Cardinal Sin’s funeral and state honors scheduled on June 28
Jun 25, 2005
Jaime Cardinal Sin will receive state honors during his funeral on Tuesday, June 28, in a fitting tribute to a man who devoted his life to helping the country steer through the stormiest of waters.
(The Manila Bulletin Online, June 23, 2005) Fr. Rufino Sescon, the cardinal’s private secretary for seven years, said Sin’s funeral will begin at 9 a.m. at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros.
The former Archbishop of Manila’s casket, draped in the country’s flag, will be placed on a carriage and paraded around Plaza Roma to give the people a chance to honor him.
Before the cardinal is again brought into the cathedral for the funeral mass, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will give the Philippine flag that draped his casket to either Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales or Sin’s next of kin.
Expected to attend the funeral mass of the cardinal are Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Antonio Franco, Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla.
After the final commendation, the cardinal’s casket will then be brought to the crypt located underneath the cathedral’s altar.
Sescon said Sin, who will wear a cardinal’s red cassock, sash and skull cap and a white alb and stole, will be interred near Cardinal Gabriel Reyes in a place the cardinal himself chose several years ago.
Sin will also be wearing the gold chasuble and miter, both given to him by the late Pope John Paul II.
To be buried with Sin are his rosary, symbolizing the cardinal’s devotion to the Blessed Mother, and the book of Gospel which symbolizes his being a teacher of the faith.
The cardinal’s staff engraved with word "serviam" will not be placed in the casket as this will be placed in a museum together with other memorabilia that will soon be set up at the Cardinal Sin’s Village in Punta, Sta. Ana.
Sescon urged those planning to give donations to give these to the Serviam Foundation, established by the cardinal to oversee the Jaime Cardinal Sin Village, a housing project for the poor of Sta. Ana.
The Archdiocese of Manila announced that masses are currently being held four times a day at the cathedral starting at 7:30 a.m., until 7 in the evening. Aside from the masses, there will also be the recitation of the rosary and prayer vigils.
GMA, Noli visited wake of Cardinal Sin at Manila Cathedral
President Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro joined last Tuesday night the wake for former Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila.
Mrs. Arroyo and De Castro arrived at around 10:25 p.m.
The Chief Executive and the Vice President casually joined the line of a group of journalism students from the University of Santo Tomas waiting to take turns in paying their last respects to Cardinal Sin who was placed in a glass coffin.
"We didn’t know that they were behind us but it’s an honor to be with them in the line," said a UST student, adding that Cardinal Sin was truly a great loss to the nation.
Mrs. Arroyo and De Castro spent a few minutes praying with the Sin family inside the Cathedral. They did not make any statements to the media. Both left the wake at 10:55 p.m.
All the flowers at the funeral were noticeably without ribbons because Catholic Church leaders reportedly did not want any political color to mar Cardinal Sin’s wake.
Also seen at the wake the other night were former President Fidel V. Ramos, Philippine National Police chief Director General Arturo Lomibao, Western Police District Director Chief Supt. Pedro Bulaong, and Philippine State College of Aeronautics president Enerico Sampang.
De Venecia eulogizes Cardinal Sin as ‘great Filipino patriot’
House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. yesterday eulogized His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin as "a great Filipino patriot who helped regain and rebuild Philippine democracy as the nation’s most influential leader."
The speaker, who is in France as part of his official European trip, also praised the former Manila archbishop as "a passionate defender of freedom and liberty and the oppressed, and whose contributions to the restoration of Philippine democracy were enormous."
De Venecia was apparently referring to Cardinal Sin’s role in the downfall of two presidents in two People Power revolts on EDSA in 1986 and 2001.
"As spiritual leader of millions of Filipinos, Cardinal Sin stirred the nation’s conscience during one of its darkest periods," the House leader said.
"His call for action in the fateful days of February 1986 was one of his defining moments and a pivotal turning point in our recent political history," he added.
