The lay collaborators referred to are the  altar servers, greeters and ushers, collectors, choir directors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, lectors and commentators.

All the seminar participants are to present letters of recommendation from their respective parish priests or school directors. This is to ensure that only lay workers in good standing in the schools or parishes receive commissioning or re-commissioning after the formation program.

All the formation program will be held at the Lay Formation Center. Fr. Mario Sanchez, the Director of LFC, has made the schedule for the formation program.  He urged the priests to follow the schedule to facilitate the submission of the recommendation letters.

BEFORE January 31, 2010 (Sunday), the recommendation letter must contain the following:

i. ALTAR SERVERS – 9 to 15 years old, at least one year in serving the liturgy, must be regularly attending mass and receiving Holy Communion.

ii. COLLECTA TEAM MEMBERS, GREETERS, and USHERS.

iii. CONVENT WORKERS AND PARISH OFFICE SECRETARIES.

b. BEFORE February 17, 2010 (Ash Wednesday), the recommendation letter should contain the names of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) and the Lectors-Commentators.

c. BEFORE March 28, 2010 (Palm Sunday), the recommendation letter should contain the names of the Choir Directors and Instrumentalists, and the NEW Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Lectors-Commentators who are to attend the BASIC FORMATION.

Archbishop Villegas mandated that the rite of commissioning for lay liturgical ministers and social action ministers in the parishes will be done during the Holy Thursday Evening of the Lord’s Supper. The Archdiocesan Liturgical Ministry will  prepare the rites.

This is the first time that the liturgical ministers and the social action minister will be commissioned on Holy Thursday. Msgr. Villegas said that “Holy Thursday commemorates not only the institution of the Holy Eucharist  but the mandate to love; hence the commissioning of social action ministers must happen together with the lay liturgical ministers.

In the past, the commissioning of the lay liturgical ministers was done during the Chrism Mass celebrated at the St. John Parish Church in Dagupan City.

Msgr. Villegas emphasized in his letter that “formation is the real meaning of empowerment. True empowerment is only for ministry. Ministry is the sure path to sanctity”.

To view the schedule of the Formation Program, please click the image below or go the Lay Formation Center Website.

“Aming Handog” was emceed by  brothers Jomari and Ryan Yllana. Mr. Dingdong Dantes also performed during the show with a song to the delight of screaming fans! Radha and band and the band Kenyo, Krys Kyzer all perfomed several songs. The Calasiao Children’s Choir had a special participation in the show. The show was highlighted by two LED Video monitors.

The “Fathers” composed of eight priests of the Archdiocese sang a song. The “Fathers” are: Frs. Jerry Cera, Antonio Quintans, Edilberto Calderon, Julius Cuison, Fernan Estrada, Manuel delos Santos, Jim Cerezo and Eric Galivo.

The benefit concert came about from the generosity of Mr. Jomari Yllana who offered to produce the whole show. Mr. Yllana is a close family friend of Msgr. Socrates B. Villegas, DD, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan.

For the pastoral programs

The concert is to benefit the pastoral programs of the Archdiocese. In his letter to prospective donors, Msgr. Socrates B. Villegas was asking for help to “initiate and sustain some very important pastoral programs for the youth  and the poor in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.” He further said that “we need to upgrade the formation programs of our catechists teaching religion in our public schools, We need to sustain our charitable and developmental programs for the economically poor brothers and sisters. We want to bring the bible to every Christian home. We need to sponsor more students to pursue their college education and contribute to nation building”.

  The Calasiao Children’s Choir

 Pictures courtesy of Fr. Primo Aquino

 My beloved brother priests:

On the day of our ordination as priests, the bishop asked us, “Do you resolve to celebrate faithfully and reverently, in accord with the Church’s tradition, the mysteries of Christ, especially the sacrifice of the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation, for the glory of God and the sanctification of the Christian people?”

Although we have many duties and functions as priests, in the mind of the ordinary Catholic faithful, we are priests because we can preside at the Eucharist and absolve sins in the confessional. We are priests called to bring to the Lord the sacrifice of thanksgiving from His worshiping people. We are priests called to bring the blessings of God to His chosen people. We are caretakers of the mysteries of God.

The faithful, reverent, dignified and solemn celebration of the mysteries of Christ is a mandate imposed on us by ordination. It is a solemn duty.

Good liturgy does not just happen. It is made to happen. Good liturgy calls for fervent preparation and attentive care.

