Make Vidal burial day a holiday
The Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) has recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte to declare October 26, 2017 a holiday in Cebu province as a show of respect for the interment of the late Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, the former archbishop of Cebu.
In a statement, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino said making the date of Vidal's funeral a holiday will allow Catholics to join others in mourning.
“In light of requests by local government units in Cebu and the ardent desire of the Cebuanos, I have communicated to the Office of the President through the Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, our wish to have October 26 declared a holiday to honor (the late) Ricardo Cardinal Vidal,” Dino said.
A formal request has been sent to the President Friday afternoon.
“Indeed a pivotal shepherd for 29 years in our Archdiocese, the declaration of a holiday on the occasion of his interment will enable our people to pay their last respects to the beloved Cardinal,” Dino said further.
Attached to the letter are endorsements from the provincial government and some Cebu City councilors.
“I am looking forward to a positive response from Malacañang,” Dino said.
Msgr. Joseph Tan, media liaison officer of the Cebu archdiocese, said the church welcomes the move.
“We welcome the gesture. It's a gesture we did not expect. But if it is extended to us, by all means, we are more than grateful for the thoughtfulness of paying respect for the funeral of Cardinal Vidal,” he told reporters yesterday.
TRANSFER Meanwhile, Vidal's remains will be brought to the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Pedro Calungsod for a day today but will be brought back to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral at 7 p.m.
Before the transfer, a Mass will be celebrated at 6:30 a.m. at the Cathedral.
Father Allan Delima, the shrine's rector, said four Masses are scheduled to be celebrated by different priests. One of the highlights is the 3 p.m. Mass to be presided by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, which is being organized by the Commission on Youth as a tribute to Vidal.
Vidal was one of the staunch supporters of the commission and, in fact, instituted the Local World Youth Day in 1985. This is the local version of the bigger World Youth Day that is staged yearly by the archdiocese.
Today also marks the fifth anniversary of San Pedro Calungsod whose canonization Vidal played an important role in as proponent and initiator.
Cebu City Transportation Office Operations Chief Francisco Ouano said several traffic enforcers will be deployed near the Archbishop Palace to assist those who will be visiting the wake of Vidal from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
While Vidal's remains are the shrine, roads surrounding the Cathedral will be opened to vehicular traffic.
Ouano said CCTO will close P. Gomez Street corner P. Burgos Street, Jeriza Street corner P. Burgos Street, Mabini Street, D. Jakosalem Street, and Lapu-Lapu Street corner Legaspi Street again once the cardinal's remains have been brought back to the Cathedral.
Public viewing will end at midnight on Wednesday, October 25.
BURIAL
Vidal will be laid to rest at 9 a.m. on October 26 at the mausoleum adjacent to Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
The old mausoleum, which Church officials recently decide to refurbish, was built as a holy resting place for prelates and clergy of Cebu, either born or appointed at the archdiocese.
Vidal will be the sixth prelate to be placed there beside his predecessor, Julio Cardinal Rosales, the second archbishop of Cebu since it's elevation as archdiocese.
Vidal's and Rosales' tombs will be surrounded by those of Lipa Archbishop Emeritus Mariano Gaviola; Cebu Coadjutor Archbishop Manuel Salvador from Dalaguete, Cebu; Calbayog Bishop Emeritus Sincero Lucero from Carcar City, Cebu; and Bishop Juan Bautista Gorordo from Barili, Cebu – the first Filipino bishop of Cebu.
Due to the mausoleum's small space, only a select few will be allowed to enter but the interment will be shown live for the benefit of the public via LED screens at the Cathedral.
Tan said the regional vicar of Opus Dei in the Philippines is expected to fly to Cebu and preside over one of the Sunday Requiem Masses.
Apart from officials, Tan said six of Vidal's family members are also expected to come. His youngest brother, Juanito, already decided to remain in Cebu since the day Vidal died.
“Awhag lang nato ang mosalmot sa interment nga no balloons, no firecrackers, no bags para safe lang tanan,” he said.
The Requiem Mass at the Cathedral is set every 8 p.m. until October 25, the eve of Vidal's day of burial. The wake is open to the public for 24 hours.
Tan appealed to the public to not take close-up shots of the cardinal.