While I was at DepEd, I had the opportunity to work on intermittent basis with the Cardinal. Early in the 1980s he task the group of Mons. Fred Kreekienvic (and myself) to embark on a province-wide spiritual renewal program for teachers.
For three years, the Monsignor's team crisscrossed the length and breadth of the province bringing the word of God to the mentors, inspiring them and guiding them to become better Christians. In this venture more than ten thousand teachers underwent a series of religious lectures, prayer sessions, recollection and fellowships. Healings both physical and spiritual were experienced by the participants. New insights on their faith were gained and behavioral transformation occurred. For example, teachers who for years had not been on friendly terms were reconciled. Couples who had been estranged regained mutual respects and affection. Most important, the number of interpersonal disputes was radically reduced.
Aware of the proliferation of the so-called covenanted charismatic communities (e.g. Bukas Loob sa Dios, El Shaddai, Swords and Fire, Couples for Christ, Adelfos, etc.) the Cardinal organized in 1995 a core group of lay leaders who would meet weekly at the Palacio. In many of the meetings the Cardinal would be present not as a presiding person but as an observer. Always careful not to influence the thinking of the group toward his views, he would limit his reactions to just a word or two. He was never heard to have uttered a judgmental comment, preferring to let the discussants come up with their own decisions.
At one time a priest spoke lengthily about a certain project. After he was through, the Cardinal calmly commented that he was interested in what the lay leaders had in mind, not the opinion of a priest. We are here to guide them not to decide for them, to inspire them, not to require them, he added.
On one occasion the members of the Little Angels community including myself went to see the Cardinal in his office. When we came in he stood up and, smiling, greeted each one of us like long lost cousins. He then prayed over the group, blessed them one by one, and told them how much he appreciated their spiritual program for the youth.
The youth have always had a soft spot in the Cardinal's heart. Youth oriented projects always have an appeal to him. That was why in 1998 when DepEd organized an Advent Vigil Cebu's highest prelate was enthusiastic. It was a whole-night affair of lectures, prayers, songs, reflection and confession, culminating in a Eucharistic celebration. The Mass was scheduled at 04:30 dawn, but the Cardinal, despite ill-health, came to celebrate it. And so in the midst of an awakening day, eight thousand young people listened to the Cardinal's homily, praising God for the gift of the youth's presence, and thanking them for their openness to God's ways.
After the Mass and a chocolate-and-puto merienda, he told the DepEd organizers: "People in Manila were asking, why are we not doing what Cebu is doing? Let's have this every year".
For love of the youth, the Cardinal has been pushing for the expansion and strengthening of the campus ministry program in schools. He has mobilized the energy of young priests and lay faithfuls toward this end. Bringing the word of God in schools to complement secular learning with spiritual seasoning is the objective. For the same objective, he gathers every year thousands of Catholic youth in what he calls a jamboree of souls, and there in an affair of fellowship and spiritual fervor they plot their moves in bringing other young people closer to God. Through the campus ministry the Cardinal is optimistic that with young people guided in the ways of goodness, chastity and charity, a new generation of committed Christians will emerge in Cebu.
As he marks his 75th birth anniversary, talks of his retirement are heard. Cebuano Catholics are worried. They are praying hard for his health and continued ministry. For a quarter of a century they have learned to love this Servant of God whose selflessness and sacrifices have been the hallmark of his work among them.