Museum for Cardinal Sin to open in Aklan

MANILA, Philippines —  A museum featuring the life of the late Manila archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin will open in his hometown in Aklan province.

The “Museo Kardinal” in New Washington town, where Sin was born, will open on Sept. 1 – a day after what would have been his 96th birthday today, according to an article posted on the website of the news service of the Vatican.

The museum used to be the house of Sin’s family from 1974 to 2003. According to the article, it is the first ecclesiastical museum in Western Visayas that will showcase the life and legacy of Cardinal Sin, who played a key role during the 1986 people power revolution.

It would display personal belongings of Sin, preserved by the Serviam Foundation, as well as memorabilia kept by his former personal secretary Fr. Rufino Sescon Jr., current rector of the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno or the Quiapo church.

Fr. Justy More, project coordinator and chair of Kalibo’s Historical Research and Cultural Council, said the Museo Kardinal was presented during the plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in July and is part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Diocese of Kalibo.

New Washington Mayor Jessica Panambo said the municipal government “plans to open the museum to the public, especially the youth so that they would learn all the good things about the good Cardinal.’”

Born on Aug. 31, 1928, Cardinal Sin had called on the crowds to gather at EDSA during the 1986 revolt that ended the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

Sin again played a key role during “EDSA Dos” in 2001, which removed Joseph Estrada from the presidency.