Progressive priest Rev. Fr. Joe Dizon passed away

By Belarmino Dabalos Saguing
Rome, Italy 04/11/2013

Rev. Father Jose "Joe" P. Dizon, the activisat priest

Rev. Fr. Jose "Joe" P. Dizon, dubbed as the activist priest, died the morning of November 4, 2013 at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), Quezon City. 

Fr. Joe was taken to NKTI on Tuesday last week for infected foot wound. He was also a diabetic patient under insulin medication for more than 20 years. He developed pneumonia and suffered kidney complications. He was undergoing a dialysis when he sucffered a cardiac attack and entered into comma before he died.

On October 22, he was also rushed to the NKTI when he collapsed for a brief period after celebrating Mass with Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle and Imus bishop Reynaldo Evangelista in Rosario, Cavite in celebration of his 40th year of priesthood.

Fr. Jose headed the Basic Christian Community-Community Organizing, a Catholic Church program in the ’60s, was a staunch critic of Marcos’ martial law. He was also one of the convenors of the Solidarity Philippines and Clergy Discernment Group, an organization of priests and nuns for the advancement of the Church’s social justice agenda, and headedf the poll watchdog Kontra Daya. 

Recently he helped organize protests against the pork barrel. If President Benigno Aquino III won’t heed to the call to abolish the pork barrel system, history may repeat itself and people may, once again, stand up together to call for his removal from the office, warned on Friday, September 13, 2013.

The board of trustees of the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER) said, “He (Dizon) offered 40 years in service of workers & poor."

We bid you farewell, Fr. Joe, Dizon, a great priest and a great man,  may you rest in peace!