Hundreds of Catholics gathered Saturday in Vigan to mark the 72nd death anniversary of Servant of God Alfredo Verzosa, as a retired archbishop urged the faithful to pray for the swift advancement of his sainthood cause.
During a Mass at the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle Metropolitan Cathedral, Nueva Segovia Archbishop Emeritus Ernesto Salgado called on the faithful to pray that Verzosa’s beatification and canonization be speedily brought to completion.
In his homily, Salgado said one of Verzosa’s defining virtues was his unwavering obedience to God’s will, drawing a parallel with Jesus Christ’s faithful acceptance of suffering and death.
Born in Vigan in 1877, Verzosa became the first priest ordained for the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia after the Spanish colonial rule in 1904.
He is remembered for defending the Roman Catholic Church in the Ilocos region during the schism led by fellow Vigan native Isabelo de los Reyes and Ilocano priest Gregorio Aglipay.
Historical accounts say Verzosa endured persecution while carrying out his ministry. In Ilocos Norte, he was struck in the chest by a stone while preaching. In Bantay, he narrowly escaped injury after a spear was hurled at him by a schismatic attempting to stop his barrio mission.
Appointed bishop of Lipa in 1916, Verzosa shepherded the diocese for 33 years, overseeing what were then the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Tayabas (now Quezon), Mindoro and Marinduque.
Despite the size of the diocese, he traveled extensively by horseback and boat to visit parishes. He pushed the establishment of schools and catechetical centers to strengthen the faith and reach those who had grown distant from the Church.
In 1923, Verzosa founded the Missionary Catechists of the Sacred Heart (MCSH), the first religious congregation for women established by a Filipino diocesan bishop. His ministry was marked by hardship, which he endured with steadfast faith and perseverance.
The Mass was attended by a delegation of the MCSH from Lipa, along with devotees from Batangas, Manila and the Ilocos region.