Within this spirit, I wish to raise some issues in our Catholic parishes and communities to help bring about a more inspiring and truly edifying liturgical worship.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness. I encourage you to maintain the cleanliness of our sacred vessels particularly our chalices and ciboria. God deserves the best. Sacred vessels need regular metal plating to maintain their luster befitting the divine worship.

 The altar linens—corporal, purificator and finger towel—are not interchangeable. The corporal is named such because it receives the “corpus” crumbs that may fall from the host when we break the Host at Lamb of God. The corporal must be laid out on the altar only at the presentation of bread and wine and folded back after the purification of the vessels. It must not be left on the altar. According to traditional practice, the corporal is “starched” after washing so that it will be stiff when used at the altar. The “starched stiffness” facilitates finding the crumbs that may fall on it during the Eucharist. The purificator is used to wipe the chalice for droplets of water and wine during the preparation of the gifts and for purifying the chalice, paten and ciborium after Communion. Traditionally, the purificator has an embroidered cross which rests on the mouth of the chalice or some liturgical symbols on the sides. The finger towel is used for drying the hands after washing. To distinguish it from the purificator, the embroidered cross of the finger towel is usually on the corner and not in the middle. Please instruct your sacristans and altar servers to observe the proper use of altar linens.

We must take special care that our Mass vestments are clean and dignified. Cleanliness and dignity need not be expensive.  Dignity and cleanliness in the choice and use of liturgical vestments is not optional. It is imperative on account of the dignity of the liturgy we celebrate. Please dispose of old, tattered and faded vestments properly by burning them.

The church and its surroundings must be kept clean too from trash candy wrappers, soiled missalettes and even stuck chewing gums on the church flooring. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. The church must be the cleanest place in the community.

He who Sings Well Prays Twice. Singing is a form of worship. Singing together also promotes the spirit of unity and communion. Please encourage the choirs to undertake their task as a ministry and not as a performance for public adulation. It is important that the community is animated to join the choir in singing our songs during the liturgy. Secular love songs, even if they have religious themes, do not have any place in the divine liturgy. In obedience to the instructions of the Holy See and until the rules pertaining to dancing within the liturgy have been approved by the Episcopal Commission on Liturgy, please refrain from the practice of having children or young people dance in the parish sanctuary.

And the Greatest of These is Love. Love is best expressed in silence. Where silence is observed, fervor is maintained. Let me offer to you these words from Saint Charles Borromeo on whose feastday, I was installed as your pastor: “You must realize that for us churchmen, nothing is more necessary than meditation. We must meditate before, during and after everything we do. Would you like me to tell you how to give God more pleasing worship? Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter.”

Please teach the flock again about the Catholic practice of genuflecting before the tabernacle, the observance of prayerful silence in the church, modesty in dress and the discourtesy of chewing gum or using cell phones in the church.

Finally, liturgy is not just obedience to the rubrics and instructions. Good liturgy must make us more loving. Good liturgy cannot save. Only the power of love can bring us to heaven. As a fruit of the faithful and reverent celebration of the mysteries of Christ, we must become more caring and attentive to the needs of the least, the last and the lost. Good liturgy can sanctify only to the extent that it leads us to serve, imitating the example of Him who stooped down to wash the feet of His disciples. Sunday must not only be the dies Domini. May it become too our dies caritatis.

May Saint John, the Beloved Disciple, our patron, help us to grow in holiness and lead us to share the same gift of holiness to all those entrusted to our care.

From the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, December 31, 2009.

When the designated time had come, God sent forth His son, born from a woman (Gal.4:4)

Narito ang takdang panahon. Sa kaganapan ng panahon, isinilang ng isang dalaga ang bugtong na Anak ng Diyos upang maging ating Tagapagligtas. Si Jesus, ang Diyos na Sumasaatin, ang tugon ng mapagmahal na Ama sa lahat ng ating kakulangan at pagmamalabis.

The light of the Christmas star is still upon us. One week after Christmas, we celebrate the Motherhood of Mary. In the womb of this virgin, God and man were united again. In the womb of Mary, God restored wholeness to humankind. The great abyss between the spiritual and the material has been destroyed. The wounds of division are ended. Integrity is back.

