Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Manny Pangilinan, and 7 Others Conferred Highest Papal Award
Nine lay Catholics were honored with the highest papal awards in a special celebration held at the Manila Cathedral Wednesday afternoon.
Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila bestowed the Cross Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice upon Fernando Zobel de Ayala of Ayala Corporation, Arnulfo Veridico of Caritas Manila, Manuel Pangilinan of Metro Pacific Investment Corporation, Ramon del Rosario, Jr. of PHINMA Corporation, and Maria Gonzalez Goolsby of Unionbank. Ayala Corp, Metro Pacific Investment Corp., and PHINMA are part of the board of trustees of Caritas Manila. Similarly, UnionBank’s Goolsby and Veridico are long-time supporters of the archdiocese’s social action arm.
The same recognition, the highest papal award for laity, was likewise conferred upon Roselina Quismundo, Elmer Sy, Tomasita Lim, and Corazon Rodriguez from the Parish and Archdiocesan Shrine of Saint Joseph in Manila’s Sta. Cruz district.
In his homily, the Cardinal expressed his hope that their example would encourage others to pursue a journey of love and service. He paid tribute to the awardees for being the archdiocese’s “long time partners in the mission and collaborators in evangelization”.
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The cardinal, however, said that the award does not mean that they can retire from the services they provide. On the contrary, he said it means that they must continue the work they have done “and do even more.”
“You are sent to look for many opportunities to do good for others and to make more of our brothers and sisters feel God’s care, compassion, healing and love through you,” Advincula said.
He also encouraged the lay faithful to emulate Jesus “who does good to anyone in need anytime and anywhere.”
“Like them, the Lord also invites each one of us, unworthy as we are, to be His hands that serve and care, His feet that run to attend to those in need, His mouth that proclaims his Good News, and His heart that beats compassion and love,” the cardinal said.
In a thank you message shared to Esquire us by the office of Pangilinan, he said that thru the papal award, "His Holiness has again reminded us of God’s call to work with greater compassion, solidarity, and service to our people."
He furthered, "I was taught to become a man for others—and it is in that relationship that we find God’s grace in the mission he mandates each of us. For the man who lives only in self-interest provides nothing for others—denying to those lower than himself, the opportunity and the means for improvement, for better welfare. After all, why are we in this world if not for the service of mankind?"
The Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal, first issued in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII, features a gold Greek cross with the images of apostles Peter and Paul and the name of the reigning pope in Latin.
