Death of Cardinal Sin.

Manila--Catholics in the Philippines archipelago itself and in the Filipino diaspora were saddened by the June 21, 2005, death of Jaime Cardinal Sin, the retired Archbishop of Manila.

Born to a humble family on the island of Panay in 1928, he rose through Church ranks to become his country's primate in 1974, being elevated to the College of Cardinals in 1976. A special highlight of his career in Manila came when he entertained Pope John Paul II at the close of World Youth Day in 1995. The turnout of four million people at the closing Mass was the largest recorded attendance at such an event (Zenit, Globe and Mail, Catholic Register). He resigned as Archbishop in 2003 on account of health problems--the kidney troubles that eventually led to his death.

Cardinal Sin is remembered as a man of courage and principle who initiated the "people power movements that led to the peaceful ousting of two corrupt authoritarian regimes. In 1986 his call for Filipinos to take to the streets in non-violent demonstrations against Ferdinand Marcos led to that dictator losing power and going into exile. Similar protests followed the Cardinal's 2001 call to the people to oppose the scandal-ridden reign of Joseph Estrada, a president who later faced impeachment.

Throughout his career the Cardinal was a champion of democracy and the rights of the poor--but skillfully managed to do this without veering off into the Marxist tendencies that tainted some clergy in Latin American countries. The "separation of Church and State" mantra did not resonate with Jaime Sin. Coming from a culture in which religious traditions form the base, he viewed "lack of political involvement as a denial of Christian identity."

The other linchpin of the Cardinal's life and work, rooted in his personal holiness, was his outspoken defence of life and the family. He firmly opposed artificial birth control, seen by many as necessary to curb the "overpopulation" of his country. In fact the Cardinal led a 1994 rally against the use of condoms and the "pill." Over this question he broke with then President Fidel Ramos, a (Protestant) opponent of Marcos whom he had previously supported.

Current Philippines president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, declared seven days of national mourning for the deceased primate. She lauded him as "a blessed man who never failed to unite Filipinos during the most critical battles against tyranny and evil."

In Rome, Pope Benedict XVI recalled the late archbishop's "unfailing commitment to the spread of the Gospel and promotion of human dignity, the common good and national unity of the Philippine people."