunday, June 21.
Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan (CBCP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The prelate said the country needs a prophet like Sin, who will proclaim the truth with courage.
"Why are our leaders in the church hesitant to proclaim as a prophet? Maybe we have skeletons in the closet and we are not living as good witnesses that's why we are afraid," he added.
"We are afraid to be persecuted. We are afraid that our friends would turn against us. Maybe we lack faith because we dont believe that if they will persecute us and we will find ourselves walking in the valley of darkness that God will not be with us," said Villegas.
But Sin's former private secretary said this is not only applicable to church leaders but also in schools and government.
"Our priests and bishops, our professors, our intellectuals, our government leaders are not defeated not because we are champions but because we have fled. We have escaped. We have hidden for safety. We are not defeated, but we are not champions because we are uncertain about our duty. We are vague about our message even if the truth is being compromised," Villegas said.
And although Sin is now gone, the prelate said, all must continue the work of being a prophet.
"Prophets don't die. Prophets live on and we are all annointed as prophets the day we were baptized. All it takes is faith. All it takes is much love because with much love and courage, prophets will be born again," said Villegas.
"When we remember Cardinal Sin who is a prophet in his time, we pledge by his grave, by his memory that no matter how difficult it will be, we are going to continue the work of being prophets because the work of being prophet is not Cardinal Sin's work, it is the work of Jesus," he added.
And when prophets fail, Villegas said, Jesus is betrayed.
Cardinal Sin played a key role in two "People Power" revolutions in 1986 and 2001. He served as Manila archbishop for 29 years until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2005.
Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan (CBCP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The prelate said the country needs a prophet like Sin, who will proclaim the truth with courage.
"Why are our leaders in the church hesitant to proclaim as a prophet? Maybe we have skeletons in the closet and we are not living as good witnesses that's why we are afraid," he added.
"We are afraid to be persecuted. We are afraid that our friends would turn against us. Maybe we lack faith because we dont believe that if they will persecute us and we will find ourselves walking in the valley of darkness that God will not be with us," said Villegas.
But Sin's former private secretary said this is not only applicable to church leaders but also in schools and government.
"Our priests and bishops, our professors, our intellectuals, our government leaders are not defeated not because we are champions but because we have fled. We have escaped. We have hidden for safety. We are not defeated, but we are not champions because we are uncertain about our duty. We are vague about our message even if the truth is being compromised," Villegas said.
And although Sin is now gone, the prelate said, all must continue the work of being a prophet.
"Prophets don't die. Prophets live on and we are all annointed as prophets the day we were baptized. All it takes is faith. All it takes is much love because with much love and courage, prophets will be born again," said Villegas.
"When we remember Cardinal Sin who is a prophet in his time, we pledge by his grave, by his memory that no matter how difficult it will be, we are going to continue the work of being prophets because the work of being prophet is not Cardinal Sin's work, it is the work of Jesus," he added.
And when prophets fail, Villegas said, Jesus is betrayed.
Cardinal Sin played a key role in two "People Power" revolutions in 1986 and 2001. He served as Manila archbishop for 29 years until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2005.