Bakit nagkatawang tao ang Diyos? Dahil sa pag-ibig sa atin. Bakit Siya nanirahan kasama ng mga taong hamak at yagit ng lipunan? Dahil mahal tayo ng Diyos. Bakit Siya isinilang sa sabsaban at hindi sa isang palasyo? Dahil sa pag-ibig sa atin. Pag-ibig ang dahilan ng Pasko! Iniibig tayo ng Diyos kaya siya nagkatawang tao at nanirahan bilang ating kapwa tao.

May hamon ang Pasko at Bagong Taon! Kung dahil sa pag-ibig, dumating si Jesus sa ating piling at hinamak ang sarili at naging kapwa natin, ano ang kahulugan nito para sa atin? Sapat bang magpasalamat na lamang at makisabay sa pag-awit ng “Papuri sa Diyos sa kaitaasan”? Sapat ba na batiin natin siya ng “Happy birthday” sa araw ng Kanyang pagsilang?

Maliwanag na hindi sapat ito.Ano ang nararapat nating gawin?

Dapat namang magkatawang tao ang ating pananampalataya at ipakita natin sa ating buhay na mahal natin ang Diyos.

Sa mundong magkahiwalay ang salita at gawa, ipinakita ni Jesus na ang Salita ay dapat na isabuhay. Sa mundong magkahiwalay ang pag-ibig sa Diyos at malasakit sa kapwa, itinuro ni Jesus na ang dalawang pag-ibig na ito ay kambal na hindi dapat hatiin. Sa mundong ang ginhawa ng buhay ay ihinihiwalay sa pananagutan, itinuro ni Jesus ang bawat biyaya ay may karugtong na tungkulin. Sa mundong kung saan ang puso ay ginagamit na sagisag ng pag-ibig, itinuturo ni Jesus na ang pag-ibig ay hindi damdamin kundi paghahandog buhay.. Taksil ang damdamin. Ang pag-ibig ay isang pagpapasya na itaguyod ang kapakanan ng minamahal.

The first month of the year is called January, unfortunately named after a Greek god with two faces—symbol of disunity. The month of January glances at the old year and gazes at the new year at the same time. Janus, the god with two faces, is not ours to imitate. Our Master is Jesus, the God who united word and action. Jesus is the God who makes us whole. Mind and heart must be one. Word and action must be one. Grace and responsibility must come together. Let the new year be a year of wholeness, of integrity.

Bago dumating si Jesus, hiwalay ang puso at isip. Bago dumating si Jesus, hiwalay ang salita at gawa. Bago dumating si Jesus, hiwalay ang tao at Diyos, hiwalay ang tao sa kapwa tao, hiwalay ang bigkas at ang pamumuhay. Pagdating ni Jesus, nagwakas na ang paghihiwalay at sinimulan na ang panahon ng kabuuan. BUO! Buo na tayo. Buo na ang mundo.Ito ang diwa ng Pasko. Tayo ay maging BUO.

Ang kalooban ng Diyos para sa atin ay kaganapan ng buhay. Ang kaganapan ng buhay ay kabanalan ng buhay.. Ang banal ay “holy”. Kaugnay ng salitang “holy” ay “whole”—BUO. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit nagkaroon ng Pasko—upang wakasan ang pagkakahiwalay—upang tayo ay maging buo.

Ang panahon ng Pasko at bagong taon ay araw ng pagbubuo ng mga nagkahiwalay.Ito ay panahon upang magkabati ang may alitan. Higit sa lahat, ito ay panahon ng pagsasabuo ng buhay at salita. Dumating na ang tamang panahon upang mabuo tayo. Ang pangarap natin na maging banal ang bawat isa sa atin ay siyang landas sa kabuuan ng buhay na siyang kalooban ng Diyos para sa atin.

Dumating na ang kabuuan ng lahat ng ating pangarap. Dumating Siya upang tayo ay buuin.

In 2010, let integrity of life flow like a river. Let wholeness shine like the noonday sun. May 2010 see our land healed and made whole again. May Jesus make us all men and women of integrity and character, Christians who teach by the power of exemplary lives.

Happy New Year of integrity!

From the Cathedral of Saint John the Apostle, January 1, 2010

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Archbishop of Lingayen Dagupan

By Most Rev. Socrates B. Villegas, D.D.

Pastoral Letter from the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan to open the Misa de Gallo to be read from the pulpit in the original Tagalog and/or Pangasinan translation in all churches and chapels during the Eucharistic celebration on December 15, 2009 PM. and December 16, 2009 A.M .