Meanwhile, former President Fidel V. Ramos said on the death of Jaime Cardinal Sin:
"In this sad moment, may we all receive consolation from the thought that he did not only lead a full and meaningful life, but also did more than a substantial share in faithful service to God, country and people.
"To his everlasting credit, Cardinal Sin eminently represented that rare breed of Filipino who performed as he prayed, and prayed as he performed – with total dedication, resolve and patriotism."
Jaime Cardinal Sin, known for battling dictatorship and corruption, is greatly missed by the people especially at this time when the national leadership faces controversies related to poll fraud and illegal gambling, according to party-list lawmakers.
Representatives Teodoro Casiño (Bayan Muna) and Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis), however, said they believe the people would always take inspiration from Cardinal Sin’s contributions to society.
They praised the late archbishop as a freedom fighter, taking into consideration his great deeds as one of the prominent leaders of two EDSA People Power uprisings.
"The people will always take inspiration from Cardinal Sin’s service to the poor and his fight against dictatorship and corruption. He faced down two presidents and used the pulpit for the people’s benefit," Casiño said.
Mariano called on the Filipino faithful to follow the footsteps of Cardinal Sin in combating social injustice in the country.
"Cardinal Sin’s battle against corruption, militarism and social injustice is far from over. The Filipino faithful are duty-bound to carry the torch of Cardinal Sin’s fight especially in the face of the President’s raging tape and jueteng scandals," said the labor leader-turned lawmaker.
Representatives Ruffy Biazon (Muntinlupa City) and Florencio Miraflores (Aklan) said Cardinal Sin is a great loss as the country lost one of its "guiding lights."
Muslims feel Catholics’ loss over Cardinal’s demise
Muslims feel the great loss of their Catholic countrymen and mourn with them the death of Jaime Cardinal Sin, whom they described as a staunch advocate of peace, justice, equality, unity, and an unfailing defender of the downtrodden.
"The passing away of that great Filipino and faithful man of the cloth, Cardinal Sin, is a loss of the people of the ARMM and all Muslim Filipinos," said Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Parouk S. Hussin. "We mourn with our Catholic brothers and friends the cardinal’s demise."
Amina Rasul, convenor of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID), remembers Sin for his support of Muslims as part of the nation.
"We pray for Cardinal Sin and remember his support for Muslims to become part of the Filipino nation. I will always remember his advice and support for my mother, Senator Santanina Rasul, when she ran for the Senate. Cardinal Sin believed that peace, values, and family were important issues which unite people of all faiths," the young Rasul said.
The Cultural Section of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, through Counselor Mehdi Rokni, also condoled with the Catholic Church and the Filipino people.
In a letter to Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales of Manila, and Archbishop Fernando Capalla, Rokni said Sin was "a man of principle and piety, who served the great nation of the Philippines in contemporary times."
Quezon City leaders mourn death of Cardinal
Catholic faithful in Quezon City mourned yesterday the death of Jaime Cardinal L. Sin, saying he is a big loss to his flock whom he guided to the path of righteousness during the most trying times.
They said they are deeply saddened by the death of Cardinal Sin, a great spiritual leader who impressed upon the Catholic faithful the value of humility, love and brotherhood.
Led by Rep. Annie Rosa L. Susano of the second district of Quezon City, QC Council Majority Floor Leader Antonio Enrile Inton Jr. of the fourth district, and Asst. Majority Floor Leader Dante M. De Guzman of the third district, the Catholic faithful have scheduled prayers and masses in various churches for the eternal repose of the soul of Cardinal Sin.
"We always looked up to Cardinal Sin for inspiration and guidance during his lifetime," a member of the Quezon city Catholic faithful said.
They said the respect, love and admiration of the people for Cardinal Sin were strengthened by his historic roles at EDSA I and EDSA II that brought about the transition of power in the country in a peaceful and bloodless manner.
Inton recalled that when the Pope John Paul II died, the Catholic faithful in his district recalled vividly the great role Cardinal Sin played in the late Pope’s two historic visits to the Philippines.
Cardinal Sin’s funeral and state honors scheduled on June 28