Sainthood process for Ilocano bishop starts

VIGAN CITY, Philippines – The Catholic clergy here is hopeful that the country is on the road to have its third saint and he would come from this northern city.

Msgr. Vicente Avila, parish priest of the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral, announced that the long process for the canonization of the late Bishop Alfredo Versoza starts today.

The first step in the process includes the celebration of a Mass at the cathedral to be attended by the country’s cardinals, bishops, various religious groups and lay leaders.

A delegation from Batangas where Versoza served as bishop of Lipa is expected to join the Mass.

In 1946, rose petals fell before Versoza while he was at the garden of the Carmelite monastery in Lipa which he considered as a miracle, church records show.

The late bishop hailed from Vigan and belonged to the land-owning Versoza clan. 

City Councilor Benjo Versoza, a relative of the bishop, said his family earlier had petitioned the Holy See to look into the Lipa church leader’s deeds and assess if he could be canonized.

He said his family realizes that it takes a long time for the Vatican to evaluate would-be saints, adding though that they are happy to see the process start.

Enlarged photos of Bishop Versoza are posted along the highway leading to this city, announcing the Church move for his sainthood.

If canonized, Versoza would join Filipino saints Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod, who were both lay workers. – With Raymund Catindig