Mga minamahal kong bayan ng Diyos:

Nais ko pong samantalahin ang simula ng simbang gabi upang aking ipahayag ang aking saloobin bilang inyong bagong pastol. Pahintulutan ninyong kausapin ko kayo sa wikang aking nakasanayan—Tagalog. Pangako ko sa inyo na sa mga darating na bagong taon ay pagsisikapan kong matutunan ang wikang Pangasinan upang higit tayong magkalapit.

Narito po ako! Narinig ko po ang tawag ng Diyos upang kayo ay paglingkuran bilang inyong bagong Arsobispo ng Lingayen-Dagupan. Sa pamamagitan po ng atas na gawad ng Santo Papa Benedicto XVI, iniluklok po ako sa Katedral ng San Juan Apostol sa Lungsod ng Dagupan noong ikaapat ng Nobyembre. Bagamat hindi lahat kayo ay nakarating, kayong lahat ay nasa aking isip, damdamin at panalangin. Kinasasabikan ko na kayo ay madalaw paulit ulit sa inyong mga parokya sa darating na bagong taon upang kayo po ay lalo ko pang makilala. Nais ko pong maging kaibigan ninyo. Ituring sana ninyo ako bilang kapatid. Si Jesus ay ating kapatid.

Narito po ako upang maging inyong kaibigan! Ang dahilan ng lahat ng ating gawain sa Simbahan ay pag-ibig—pag-ibig ng magkakaibigan. Ipinakilala ni Jesus ang kanyang sarili hindi bilang pinuno kundi kaibigan. Hindi siya pinunong malayo at mataas bagkus ay kaibigang kaagapay sa paglalakbay. Ang ating saya ay galak ni Jesus. Ang ating pangamba ay inako ni Jesus. Ang ating luha ay kalungkutan ni Jesus. Ito po ang pagkakaibigang handog ko sa inyo. Ipagkatiwala po ninyo sa akin ang inyong saya at lungkot, ang inyong pangarap at pangamba. Binubuksan ko po ang pintuan ng aking tahanan at tanggapan para sa inyo. Umasa rin po kayong dadalawin ko kayo sa mga kapitbahayan at mga barangay. Bigyan po ninyo ako ng pagkakataong maging magkaibigan tayo! Ito po ang diwa ng Pasko. Si Jesus ay ating kaibigan.

Narito po ako upang inyong maging kapatid! Hindi pa ako marunong magsalita ng Pangasinan subalit ito sana ay hind magiging sagabal upang tayo ay maging magkapatid. Iisa ang Panginoon. Iisa ang Simbahan. Maaari tayong maging magkapatid sapagkat tayong lahat ay isinilang mula sa sinapupunan ng Simbahan—ang binyag. “Para sa inyo ako ay Obispo, kasama ninyo ako ay kapatid,” wika ni San Agustin. Bago ako naging pari, ako muna ay kapatid ninyo sa Panginoong Jesus. Turuan ninyo akong magsalita ng Pangasinan sapagkat nais kong lubos na maging kapatid at kababayan ninyo. Ituring ninyo akong kapatid ninyo—sa binyag, sa pananampalataya, sa Panginoon. Si Jesus ang nagbubuklod sa atin.

Narito po ako upang maging ama at pastol! Hindi man karapat-dapat, ako ay naririto bilang kinatawan ni Kristong Hari, Propeta at Pari. Kung pag-ibig ang ating pinagmulan katulad ng nasabi ko na, ang atin namang patutunguhang pangarap ay kabanalan. Ang lahat sana sa Arkidiyosesis ng Lingayen-Dagupan ay maging banal, hindi lamang sa dapit hapon ng panahon kundi ngayon na! Darating ang panahon na ang lahat ng nakikita at naririnig at pinanghahawakan natin ay maglalaho. Iisa lamang ang mahalaga—ang tayo ay mamuhay na banal, katulad ni Kristo, sa pamamagitan ni Kristo, kasama si Kristo. Ito lamang ang layunin ko bilang pastol at ama ninyo—tayong lahat ay maging banal.

In the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, may all of us be saints!

Ito nawang tatlong tungkuling nabanggit—ang maging kaibigan, ang maging kapatid at maging tagapangalaga—ang siyang maging pananagutan natin sa isa’t isa. Ito ang ibig sabihin ng Simbahan. Ang Simbahan ay ang bayan ng Diyos. Ang pinagmulan ng ating pagtitipon ay Diyos, hindi tao. Ang dahilan ng ating pagtitipon, sa kabila ng ating pagkakaiba-iba, ay ang Diyos. Maaaring gumuho ang mga simbahan o maanod ng baha ang mga kapilya, subalit ang Simbahang Bayan ng Diyos at Katawang Mistiko ni Kristo ay mananatili at hindi matitinag ng kapangyarihan ng kasamaan.

