The Sin I Knew (not what you think!)

About the Book

“The Sin I Knew” (not what you think) is a humble spin-off from several books of the same genre already in the shelves of bookstores and libraries. “Sin Stories,” “The Colorful Life of Cardinal Sin,” and “Cardinal Sin of Manila” are among them. I venture to say that more books will be written by people who worked with Cardinal Sin, by those who listened to his homilies and talks, and by the adoring public including the future biographers of this extraordinary man of God. I sometimes think that my little book will be but a footnote to the lore of books, articles, and other literature on Cardinal Sin, present and future. Nevertheless, as a life long protege of the Cardinal, I want to share what I knew about him—my personal insights and the memorable incidents and situations that may in the distant future be significant historical readings for historians like his secret meeting with President Reagan in 1984 in New York that I kind of helped broker.

About the Author

Father Erno Diaz is presently the Administrator of the Church of the Guardian Angel in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. He has earned the distinction of being the first Filipino pastor in the Archdiocese of New York when he was appointed to St. Malachy’s Church, The Actors’Chapel, New York City in 2001. He was the founding director of the Philippine Pastoral Center from 1999 to 2005 and then of the Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz from 2005 to 2009, both in Manhattan. He was the first Filipino Apostolate Coordinator of the Archdiocese of New York (1995-2008) and also of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey (1985-1990). Father Diaz founded the Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz Movement in 1982 and became its director until 2009. In New York, he served as administrator of St. Margaret Mary’s Church in Staten Island and parochial vicar of the Churches of St. Peter, Epiphany, St. Thomas More, St. Joseph of Yorkville ; Assumption in Tuckahoe; Our Lady of Lourdes in West Islip. In 1998 Cardinal John O’Connor incardinated him to the Archdiocese of New York. Father Erno entered St. Pius X Minor Seminary where he studied under Cardinal Jaime Sin, then rector of the seminary. He obtained Philosophy and Theology degrees in the Central Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. In 1969 he was ordained to the priesthood. After his ordination, he taught philosophy in St. Pius X Seminary, Capiz, Philippines. As a theology student, he was editor of Benavides, ecclesiastical journal of Central Seminary, University of Santo Tomas, 1966-68. He has written six books, namely: San Lorenzo Ruiz, Patron Saint of Filipino Immigrants (1993) ,On the Road with San Lorenzo (2005), San Lorenzo Ruiz: His Footprints in New York (2010), A Filipino Priest’s New York Diaries (2011), San Lorenzo Ruiz and Filipinos in Diaspora (2012) and San Lorenzo’s Impresario (2012). Father Erno enjoys Broadway, writing and traveling. He loves to produce cultural shows and concerts, having produced in 1993 a televised musical tribute to Cardinal Sin on his 25th episcopal jubilee at Paco Park, Manila, entitled Canticorum Jubilum.