Friday, July 14, 2006

press statement

“On the Burning Issues”

When the CBCP gathered in conference to discuss their Pastoral Letter, especially on the “burning issues,” the hottest of which was about the impeachment, the bishops knew that their guidance would not sit well with all sectors. But they must proclaim the message “whether favorable or unfavorable…to itching ears” (2Tim. 4, 2-3). The Pastoral Letter needs to be read in its entirety especially the paragraphs on the hottest issue. When we were discussing the issue of the impeachment, the bishops were concerned with proclaiming a message which would serve the country best according to the light of their discernment, prayer and discussion.

Tough problems can be solved neither by force nor by the force of number nor by offering just one solution as if that were the only solution. Tough problems are a challenge for all parties—pro, con, and center—to think, talk and act together, to see new realities and create meaningful change. Each party or sector holds in part the solution to tough problems.

The Pastoral Letter “Shepherding and Prophesying in Hope” is meant to give some guidance to the lay faithful on the subject of social issues and on the burning issues. How this guidance is to be followed or put into effect is beyond the intention of the Letter. Whatever each individual or group decides to do, by God, do it well and don’t sacrifice the common good.

On the question of envelopes or gifts allegedly being distributed and of dinners offered by Malacañang to some bishops, since these were privately done, there was no consensus among the bishops whether to accept or not, whether to go for the dinner or not. Each bishop was completely free.

Truth to tell, the bishops did not have any knowledge of the alleged plan of Malacañang to use these gifts or envelops for political ends. It was only later that they realized the implication of the offer. Some, we know, returned their envelopes.

The bishops were told that the envelopes were for the poor. But how must the poor be help institutionally? On the one hand, bishops with the limited resources of their dioceses are already trying to respond to the needs of the poor, v.g., through their social action programs. On the other hand, must not the government use better its powerful institutions to help the poor? If the powerful institutions are not effective and efficient in the work of poverty alleviation, the question that must be asked is “WHY?” But must it be channeled to the bishops at this time?

+Angel N. Lagdameo
Archbishop of Jaro
CBCP President
July 14, 2006

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Your Excellency,

The arrogance of the catholic church in the Philippines continue to astound me. I read in a news report one of your bishops' cynical comment on the "envelope" incident: "May galit, may disappointed, may OK lang (ang reaction). Give it a week or two and it will be back to normal."

Only in the Philippines, bastion of the largest catholic population in Asia, do I see, time and again various leaders of the catholic hierarchy play God by dabbling into politics, "annointing" chosen leaders that continue to lead the Filipinos to perdition.

Back to normal after a week or two? Does the CBCP know what normal is? For too long the church and the government have been using the poor to justify their own greed. This incident of enveloped monies and victory dinners, is just too much.

When will the catholic church of the Philippines stop playing God, and instead lead its flock in searching and creating a true and lasting relationship with God?

Only when I left the Philippines to work in Singapore that I found the true essence of the catholic church. Because here, the church's concern is truly for the spiritual nourishment of its flock. There are no pontificating, annointing of politicians, no victory dinners, no pastoral letters that lead to nowhere — only prayers and spiritual enlightenment. And if a leader of the church commits an immoral act, he is made accountable not only to the church, but also to the community...something which I have not seen done in the Philippines since the time of Padre Damaso.

If CBCP thinks that in a week or two, their moral ascendency would be back to normal, I think they are asking for a miracle that they do not deserve.

CBCP should acknowledge its mistake, and rectify it, by apologising to all the faithful followers of the catholic church in the Philippines.

May God have mercy on us all.