Ang simula ng simbang gabi ay magandang pagkakataong magsimula tayo sa panibagong pagpapahalaga sa ating pagkakaibigan, pagkakapatiran at pagmamahalan.

Sa harapan ng Panginoon, sama-sama nating sabihin: Panginoon, narito po kami sa Arkidiyosesis ng Lingayen-Dagupan. Maganap nawa sa amin ang inyong kalooban.

Mula sa Katedral ng San Juan Apostol, Dagupan City, Disyembre 16, 2009

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS
Arsobispo ng Lingayen Dagupan

The ways of the Lord are mysterious and hard to comprehend. Eighteen years ago, before Archbishop Cruz was installed Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Dagupan was hit by a severe earthquake that rendered the city in shambles and the old cathedral in ruins. This year, apparently in preparation for this momentous occasion, the Archdiocese was hit with massive flooding that rendered great havoc upon our flock. Our gathering of joy is mixed with sentiments of uncertainty about what lies ahead of Pangasinan. I know that faith of the Pangasinenses is strong and firm. I want to assure though: it is not Archbishops who cause disasters to happen!

The ways of the Lord are awesome and marvelous. He called me to be a priest and gave me a revolutionary Cardinal as my mentor and guide. My priesthood was born from the dawn of EDSA people power in 1986. My vocation was nurtured by the street revolutionaries of the EDSA shrine. Then the Church sent me on a mission to Bataan, famous for the Death March of the last world war. The long street from Mariveles and Bagac to San Fernando was sanctified by the glorious blood of the martyrs of the Second World War.

Today I begin my mission in Lingayen-Dagupan, the shadow of war still hovering over my priesthood because it was in Lingayen Gulf that the story of our liberation in 1945 began. The legendary General Douglas McArthur landed in Lingayen Gulf, waded through our waters to usher in a new day of freedom for our country. This province also carries in its history the revolutionary struggle of Andres Malong and the tyrannical reign of Limahong, a Chinese ruler. Lingayen Gulf is red with the blood of heroes.

With a deep sense of unworthiness and obedience to the Holy Father, Pope Bendict XVI, I accept the mission to be pastor of the Church in Lingayen-Dagupan. I am treading on the footsteps of a great man of the Church, an epic man who is himself larger than life, Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz. Archbishop Cruz is unique and irreplaceable. He was my first rector at San Carlos Seminary. I will only try to continue, using my very limited talents, the great work that he has left behind in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.

Inararok ya totoo’y Dios: Agko amta no pano’y mansalita na salita yo dia. Ibangat y oak kumon no bilbilang aliwa so pansalitak o panangibagak ed salita yo. Labay kon aralen so salita yo dia.

My dear people of God, I do not know how to speak the dialect. Please teach me. I am willing to learn. If I make a mistake in pronouncing, please correct.

I come to live in your midst not as a liberator like McArthur or a revolutionary like Andres Malong or a tyrant like Limahong. I come to you as Jesus came, the servant who called us to “salt of the earth and light of the world”. You can call me Father Soc. Please give me a chance to love you, to serve you.

We are the salt of the earth, the Lord said to us in the Gospel. Pangasinan was named after asin — panag-asinan. We who form the Catholic faithful in Lingayen-Dagupan, living in the province that is named after salt, must truly be salt for society and salt for the rest of the world. Like ASIN, let us embark together on mission for social transformation and Church renewal.

A is for apostolic action nurtured by prayer. Our first and only power is the Lord and our first and only way to the Lord is love. We must pray but it is not enough to pray. Our prayer must make us think and talk and listen and act and be like Jesus — that is the apostolic action that we need in the Church. Any pastoral action or assembly that does not come from prayer will fail. Any prayer that does not lead us to apostolic charity will wither. Love without service is mere sentimentalism. Service without prayer is social activism.

S is for sanctified and sanctifying community of disciples. United by baptism, united in prayer, united through charity, we will become saints together in Pangasinan. To be holy is our one and only vision. Everything and anything that leads us astray from this path must be cast aside. We are called to sanctify, to lead and to teach. We are here not by worthiness but by favor. None of us is worthy, we were just chosen in spite of. We do not sanctify ourselves; God does. We do not sanctify other; God does. We are a community not an organization. None of us is master; all of us are disciples.

