Krusada ng Bayan’s Archbishop OVC, 85
THE world is poorer by his passing away. Heaven has a new jewel.
This was how Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas described the passing of Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz, popularly called as OVC among priests and close friends here, on his Facebook account.
The archbishop died on Aug. 26 due to multi organ failure caused by critical COVID-19 infection at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.
Cruz was 85 years old.
“He was a faithful shepherd. He was a courageous prophet. He was a brilliant canon lawyer. He was a patriot and pastor,” Villegas described Cruz.
He said he is grateful that in this lifetime, he met a great churchman like Cruz. Villegas succeeded Cruz in Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese.
Cruz was appointed Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan on July 15, 1991 and retired on Sept. 8, 2009.
Father Joel Ynzon who is among the priests closest to Cruz said that he was “a sincere person and a true father to them, who would fight for you until his last breath, his words cannot be broken”.
Although Cruz was known as strict, Ynzon said “yet he was very merciful”.
Cruz was very outspoken against illegal gambling during his time.
His Krusada ng Bayan Laban sa Jueteng which he chaired had earned the ire of some officials but he was well-loved by his parishioners. The crusade became a watchdog against illegal numbers game across the country.
In Pangasinan, local newsmen remember Cruz as someone who always welcomed them for interviews, always ready to share his thoughts and statements at anything that affects the country and governance of the country’s leaders but very fatherly as well.
He would tell newsmen then that it was a lonely war but vowed to fight until the end.
Following health protocols, Cruz’s mortal remains were cremated immediately.
The cremated remains were brought to the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Dagupan City for wake and Masses celebrated by the diocesan and religious clergy of Lingayen Dagupan.
His remains were laid to rest at the Sanctuario de San Juan Evangelista after the Mass on Aug. 28. (PhilStar Wire Service/ECV/Jerick Pasiliao)
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