BAGUIO CITY – Crowds braved the heavy rain just to witness the installation of the third bishop of the Diocese of Baguio at the Our Lady of the Atonement Baguio Cathedral last Tuesday.
Numerous government officials and religious groups from neighboring cities, like Lingayen and Dagupan, gathered for the historical moment.
Having been in priesthood for 38 years, Most Rev. Rafael T. Cruz, D.D. had been with the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan and now appointed as the third bishop of the Diocese of Baguio by His Holiness Pope Francis through the request of the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Most. Rev. Charles Brown, D.D. on June 20. He was ordinated on September 7, with Most Rev. Socrates B. Villegas, D.D., as the Mass Presider at the St. John the Evangelist Cathedral of Dagupan.
Cruz had his welcome ceremony on Monday, September 16, at the Our Lady of the Way Parish at the Twin Peaks, Tuba Benguet. His welcome ceremony included a midday prayer and profession of faith at the San Pablo Seminary and vespers at The Plaza Garden Hotel.
His installation ceremony kicked off on Tuesday, September 17, with a motorcade from Lower Session Road to the Baguio Cathedral, where a civic reception was held.
Furthermore, the City of Baguio and the Province of Benguet presented a formal resolution and a symbolic key representing their heartfelt welcome and appreciation to the new bishop.
Upon receiving the key, Cruz expressed how he was mesmerized by the welcome.
“Napakaganda na simula ito ng cooperation ng civil government at ng Catholic church,” Cruz stated.
Moreover, the bishop noted in his speech that the relationship between the government and the church is synonymous with the rails of a train, where there are always two parallel rails. He noted that the two rails represent the government and the church, working together to get their passengers to their destinations safely, which portrays how the government and the church have their people to protect and guide.
The solemn canonical installation was presided by His Excellency Most Rev. Charles J. Brown, D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines as the Installing Prelate and His Eminence Jose F. Cardinal Advincula, D.D. Archbishop of Manila as the homilist.
In his message, Most Rev. Charles J. Brown, D.D. mentioned that he thought about the words of the Psalms (Psalms 121:1-4), where the verse says, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains,” as the church lifts up its eyes to the mountains to see the installation of the new bishop.
“This idea of a sending into the mountains is something that’s very symbolic and very profound in our religious consciousness as Christians,” Brown highlighted.
Finally, in his message, Most Rev. Rafael T. Cruz, D.D., thanked his fellow priests, the government of Baguio City and Benguet, and the guests for the welcome.
“Malamig dito sa Baguio, pero mainit ang pagtanggap sa akin ng mga taga- Diocese of Baguio,” Cruz expressed.
As the third bishop of the Diocese of Baguio, Cruz’s motto, “What Would Jesus Do?” is a Christian phrase traced to the understanding of the imitio Christi (“the imitation of Christ”) in the letter of St. Paul to the Galatians. By Heleina Taeza and Rachelle Quilling
