OSCAR V. CRUZ, DD, JCD
ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS OF LINGAYEN, DAGUPAN
The Most Rev. Oscar V. Cruz, DD, JCD, who served as CBCP President from 1995-1999, passed on at 6:45am today, the 26th of August 2020, at the age of 85, at the Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital.
As one of the leading canon lawyers of the Church in the Philippines, +OVC continued to serve as Judicial Vicar of the CBCP’s National Tribunal after he retired in 2009.
+OVC had his seminary formation at the UST Central Seminary, obtained his Doctorate in Canon Law at the Lateran University in Rome, and was ordained bishop in 1976. He was first assigned as Auxiliary Bishop of Manila until 1978, then as Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga from 1978-1988, and later as Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan from 1991-2009. In between the two assignments, he took an active part in the convening of the historic Second Plenary Council of the Philippines in 1991.
He has also been one of the leading voices in the advocacy against illegal gambling in the country.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. AMEN.
