We mourn the loss of Ricardo Cardinal Vidal

It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Cebu’s Archbishop Emeritus, his eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal who was hospitalized at the Perpetual Succor Hospital since Oct. 11 after suffering nausea and shortness of breath. I talked with his personal physician Dr. Rene Bullecer who told me that the 86-year-old Cebu prelate passed into eternal life yesterday, Oct. 18 at 7:26 a.m. in the hospital. As of press time funeral arrangements are being prepared. But his remains are now in the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. But chances are he might be buried at the back of the Cathedral where the late Julio Cardinal Rosales is also interred.

A few days ago, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma (he took over the Archdiocese of Cebu from Cardinal Vidal when the latter retired in 2011) together with Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo came to the hospital to administer the Sacrament of Extreme Unction on the Cardinal. Dr. Bullecer told me that just when he thought that the Cardinal’s health had stabilized, then yesterday morning he has passed on to eternal life.

Cebu has known only two Cardinals, Julio Cardinal Rosales and Ricardo Cardinal Vidal. While Cardinal Rosales was a close friend of my family, I was too young to remember him, but with Cardinal Vidal, we were close to him, even if I wasn’t a journalist yet. Cardinal Vidal had an impact on my religiosity because whenever we meet and I would have questions about our Catholic faith, he would take pains to explain things to me.

It was Cardinal Vidal who made me realize that I needed to know more about our Catholic Faith. Here I was, a staunch and conservative Catholic, yet I knew very little about our faith. How much more for our least educated brethren? When I became a journalist, all the more that I would visit him in his office to talk about the faith. It was then that I was determined to learn more about what we Catholics believe and what the Magisterium teaches us. We created a group called “Mary’s Catholic Apologists” with Cardinal Vidal’s blessings, led by my dear friend, Fr. Lucas Inoc.

Cardinal Vidal’s role during the EDSA Revolt of 1986 is known and well written, including his role during EDSA II when then Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada stepped down from power. What is not known is the role of Cardinal Vidal in helping our country after he retired as Archbishop of Cebu. This was when the late Fr. Romeo “Archie” Intengan (he invited me to join this group headed by Cardinal Vidal) asked me to join a newly created group called the National Transformation Council (NTC) which was held at the Sacred Heart School (Ateneo de Cebu) in Talamban four years ago.

When I got inside the conference room, I was surprise to see Cardinal Vidal so eager to chair the meeting who beckoned me to sit beside him. In that meeting were Archbishop Emeritus of Davao Fernando Capalla and Archbishop of Lipa, Msgr. Ramon Arguelles. It was then that together with Fr. Intengan and former National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales would have meetings sometimes in the residence of the Cardinal. We also held meetings in Davao City and in Manila.

Contrary to some news reports, the NTC was not created to overthrow the Aquino Regime, but to prepare for any eventuality because based on what happened during the EDSA Revolt of 1986, no one expected the Marcos Dictatorship to fall so quickly. Many pundits really thought that the Mamasapano massacre on January 25, 2015 would have resulted in the downfall of the Aquino Regime and the NTC was prepared for the worst.

During one meeting in the Cardinal’s residence, there were many personalities who came and one of them was Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Restorationist Church, Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a.k.a. “The Appointed Son of God”. Cardinal Vidal went to the main door of his house to greet Pastor Quiboloy and when he entered the house, Pastor Quiboloy in an act of respect and reverence bowed and kissed the hand of Cardinal Vidal. It was then that a friend of mine jokingly whispered to me, “Even the Son of God would kiss the hand of the Cardinal.”

Cardinal Vidal hailed from Mogpog, Marinduque, but when he became Archbishop of Cebu, he made pains to speak in Cebuano. Whenever he says the Holy Mass in Cebuano, he speaks it better than many Cebuanos. Indeed, he has made Cebu his home and Cebu made him an “Adopted Son”. One of the highlight’s of Cardinal Vidal’s career was began in 1980 when Cardinal Vidal sought permission of Pope John Paul II and the Vatican to initiate the beatification of Pedro Calungsod. On Oct.21, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI canonized San Pedro Calungsod in St. Peter’s Square. His also responsible for initiating the move to beatify Cebuano Bishop Teofilo Camomot. Now Cebu has lost a great religious leader… but he is heaven’s gain!

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Email: vsbobita@mozcom.com or [email protected].