VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur—The youngest priest in Northern Philippine diocese launched a book on the life and legacy of the first—but forgotten—Ilocano bishop, Bishop Alfredo Versoza y Florentin on the bishop’s 53rd death anniversary. Ask any Ilocano Catholic about the first native bishop, and chances are he will end up thinking very hard and still would wind up guessing, said the author of book, Fr. Ericson M. Josue of the Diocese of Laoag who pointed out that “It is strange for the Ilocano who is known to have a strong sense of history to be ignorant of such a significant person as his first native bishop.” To discover and document the life of the first Ilocano bishop for people today and for future generations so they could be proud and own him as their own ancestor, the book discloses the heroic virtues and priceless legacy of a forgotten bishop, who was silenced by his superiors due to his belief in the alleged apparition of the Virgin Mary and the shower of petals from the sky with the image of Jesus at the Carmel in Lipa City, Batangas. Historical records show that Bishop Versoza was the first Filipino bishop of Lipa from 1916-1951, and was also the longest minister of God’s grace to a century-old local church founded in 1910. Despite being humiliated as a result of his removal from his pastoral duties as local ordinary, he obeyed without any complaint and kept his silence on the miracle issue. “Why are they doing this to me? No matter, let us bow to the will of the Church,” remarked Bishop Versoza as he went back to his hometown of Vigan, Ilocos Sur after his retirement but he never surrendered his faith and was sustained by his prayers to the end,” related Father Josue in his book, which was launched at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Paul the Apostle in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur on June 27. “May we be guided by the holy life of Bishop Versoza,” said Father Josue as he narrated that when he started his seminary formation at the Immaculate Conception Orientation Seminary while on a visit to the Cathedral crypt Vigan, his attention was caught by the tombstone of a bishop which bore a title different from the common “Dignisimo Obispo de Nueva Segovia” (Most Worthy Bishop of Nueva Segovia). Above the crypt of the great Archbishop Santiago Sancho, first Filipino bishop and first Metropolitan Archbishop of Nueva Segovia, was another bishop’s crypt marked thus: “Obispo Titular de Capsa, Obispo Dismisionario de Lipa (Titular Bishop of Capsa, Resigned Bishop of Lipa), which led the author to wonder and ask why a bishop from another diocese, so distant from Vigan, was interred at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Nueva Segovia. This roused Father Josue’s interest that he went on a quest to know more about the story of the resigned bishop of Lipa. Hundreds of the religious, mostly seminarians, priests and nuns from the Missionary Catechists of the Sacred Heart founded by Bishop Versoza in Lipa, as well as some local officials and relatives attended the mass to commemorate his 53rd death anniversary and the launching of the boom about his life and legacy. The late bishop was known for his extraordinary obedience, simplicity and piety. Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles of Lipa said Bishop Versoza had left a very wonderful message of God, saying: “We really have to be very close to the Holy Mother in order to enter into the heart of God.” “It is a great blessing for us in Lipa that the first Ilocano bishop also became the first Filipino bishop in Lipa wherein we will be celebrating our centenary. We realize that while the good bishop had died so silently here and [was] buried here, he has a lot message to tell us. A message that brings us closer to our Holy Mother and to God. I think that it is worthwhile listening by searching his life, how he lived his life, how he suffered so many trials even to the extent of suffering within the church and yet continuing his loyalty to the Church and to God,” Bishop Arguelles related. Auxiliary Bishop-Emeritus of Lipa, Salvador Quizon, who was ordained by Bishop Versoza during his time, testified on how the people of Lipa loved him because they saw him in the real image of an apostle, a shepherd, a father, a brother and a servant of God. Quizon also recalled that Bishop Versoza’s commitment was to uplift the life of thousands of people of Lipa and his was a message of love and hope, especially for the poor. Also in attendance during the said event was Ilocos Sur Vice Governor Jeremias Singson, who revealed that it was only during the launching of the book did he known of the bishop from their hometown in Vigan and who is also his ancestor. Singson expressed support to the Church as he noted that the message of love and hope of their very own bishop would further strengthen the faith of his constituents in the province of Ilocos Sur. The 231-page book is published by the Missionary Catechists of the Sacred Heart, an institute of consecrated life for women founded by Bishop Versoza in 1923. Leilanie G. Adriano
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