Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz passed away at the age of 85.
In a Twitter post, the official news Web site of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Cruz died early morning on Wednesday due to a lingering illness.
“Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan died today at 6:45 a.m. at the Cardinal Santos Hospital due to a lingering illness. He was 85,” it said.
Cruz, a former president of the CBCP, retired in 2009. He was replaced by Bishop Socrates Villegas who was from the Diocese of Balanga.
Born on November 17, 1934, in Balanga, Bataan, Cruz received his seminary training at the University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary.
He was ordained as priest on February 8, 1962, and his episcopal consecration was on May 3, 1976.
He served as a judicial vicar of the CBCP National Tribunal of Appeals and was appointed Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan on July 15, 1991.
Cruz was an antigambling advocate. PNA
Image credits: CBCP