Archbishop Oscar Cruz died of Covid-19

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said Wednesday that Archbishop Oscar Cruz, former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president, died of multiple organ failure caused by “critical coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infection.”

“Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan died today at 6:45 am at the Cardinal Santos Hospital due to a lingering illness,” the news service of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines earlier announced. He was 85 years old.

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Villegas then said, “Following health protocols, his mortal remains will be cremated immediately. The cremated remains will be brought to the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Dagupan City.”

The Catholic faithful could pay their respects to Archibishop Cruz on Thursday from 6 am to 8 pm, Villegas said.

Diocesan and religious clergy of Lingayen-Dagupan would hold masses for the whole day on Thursday, August 27.

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Meanwhile, the funeral Mass for Archbishop Oscar Cruz would be conducted at 9 o’clock in the morning at the Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral.

His remains will be laid to rest at the Santuario de San Juan Evangelista right after the Mass.

“In adherence to prevailing health protocols, only the priests and bishops together with the Archbishop’s family will be in attendance at the funeral Mass as we encourage the Catholic faithful to follow the liturgical rites on social media live stream,” Villegas added.

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Archbishop Oscar Cruz died of Covid-19

He was the Archbishop Emeritus of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan, Philippines, from 1991 to 2009.

For Archbishop Oscar Cruz, the mission of the church “requires her to denounce political attitudes, behavior, and structures that run counter to the Gospel and to the Reign of God or that militate against the common good and the integral salvation of the human person, especially of the poor.”

Cruz was known as a critic of sitting presidents, most recently Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, and Rodrigo Duterte.

“We have lost a strong voice in the Church,” said Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Manila Archdiocese apostolic administrator.

“The world is poorer by his passing away,” Villegas said. “Heaven has a new jewel. My tears flow. My heart is grateful that in this lifetime, I met a great churchman like Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz.”