Philippines Archdiocese Opens Sainthood Cause for its First Bishop

The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in the northern Philippines has formally launched the sainthood process for its first-ever bishop, known for his wisdom and holy life.

Archbishop Socrates Villegas led the opening of the diocesan process of the cause of canonization of Servant of God Cesar Maria Guerrero at the Saint John the Evangelist Cathedral on March 27, his 65th death anniversary.

He also presided over the establishment of the archdiocesan tribunal and the appointment of its working committee, which will oversee the entire ecclesiastical process.

In his homily, Archbishop Villegas reflected how Bishop Guerrero’s life “rises like a beacon” in today’s world clamoring with fleeting street-smartness and the Church’s yearning for true renewal.

“To be wise is to choose truth, not falsehood. To be wise is to be humble, not vulgar and rude. To be wise is to be respectful, not to mock God and praise lawbreakers. We need Bishop Guerrero for our times,” he said.

The archbishop underlined how Bishop Guerrero’s fervent love of the Blessed Virgin Mary allowed him to fight the rise of communism in the Philippines during the 1950s “through processions, prayers, and Marian consecrations.”

“He saw as God sees: social change blooms not from weapons fire, but from heaven's dew. He judged as God judges: evil yields to intercession's quiet might. He acted as God acts: unleashing Mary's power for justice, turning despair into dawn,” said the prelate.

Furthermore, Archbishop Villegas lauded Bishop Guerrero’s efforts to reform seminary formation to usher in a Church renewal that begins with holy priests.

“In an era when shadows of sin lurked even in sacristies and conventos, Bishop Guerrero plunged into reform, demanding vocations sifted like wheat, mature in mind, fervent in prayer, committed to celibacy's chaste fire,” he said.

Archbishop Villegas invites everyone to emulate the life of this Servant of God by quelling inner rebellions of ego and envy, supporting seminaries with vigilance and love, and offering vigils “against corruption’s creep.”

Bishop Guerrero was born in Manila on January 26, 1885. He was appointed as the first bishop of Lingayen in 1929 and led the foundation of the Mary Help of Christians Seminary.

He later served as an auxiliary bishop of Manila and the first bishop of San Fernando in Pampanga, where he retired and was buried after dying of a heart attack on March 27, 1961.

Even though Bishop Guerrero died within a diocese that borders Manila, the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan has acquired the permission of Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula to open his cause for canonization.