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"Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan an outspoken advocated against corruption who died of COVID-19 related complications was cremated and his remains laid to rest on Aug. 28 at St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in his former diocese. He was 85. He was a saint who rallied with us and joined us in picket lines against illegal gambling and prostitution championing social justice and the rights of women  his successor Archbishop Socrates Villegas said at the funeral Mass. &nbsp  He was angry because he was in love  Archbishop Villegas said. He was angry because he loved the world and the Church. He was angry at the way things were. It was not an anger that bred revenge and bloodthirst. It was an anger that was coming from a deep craving for something better for the Church something more beautiful for society. It was an anger born from hope. Pope Francis also extended his condolences through a letter from Vatican s secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin. That letter was read during Mass.&nbsp  His holiness joins you in giving thanks to the almighty God for the late archbishop&rsquo s many years of episcopal ministry and his forthright witness to the gospel and in commending his soul to the loving mercy of Christ the Good Shepherd  the letter said.&nbsp  To all who mourn his passing in the sure hope of the resurrection the holy father cordially imparts his apostolic blessing as a pledge of consolation and strength in the Risen Lord. &nbsp Due to&nbsp COVID-19 restrictions only a few people were allowed to attend the funeral including several bishops priests and family of the late archbishop.&nbsp Archbishop Cruz who was also a canon lawyer was known for calling out sitting presidents and campaigning against gambling especially jueteng. He was the former head of the Nation s Crusade Against&nbsp Jueteng&nbsp organization.&nbsp Jueteng&nbsp is a numbers game where a player picks a combination of numbers from 1 to 37 and can bet in amounts ranging from US$.01 to US$100. It involves thousands of people betting and millions of pesos each month. People in the Philippines compare&nbsp jueteng&nbsp and the gangs behind it to the number rackets and the Mafia in the United States.&nbsp Cruz was born in 1934 in&nbsp Bataan&nbsp Province a poor area west of Manila. He was ordained in 1962 and also often spoke in favor of land reforms.&nbsp &nbsp However he made getting rid of the illegal numbers game a mission in his life.The archbishop who died at a Manila hospital August 26 served as archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan from 1991 to 2009. Before that he was auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Manila and seen as a prot&eacute g&eacute  of the late Cardinal Jaime Sin. Archbishop Cruz also served as archbishop of San Fernando.&nbsp Archbishop Cruz was a two-term former president of the Catholic Bishops&rsquo  Conference of the Philippines. He was also president of the Federation of Asian Bishops&rsquo  Conferences.Senator Francis Pangilinan described the archbishop as an  activist who fought against corruption and other wrongs of society not just from the pulpit but on the streets with the people   The New York Times reported.&nbsp   Archbishop Cruz was a humble servant who lived out what he preached &mdash  justice equality and compassion for the needy   he added."
<https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/covid-19-kills-retired-archbishop-in-the-philippines/12928>