MANILA – The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan has launched an award in honor of the late archbishop emeritus Oscar Cruz.
In a circular dated August 26 and made public on Friday, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the annual “Gawad Asin tan Silew Oscar V. Cruz Award” will recognize persons or institutions whose works teach the path of justice and righteousness, of truth and goodness, with joy and hope and with holy anger tempered by love and contagious courage.
“The nation needs heroes. Our youth need role models,” Villegas said.
The archdiocese is accepting nominations until November 1, 2021. The awarding rites will be held on November 17.
“The search and nomination process is important by itself as it already raises awareness about the Christian challenge of social transformation in the spirit of the Gospel. Those among you who have links with NGOs and civic organizations are kindly requested to share the same information with the most number of our countrymen,” he added.
Every vicariate is allowed to have at least one nominee facilitated by the Vicar Forane. The nominations should be submitted to the Chancery addressed to the archbishop.
Cruz, Villegas’ predecessor, served the archdiocese for 18 years until his retirement in 2009.
Among his advocacies are his campaign against gambling and corruption.
Cruz, who also served as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from 1995 to 1999 died of complications due to Covid-19 on Aug. 26 last year. He was 85. (PNA)
Source: Philippines News Agency
