Cardinal Sin honored in UN

Representatives of governments and religious organizations worldwide paid tribute to former Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin during a United Nations conference on interfaith cooperation yesterday.

"He should serve as an inspiration on the positive role religions could play in attaining world peace and harmony," praised imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, one of the United States’ most influential Muslim clerics, who led over 200 participants in paying tribute to Sin.

Feisal, founder and chairman of the American Society for Muslim Advancement, extended his condolences to the Filipino people through Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Romulo chairs the conference, which was initiated by the Philippines to help promote world peace in the wake of the US-led war on terrorism.

Feisal cited Sin’s role in the peaceful popular uprisings that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos and the scandal-tainted Joseph Estrada in 1986 and 2001 respectively.

However, sharp political divisions in Filipino society remained. One of Sin’s dreams was for Filipinos to one day set aside differences and unite as a nation.

Sin’s former personal secretary and spokesman, Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas, said Sin’s death might achieve what he could not do in life.

Villegas served Sin for 18 years first as his personal secretary and later as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Manila.

Villegas said "there is always hope" that Sin’s death could unite Filipinos. "But that does not depend on the Cardinal anymore. That depends on all of us. If we use his death positively to move together, and if that happens, then his death will become a blessing for all of us."

Fresh allegations of cheating in last year’s presidential election and bribery accusations against President Arroyo’s husband, son and brother-in-law have recently intensified the bickering between Malacañang and the political opposition allied with Estrada.

If Filipinos put others first instead of themselves, Villegas said, the wrenching poverty in the country as well as other problems could finally be solved. "If you give him a towel or a pillow case, he would give these away to the poor."

Villegas added that contrary to critics’ perception that Sin was at times a meddler in politics, Sin was "always hesitant in his involvement with politics."

"It was not a joy for him and it was not something that he was raring to get involved with. He brought matters to prayer and that is why his positions on corruption and politics were always blessed by the Lord," he said.

"The Cardinal’s involvement in politics goes beyond political tactics. It is grounded in prayer and discernment. And because of this, it has power. If he was just an ordinary political tactician, I am sure he would have failed." — With Mike Frialde