CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal hopes that when he retires, a Cebuano would replace him to continue the legacy of serving the Lord and the Church.
No Cebuano has been declared a cardinal.
At 78, Vidal is taking his health condition into consideration. “Humanly speaking, I am old…I think it is already all right to retire,” he said. He said that a Cebuano should be his successor but that depends upon the Holy See.
Asked when he would retire, Vidal only said it is up to the Lord. “That I don’t know…it is only God who knows when.”
The cardinal has delegated his annual celebration of the Misa de Gallo to archdiocese spokesman Msgr. Achilles Dakay.
Vidal was scheduled to celebrate Mass last December 16 at the National Shrine of the Lady of the Rule Shrine in Lapu-lapu City, but declined upon his doctor’s advice.
He claimed that presently, he has harder times waking up during dawn as he has been suffering from back pains due to osteoporosis.
Vidal has undergone a series of medical procedures, including a heart bypass operation and angioplasty.
Today, Dakay will represent the cardinal in celebrating Mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.
On December 19, the monsignor will be at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Barangay Poblacion, Minglanilla.
On December 20, Dakay will celebrate Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes in Punta Princesa and on December 21, he will be at the Our Lady of Fatima in Barangay Basak in Mandaue City.
Dakay will visit Archdiocesan Shrine of San Roque in Mambaling on December 22, and on December 23 he will be at the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Arnold Janssen in Basak, San Nicolas.
At culmination of the “Misa de Gallo” on December 24, Dakay will be back at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Beato Pedro Calungsod at the Archbishop Residence Compound.
The Misa de Gallo tradition originated in 17th century when missionary priests held dawn masses to encourage farmers busy plowing the field all day to go to church and hear Mass.
The masses start at 4:00 am. — Marjun Baguio, University of Cebu intern/LPM (FREEMAN NEWS)