Vidal serene amid quake, calls on faithful to pray more

CEBU Archbishop emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal was resting on his bed at home in Sto. Niño Village, barangay Banilad in Cebu City when the 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Bohol and Cebu last Oct. 15.

“When I saw that the house was moving, I was just waiting what will fall on me,” But fortunately, nothing happened. There was even no crack in the house,” he said.

Vidal recounted his experience as he exhorted the faithful to always pray and never lose contact with God, whom he said has a reason for allowing earthquakes to happen.

“This is wake-up call because some of us might have forgotten to pray to the Lord or to go to church. There are those who go to church only if there are calamities,” he told reporters.

The 82-year-old prelate also said the quake easily toppled the churches since they were old and built without a strong foundation.

“They were not built like the new churches today which has kabilya (steel bars). All the buildings now are required to have kabilya especially the columns. But before, there was no such thing,” he said.

The cardinal said even the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome was destroyed by an earthquake in the past.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma earlier called on the faithful to pray and help comfort earthquake victims.  Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol with Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag