Cardinal Sin's statue unveiled

(Cardinal Jaime Sin's body lies in state at the Manila Metropolitan Cathedral Photo taken June 22, 2005. (Photo by Gemma Bulan/UCAN)
Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre
New Washington, Aklan- Antonia Regalado, 68 a retired government employee of New Washington sat outside the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish here observing the process of the unveiling of the brass statue of the late Cardinal Sin.
Regalado was one of the thousands of Catholic devotees who came for the unveiling of bronze monument and National Historical Institute (NHI) Marker Blessing of the Monument here Friday. The unveiling was celebrated for the 79th birthday of the late Cardinal Sin which was hailed from this town.
"I never meet the Cardinal in my entire life. However, as her townmate I felt proud of what he did. I known the Cardinal to be a hero of the Edsa revolution and a fearless Cardinal. How I wish many priests would follow his footsteps that is a fearless servant of God," Regalado said.
The 22 feet brass statue was donated by Cardinal Sin's long time friend and philantrophist Ambasador Antonio Cabangon L. Chua. Of the said 22 feet, some 13.5 feet of which are sculpted his whole body with emphasis on his smile manifesting his happy and optimistic life as a Cardinal. The statue fronts the parish church at the recently named Cardinal Sin Park.
The sculpture was crafted by brothers Ronald and Jonell Castrillo, both nephews and assistants of national sculpture artist Eduardo Castrillo.
In his homily, Antipolo City Bishop Gabriel Reyes said that he will be remember Sin as the story teller his way of spreading God's word. Reyes, also Cardinal Sin's provincemate was the first secretary of the Cardinal for five years (1975-1979).
"Cardinal Sin have been known for his sense of humor which have been appreciated by Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa of Calcutta and many others. He used his sense of humor to communicate not only with the religious leaders but also to the world leaders," Bishop Reyes said.
"One example of which is in 1980's, Cardinal Sin asked Mother Theresa to come to the Philippines to takes care of the poor but the latter have initially rejected it. However, the Cardinal replied to Mother Theresa that when he died and would be asked why he failed to takes care of the poor the Cardinal will answer that the Mother of Calcutta refused to help him in his endeavor. So the Mother Theresa came to the Philippines to help the Cardinal build the home for the homeless," Bishop Reyes said.
Majority of the event in the unveiling ceremony serves as a tribute for the Cardinal.
House speaker Jose de Venecia who came for the event said that the Congress in August 11have passed a house resolution thanking the Cardinal for what he has done serving as the Prince of Church.
"I remember Cardinal Sin's one of his many last wishes before he died to abolish the death penalty in the country. So a year after he died, we have abolish the death penaly after the Congress discernment and careful deliberation on the issue," De Venecia said.
De Venecia also said that a bill for the naming of the Aklan highway is now pending in the Congress to be named before the late Cardinal Sin.
Ambeth Ocampo, chair of the government's NHI said that normally the NHI's approval for a national marker is being deliberated for 50 years until it was fast tracked to ten years recently.
"However, upon our examination the NHI executives agreed that it is proper to immediately approved the proposed marker in remembrance of Cardinal Sin," he said.
Ocampo led hthe unveiling of the marker of the late Cardinal.
Cardinal Sin's brother, Dr. Ramon Sin thanked all those present including politicians and Chruch leaders for the tribute bestowed for the late Cardinal.
"Our family will always remember the works of the Cardinal and those whom he touched by his life," the younger brother said.