Sin retires in August; hunt on for successor

The search has begun for the successor of ailing Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, who is set to retire on his 75th birthday on Aug. 30, a source in the Roman Catholic Church said.

The Apostolic Nuncio, the Vatican’s ambassador to the Philippines, has been conducting a "discreet" survey of potential candidates since November, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

It was not immediately known if there is already a short list of candidates to replace Sin.

"I think there are those who may already have knowledge as to who may succeed him. But because the interviews were done under pontifical confidence, no one would voluntarily reveal any information. Otherwise they would be censured by the Vatican," the source said, adding that archbishops and bishops are directly accountable to the Pope.

While emphasizing that he does not know the criteria being used for the selection, the source said the successor should be between 50 and 60 years old so "he would still be able to bear the rigorous responsibilities of his new position."

He should also have an impressive background, good management skills, and brimming with ideas to steer the Church and its flock, the source added.

"But there have been instances that the person you might think would be chosen usually doesn’t come out," he said.

It is also necessary that the successor should not have any political leanings.

Sin is set to retire on his 75th birthday on Aug. 31, although the Cardinal earlier expressed a desire to seek early retirement due to health problems.

He considerably reduced his public appearances several years ago because of kidney problems, which prompted him to undergo dialysis.

In late March he was brought to Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Mandaluyong City after suffering a seizure while holding Sunday mass at his Villa San Miguel residence.

Cardinals and bishops are supposed to retire upon reaching 75, according to Rev. Hernando Coronel, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Selection of the next cardinal or bishop is held discreetly, said Lingayan-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a former CBCP president.

After conducting a survey searching for the replacement, the Apostolic Nuncio makes a recommendation to the Pope, who will make the final decision.

"It’s very discreet that, in fact, if somebody knows about something and reveals it, he’s guilty of a moral offense that can only be lifted by the Apostolic Nuncio himself. The secrecy is so mandatory that if it is breached, the one responsible will be subject to penalty," Cruz said.

Sin is considered the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines, which counts about 80 percent of the country’s 80 million people.

Despite the separation of Church and State, Sin has wielded a huge political influence. Top politicians have lined up at his residence to seek his endorsement during elections.

He was sometimes criticized as a meddler in politics, opposing government policies — such as promoting artificial birth control — if viewed as contrary to Roman Catholic Church beliefs.

Under Sin’s leadership, the Catholic Church has opposed calls to change the Constitution, saying it could endanger provisions safeguarding the nation from the rise of dictatorships.

In 1986, Sin rallied Catholics to a peaceful people power revolt that overthrew dictator Ferdinand Marcos over alleged corruption and human rights violations.

The largely peaceful revolt became a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide. Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989.

The feat was repeated 15 years later in 2001, when graft-tainted Joseph Estrada was forced to give up the presidency over alleged corruption and misrule. Estrada, detained in a military hospital while being tried for plunder, has denied any wrongdoing.