Push Admin

Statue of first Filipino saint Lorenzo Ruiz enthroned at St. Patrick's Cathedral

Article (news)

Don Tagala | TFC News New York

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A0DiVGWSfBM?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>Hundreds of Filipino priests from across the United States came to New York on Oct. 25 for a Pontifical High Mass on the enthronement of St. Lorenzo Ruiz at the St. Patrick&#x27;s Cathedral.The statue of the first Filipino saint was donated by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin to Filipinos in New York.It was permanently enthroned at the cathedral beside St. Rose of Lima, the patron saint of the Philippines.&quot;It’s a moment of great joy for me and all the devotees,&quot; said Fr. Erno Diaz, chairman of the San Lorenzo Ruiz Global Ministry. &quot;I hope that all Filipinos will be proud that San Lorenzo is here.&quot;Lorenzo Ruiz was among the missionaries martyred for defending their Catholic faith while in Japan in 1637.He was beatified by then-Pope John Paul II in his first visit to the Philippines in 1981, and was later on elevated to sainthood in 1987.Diaz said the enthronement of the statue of Lorenzo Ruiz is personal to him.&quot;It was Cardinal Sin who inspired me,&quot; said Diaz. &quot;He told me, if you are coming back to America, please promote San Lorenzo Ruiz there, so I established the Blessed San Lorenzo Movement.&quot;It was the esteemed former Philippine ambassador Antonio Cabangon Chua who gave the three-foot bronze statue of the image of San Lorenzo Ruiz to Cardinal Sin.Chua&#x27;s brother, Maning Cabangon Chua, said their prayer is for peace in the Philippines and in the world.Among the priests in attendance was Fr. Gerry Paderon of Metuchen in New Jersey. He said Lorenzo Ruiz, being a layman, is also known as the patron saint of Overseas Filipino Workers and immigrants.He also considers him as an accidental saint.&quot;Everybody can be a saint,&quot; said Paderon. &quot;He [Lorenzo Ruiz] was supposed to go to Taiwan [but instead] they went to Japan. He was an accidental part of that missionary group and everything happened.&quot;Paderon said the Filipino saint&#x27;s popular words are now forever etched in the minds of devotees.&quot;We know his famous words,&quot; he added. &quot;&#x27;I’m a Christian and if I have a thousand lives, I will give it all to God!&#x27;”

The statue was enthroned at the cathedral beside St. Rose of Lima, the patron saint of the Philippines.