Southland Filipinos Mourn Influential Cardinal

Southern California’s Filipino community on Tuesday mourned the death of Cardinal Jaime Sin, the retired Catholic archbishop of Manila, and pledged to remember the religious leader who helped inspire his countrymen to overthrow a corrupt government.

Sin, who died Tuesday at age 76 after a long kidney illness, was a driving force in the “people power” movement that pushed Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos into exile in 1986. Known for urging people to “put Christ in politics,” Sin encouraged millions of Filipinos to demonstrate against Marcos in the streets with rosaries and flowers in the face of military rifles and tanks. He also helped push successfully for the ouster of President Joseph Estrada over allegations of corruption in 2001.

During noon Mass on Tuesday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles, the announcement of his death surprised and saddened many in attendance.

“He really stood to protect democracy, to fight dictators. He stood for the people,” said Ricky Songalia, a volunteer at the cathedral who had emigrated from the Philippines. His eyes watering, he recalled participating in anti-Marcos demonstrations in Los Angeles in 1986.

If not for the church, he said, the movement would not have succeeded. Sin, who retired in 2003, gave hope to Filipinos when “all the leaders that we had seemed not to be able to do anything for our country,” said Sister Christina Sevilla, director of the Filipino ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

“He continued to challenge the Filipinos to depend on themselves, and help each other, to come out, because we can’t rely on the government to bring about change in the country,” Sevilla said. “Before they expected the church people to just pray and obey, but he brought out a different kind of leadership to denounce tyranny, oppression and injustice.”

Sin had strong connections to Southern California’s Filipino Americans, who number more than 370,000 in Southern California, according to the 2000 Census, and include many who had immigrated since the 1960s. They recalled that Sin sometimes celebrated Mass in Los Angeles and performed wedding ceremonies for relatives in the area.

“It’s sad because he is one of the best cardinals that I have ever known,” said cathedral volunteer Lourdes Cronin, recalling Sin’s lively personality. “No one ever fell asleep during his homily.”

Sin had two sisters in Southern California: Ceferina Sin Vita of Pasadena and Mary Yuchingtat of Cerritos. He is also survived by brothers Ramon and Manuel in the Philippines.

Vita, 69, of Pasadena, said she will leave today for the Philippines to attend the funeral, which is tentatively set for Tuesday with burial in Manila Cathedral. She said she was humbled by her brother’s legendary status.

“I’m proud of him in a way that he did God’s will, that he tried to do his best to serve God and his people,” Vita said, adding that she often worried about her brother when he led the “people power” movement.

Vita described him as “very jolly but full of prayers.” He wanted to become a priest, despite his father’s wishes that he be a businessman. When supplies were scarce during World War II, her brother would “look for anything, even just Colgate” toothpaste, to give her on her birthday, Vita said, her voice wavering.

Filipino community leaders like Joel Jacinto, executive director of Search to Involve Pilipino Americans, said Sin would be remembered as someone who showed the power of nonviolence.

“You didn’t have guns, you had rosaries. You didn’t have rifles, you had flowers,” he said, recalling the anti-Marcos movement.

“Cardinal Sin was a very beloved cardinal,” Jacinto said. “I think his death will be mourned by a great majority of the country.”