CBCP: Touching on politics not against Christ’s teaching

Priests who speak out on political issues are not necessarily violating the teachings of Jesus Christ, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said yesterday.

CBCP president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Jaro, Iloilo said that while the Church is against theocracy, or politics based on the dictates of faith, it would never allow a government that is "blind to moral values."

"We bishops in the Philippines live in a period of our nation’s history that we will be shaking to the roots. Differences in opinion will surface, variations in perspectives of the situation will arise, and sadly, seeds of divisions might even be thrown in our midst purposely to divide us," he said.

Lagdameo also said bishops should "speak our minds, and like the 12 apostles, continue to share even our diversities, distinctions and differences, and argue our points passionately like Peter and Paul, if we must."

He believes that by following the ways of Christ’s disciples, the country’s bishops "will generate a spiritual life force that can galvanize unity and forge healing in the Philippine Church that badly needs it."

The CBCP issued a pastoral statement last Jan. 29 at the conclusion of a three-day retreat at the Pope Pius Catholic Center in Ermita, Manila calling on the government to "relentlessly pursue the search for truth" behind issues facing the country, including allegations of poll fraud against President Arroyo in the 2004 election.

In the same four-page statement, the bishops also reiterated their stance against Charter change and the postponement of next year’s mid-term elections.

Lagdameo said the bishops were properly reminded of the Church’s role at the beginning of their plenary assembly.

"Given the seriousness of the political crisis we are still facing, coupled with moral and economic crisis, we have reminded ourselves about the temptation of trespassing the autonomous region of politics," Lagdameo said in his opening remarks at the meeting.

He pointed out that "even Pope Benedict XVI warned against ‘theologizing of politics which would welcome the ideologizing of faith.’"

"Politics cannot be deduced from faith, but from reason, and the distinction between the sphere of politics and the sphere of faith, belongs to the very central tradition of Christianity we find in the words of Christ: ‘Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God,’" Lagdameo said, quoting the Pope.

He said the motivation of the bishops for the plenary assembly was "to blow the embers of moral, economic and social and political renewal or transformation that are starting to become a fire in the hearts of the Filipino people."

"Our sphere of influence and activity may be limited, but we are not alone. Our 85 archdioceses and dioceses can become centers with power for national renewal. The call to communion and collegiality, which as bishops we have heard can become a call to radically renew and heal our land," Lagdameo added.

But this collegiality of bishops on the statement of last Jan. 29 could be in question, especially after another CBCP official revealed that some bishops were not completely supportive of the pastoral letter.

CBCP vice president Archbishop Antonio Ledesma told The STAR that the statement "reflected the opinion of the majority of bishops" but not of all the CBCP’s members.

"Some wanted a stronger statement while some wanted a more balanced one. We deliberated on it and had three or four revisions before we came out with the final statement," Ledesma said in an interview.

Last July 10, the CBCP in its pastoral statement declined to support calls for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation and instead endorsed "peaceful and constitutional means" to find the truth behind allegations against her of cheating, lying and stealing.

The CBCP’s statement last Sunday was perceived to be "clearer" than the one it issued last year, when demands for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation were at their peak.

Lagdameo told reporters during a press conference that the recent statement was a "criticism (of) the present administration."

"We have all observed the failure of political processes to make public servants accountable for wrongdoing. What we have seen instead are acts of evasion and obstruction of the truth, as in the case of the wiretapping and Garcillano tapes controversy," the bishops said in the statement.

Prior to the plenary assembly, various sectors had encouraged the bishops to avoid political issues and deal with more pressing concerns of the Church, such as the supposed drop in attendance of the faithful during Masses.

Even visiting American evangelist Franklin Graham believes that ministers of the Church can preach the Gospel without the need to touch on political matters.

Graham clarified, however, that the Church could involve itself with political issues in as far as legislative proposals concerning the family and life are concerned.

FVR: RP in good hands

Meanwhile, former President Fidel Ramos, in a press conference held before leaving for Bangladesh where he will give a keynote address to a business and educational forum, expressed his belief that he will be leaving behind a stable Philippines.

"The country is in good hands," he said.

Ramos also expressed his satisfaction with the pace of moves to effect Charter change and a shift from the current presidential form of government to a parliamentary system, despite delays in Congress.

"The timeline that I suggested last July 8, of course, was just a projection or a forecast assuming best conditions because nobody can foretell anything that well or 100 percent or even 95 percent," he said.

Ramos said the delays were caused by moves to impeach the President and to insert a "no-election" clause in the proposed Charter change initiative.

"What we are seeing are the realities of Philippine political life," he said.

Ramos said the people should be assured by Speaker Jose de Venecia’s pledge that by June 30 this year, the amendments to the Constitution, especially the shift to a parliamentary system of government and electoral reforms, would be in place.

The electoral reforms are necessary, Ramos said, in order to set the "mechanism for running the plebiscite needed to validate the suggested constitutional reforms." — With Rainier Allan Ronda