I is for integration of faith and life. The Church is hurt not just by heresies against the truth. The Church is also damaged when the faith of her children are not matched by witnessing. We do not only share a common doctrine. We also share one common morality. What does it matter if we understand the mystery of the Trinity but do not live the love that binds the Trinity? The Church and her priests would be more credible prophet in society if the stomach of the preacher would be as empty as his parishioners. Brother priests, I bid you: Go preach the gospel. Talk if necessary. Pangasinan does not need teachers. Pangasinan needs witnesses. Fathers: Give us Jesus, only Jesus, always Jesus.

N is for new and intensive evangelization. Evangelization by its nature is confrontational. We cannot proclaim Jesus and waltz with corruption in public or in private. We cannot be rightly called Christians and play games with evil. Evangelization is a call to die. Evangelization demands conversion. Evangelization may not always be pleasant. It can hurt both preacher and hearer. It can make the hearer take revenge on the preacher. But evangelization is the only way for the Church. we would betray the Lord I we won’t. only the brave and the loyal can truly evangelize.

My brother priests – be the salt of the Church and society. By your ministry, may the people taste the goodness of the Lord. Be happy givers! Be holy priests by your courageous and generous self-sacrifice! Bawal and paring duwag! Bawal and paring kuripot! Show them the face of Jesus, the joy of the world! We need to pray together and we must be saints together! When the time comes for me to return to the Father and my name would be dropped from the Eucharistic prayer, I only want to be remembered as the bishop who loved you, my priests!

My dear Catholic laity – be the salt of Pangasinan. By your life in the family and your work in society, preserve – like salt – our heritage of hard work and diligence in northern Philippines. Preserve – like salt – the Catholic faith. Keep the faith alive and young, vibrant and loyal.

My dear children and youth, be the salt of earth. May your lives be clear like crystal salt, pure and fresh and always new. By our young and restive hearts, may we your elders find new inspiration. Your mission as Church youth is to inspire and to ignite.

My poor brothers and sisters from the far barangays, be the salt of the society. Even if sometimes, salt and rice is all we can eat, do not forget your dignity as children of God.

No anggano no maminsan et asin tan belas labat so kakanen tayo, agtayo kumon lilingwanan so dignidad tayo a sakey ya anak na Dios.

As an expression of solidarity with the flood victims of Pangasinan now in need of help to start again, we will not have any lunch reception after our liturgy. The money that will be saved from your act of sacrifice will be used to help the poor of Pangasinan. This is not being kuripot. This is pakikipag-kapwa tao. This is charity. This is what God told us to do. I believe this is what Jesus would have done if he were in Dagupan.

My dear government officials, give us the salt of livelihood and honest public service. Spare the people from salty words of anger and malicious conduct that kill and destroy. Serve the people wit honesty. Serve the people well. We can work together for the people.

Pangasinan, baying mayumi, asin ng pamayanan.
Bagong lasa and handog at sariwang kasiglahan.
Asin ka ng kabuhyana, nag-aalaga sakabataan
Pangasinan, aming Ina, aming mahal, aming hiran!

Dagupan and taguri, dating tawag “nandaragupan”
Dahil dito’y nagtipon and sari-saring katauhan
Lingayen naman ang tawag naming sa pusod na pinagmulan
Lagi naming gnililingon, tinatanaw na kagandahan.

Ang Diyos ay papurihan ng bayan ng Pangasinan,
Ipangaral ang Ebanhelyo sa Lingayen-Dagupan
Bawat bayan ay lumuhod at sa Diyos ay magpugay,
Ipagbunyi ang Pangasinan, ipagdangal ang Maykapal!

People of God in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, I am all yours. Take me as your own. I embrace you n ow as my very own. God has given u each other. Let us give ourselves to the Lord. Amen.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal also attended the canonical installation. The Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams formally installed the new archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan. Msgr. Rafael S. Magno, Jr, the Chancellor, read the message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

The newly appointed archbishop was received by Msgr. Renato P. Mayugba, DD, the Auxiliary of Lingayen-Dagupan during the Rite of Reception.

Archbishop Socrates Villegas was ordained priest by then Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin in October 5, 1985. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Manila in July 25, 2001, and ordained Bishop and Titular of Nona in August 31, 2001. He was appointed Bishop of Balanga (Bataan) in May 3, 2004 and installed in July 3, 2004.

