Ex-CBCP president Oscar Cruz died due to COVID-19 — Church official

MANILA, Philippines — Former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Oscar Cruz died due to “multi organ failure caused by critical COVID-19 infection,” Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas revealed.

The CBCP earlier announced that Cruz, who was the Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus, died Wednesday morning at the age of 85 due to a “lingering illness.”

READ: Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop emeritus Oscar Cruz dies at 85

“Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz, Archbishop Emeritus of Lingayen Dagupan, died in the grace of the Lord today August 26, 2020 at 6:45 in the morning, due to multi organ failure caused by critical COVID19 infection, at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City,” Villegas said in a Facebook post.

“Following health protocols, his mortal remains will be cremated immediately,” he added.

Villegas said the cremated remains of Cruz will be brought to the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Dagupan City.

The Catholic faithful may pay their respects to the late archbishop on August 27, Thursday, from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m, according to Villegas.

“Masses will be celebrated by the diocesan and religious clergy of Lingayen Dagupan the whole day,” the archbishop added.

The funeral Mass will be held at 9 a.m. on August 28, Friday, at the Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral. His remains will be laid to rest at the Santuario de San Juan Evangelista right after the Mass.

“In adherence to prevailing health protocols, only the priests and bishops together with the Archbishop’s family, will be in attendance at the funeral Mass as we encourage the Catholic faithful to follow the liturgical rites on social media livestream,” Villegas also said.

JE