Tuesday, April 29, 2008 Move on, Vidal tells flock in crisis
Move on, pay it forward.
This call was made by Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal in his homily during a mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño commemorating the discovery of the image of the Child Jesus or “kaplag” by the returning Spaniards 443 years ago.
Also yesterday, the Archdiocese of Cebu turned 74, kicking off a year-long preparation for its 75th anniversary even as parishioners celebrated the feast day of Saint Vitalis, patron saint of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
“The need of the hour is to discover once more with feeling the faith of our forefathers in its simplicity, in its truthfulness, and trustworthiness even in the midst of questions unanswered and of problems unsolved,” the cardinal said.
The issues that hogged the headlines recently include the scandal involving a medical team of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), smuggling and the Ombudsman resolution on the lampposts controversy.
Vidal said he owes it to the “patron-God of Cebu” that the archdiocese, now 74 years old after it was set up on April 28, 1934, “has kept its faith unshaken, in spite of what is happening to our country, province, and city.”
He urged the faithful “to move on, to pay it forward” with the blessings and spiritual guidance not only of the Sto. Niño but also of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of Cebu.
In an interview with reporters after the mass, Vidal called for prayers to be able to make reparations for people who are “scandalized.”
He admitted he does not know who to blame for the controversy involving the operation to remove a perfume canister stuck in the anus of a gay florist identified as Jan-jan at VSMMC.
“But (the public) should not forget the (cause) of the scandal. What I mean to say is that homosexual activities are against morality. We should not forget that,” the cardinal said.
He was quick to point out, however, that the Church is not blaming people for being homosexual, “but (what they are doing) is another thing.”
This was shared by archdiocesan media liaison officer Msgr. Achilles Dakay, who was reported as blaming the incident on Jan-Jan’s being a homosexual.
“I did not say anything against homosexuals. You are asking a priest, not a medical man, not a lawyer. What else can I say? As far as a priest is concerned, (the act) is
an issue. But it is not the only issue,” he said.
The cardinal was happy, however, with the progress of the case on the purchase of overpriced decorative lamps used during the Asean Summit last year.
“Whatever the end result of it, let us pray that justice will be given. I think there are still similar cases (of graft and corruption) in other areas,” he said.
Vidal also officiated mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral for St. Vitalis, whom he said was chosen as the patron saint of the Cebu Cathedral Parish because his
feast falls on the same date when Cebu became an archdiocese.
The cardinal noted in his homily the so-called “three-in-one” celebration of Kaplag 2008, the feast of St. Vitalis and the 74th anniversary of Cebu as an archdiocese. (NRC with UP interns Karen Nacario and Ma. Nerissa Quiño)
