It is with heavy hearts that the Thomasian community received the news of the passing of His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, D.D., SThD (hons.), a 1985 honoris causa recipient of the degree Doctor of Sacred Theology of UST.
Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu for 29 years (1982 – 2011), was born in Mogpog, Marinduque to Fructuoso Vidal and Natividad Jamin on February 6, 1931. After completing his basic education in Marinduque and Quezon, he transferred to the St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Lipa City. In 1952, he entered the San Carlos Major Seminary, and was ordained four years later, on March 17, 1956.
His entry into the episcopacy was on September 23, 1971, as co-adjutor Bishop of Malolos, Bulacan; followed by his appointed as Archbishop of Lipa, Batangas on August 26, 1973. On September 18, 1982, he was installed as Archbishop of Cebu, where he served until his retirement in 2011.
On May 25, 1985, he was elevated by Saint Pope John Paul II to the College of Cardinals, in solemn ceremonies at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
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