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Cardinal Sin with Pope John Paul II

"Welcome to the house of Sin."

It was one of his best jokes, among many told by Cardinal Jaime Sin, who enjoyed tremendous popularity in his native Philippines throughout his life.

With his death in Manila on June 21, 2005 Cardinal Sin was remembered in news accounts around the world not only for his wisecracks, but as one of the most politically influential cardinals of his generation.

It was Sin's relentless criticism of Ferdinand Marcos and wife Imelda Marcos and support of Corazon Aquino that finally brought about the Marcos' downfall in 1986.

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It was in February of that year that the popular cardinal led Manila's Roman Catholics in a mass outpouring of "People Power" that ultimately helped shield anti-government rebels from attack.

And the powerful Marcos regime - plagued for two decades by countless charges of fraud and corruption - was no more.

By sheer moral authority, Sin had almost single-handedly brought about the demise of the powerful government which had ruled the Philippines since the 1960's.

Jaime Cardinal Sin

Born August 31, 1928 into a deeply religious family in the Aklan province, Jaime Sin was ordained a priest in his mid-20's and rose through the ranks to bishop, archbishop and, in 1976, cardinal of Manila.

Sin used his pulpit and influence to slowly chip away at the Marcos regime, although being careful to avoid outright condemnation during his early tenure as cardinal. But millions of Filipinos knew what and who he was referring to in his sermons denouncing inequality and government corruption.

Following Marco's ouster, Sin continued to involve himself in government, and hoped to guide it through the fragile transition between the former regime and the one being built by Cory Aquino.

In 2001, he was again influential.in the impeachment of an Aquino successor, Joseph Estrada, in yet another government corruption scandal.

Cardinal Sin retired on September 15, 2003 and said in a statement at the time, "As I enter a new chapter in my twilight years, I can say with gratitude that I have given my very best to God and country. I beg pardon from those I might have led astray or hurt. Please remember me kindly."

Following the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005, Cardinal Sin expressed a desire to to attend the papal conclave that eventually elected Pope Pope Benedict XVI. However, illness brought about by progressive heart and kidney problems prevented him from traveling to Rome.

The 76-year old Sin died of renal failure in a Manila hospital on June 21, 2005. Funeral services were announced taking place at Manila Cathedral.

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