Pope Benedict has accepted the resignation of prominent Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz and appointed 48 year old Bishop Socrates Villegas of Balanga as his successor. Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, announced the changes on Sept. 8 in a letter addressed to Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, UCA News reports.
“Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Oscar Cruz from the office of Lingayen-Dagupan, and has appointed Bishop Socrates Villegas, until now Bishop of Balanga, as Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan,” read the letter, which was shown to reporters.
Archbishop Cruz submitted his resignation in March 2007, at the age of 72, more than two years ahead of the age set by canon law for bishops to request retirement. Archbishop Cruz will reach the retirement age of 75 on Nov. 17.
The canon lawyer and head of the Philippine Catholic Church’s National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal had focused much of the years toward the end of his term in Lingayen-Dagupan on fighting all forms of gambling.
A former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, he was also well known as one of the Catholic Church’s most vocal and outspoken advocates of human rights and social justice in the Philippines, ABS-CBN News says.
The paper also describes Cruz’ retirement as “one less thorn on the side of President Arroyo.” because of his vocal criticism of the administration with respect to its alleged rampant graft and corruption.
Cruz is also critical of Arroyo’s failure to stop jueteng, an illegal numbers game that victimizes the poor in the countryside.
The prelate told UCA News he wanted to retire while he could still do other worthwhile work, such as writing books and procedural guides for non-canon lawyers, and on other special topics.
Archbishop Cruz expressed gratitude for the Vatican’s acceptance of his resignation. He also welcomed the appointment of Bishop Villegas as his successor.
At 48, Bishop Villegas, the late Cardinal Jaime Sin’s former private secretary, will be the country’s youngest archbishop.
“The first thought that came to my mind upon knowing of the change of my ecclesiastical status is to thank the Most Blessed Virgin Mary,” he said in an article posted on the CBCP website yesterday.
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