On 8 September 2009, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz, DD as archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan and appointed Bishop Socrates B. Villegas as Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan.

1. Why the change in leadership?

The above change in leadership is explained by a provision of the Second Vatican Council which earnestly requests diocesan bishops to resign from their office, if on account of advanced age or form any grace cause they become less able to carry out their duties (1). In implementing this provision of the Council, the code of Canon Law asks diocesan bishops to tender their resignation upon completing their seventy fifth year (2).

2. Who appoints and accepts the resignation of bishops?

As a matter of principle, Canon Law prescribes that for a resignation to take effect, it must be accepted by the authority which is competent to provide for the office in question. (3) Hence, the resignation of a resigning bishop, in this case, Archbishop Cruz, was accepted by the Supreme Pontiff who has the authority to appoint bishops. (4)

3. What becomes of the bishop who resigned?

A bishop whose resignation from office has been accepted acquire the title “emeritus” of his diocese. (5) If he so wishes he may have residence in the diocese. (6) Furthermore, the diocese which he served has the obligation to provide for the upkeep of a bishop who has resigned. (7)

4. When does the new bishop assume his new office?

One who is promoted a bishop, in this case the succeeding bishop, Archbishop Villegas, cannot yet exercise the office entrusted to him until he has taken canonical possession of the diocese. (8) “Canonical possession,” popularly called “installation”, denotes the formal act by which the bishop assumes full governance of the diocese. A bishop who is already consecrated must take possession within two (2) months after receiving the notice of his appointment.

5. How does the new bishop take canonical possession of his diocese?

A bishop takes canonical possession of his diocese when he shows the apostolic letter of his appointment to the diocesan Board of Consultors, in the presence of the chancellor of the curia who makes a record of the fact. The canonical possession must take place in the diocese. (10) and the law strongly recommends that it be performed with a liturgical act in the cathedral church, in the presence of the clergy and the people. (11)

Footnotes:

1. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Christus Dominus, n. 21:

As  the pastoral office of bishops is so important and onerous,  diocesan bishops and others whose juridical position corresponds to theirs are earnestly requested to resign from their office if on  account  of advanced age or from any other grave cause they become less able to carry out their duties.  This they should do on their own initiative  or  when  invited to do so by the competent authority.  If the competent authority accepts the resignation it will make provision for the suitable support of those who have retired and for the special rights to be accorded to them.

2. CIC, Can. 401, 1:

A diocesan Bishop who has completed his seventy-fifth year of age is requested to offer his resignation from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who, taking all the circumstances into account, will make provision accordingly.

4. CIC, Can. 377, 1::

The Supreme Pontiff freely appoints Bishops or confirms those lawfully elected.

5 and 6 .CIC, Can. 402, 1:

A Bishop whose resignation from office has been accepted, acquires the title ‘emeritus’ of his diocese. If he so wishes, he may have a residence in the diocese unless, because of special circumstances in certain cases, the Apostolic See provides otherwise.

7. CIC, Can. 402, 2:

The Episcopal Conference must ensure that suitable and worthy provision is made for the upkeep of a Bishop who has resigned, bearing in mind the primary obligation which falls on the diocese which he served.

8. CIC, Can. 382, 2:

A person who is promoted to the episcopate cannot become involved in the exercise of the office entrusted to him before he has taken canonical possession of the diocese. However, he is able to exercise offices which he already held in the same diocese at the time of his promotion, without prejudice to can. 409 §2

9.  CIC, 382, 2:

Unless he is lawfully impeded, one who is not already consecrated a Bishop and is now promoted to the office of diocesan Bishop, must take canonical possession of his diocese within four months of receiving the apostolic letters. If he is already consecrated, he must take possession within two months of receiving the apostolic letters.

10. CIC, Can. 382,3:

A Bishop takes canonical possession of his diocese when, personally or by proxy, he shows the apostolic letters to the college of consultors, in the presence of the chancellor of the curia, who makes a record of the fact. This must take place within the diocese. In dioceses which are newly established he takes possession when he communicates the same letters to the clergy and the people in the cathedral church, with the senior of the priests present making a record of the fact.

11. CIC, Can. 382,4:

It is strongly recommended that the taking of canonical possession be performed with a liturgical act in the cathedral church, in the presence of the clergy and the people .