MANILA, Philippines — An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday urged the Filipino faithful to ignore the relentless attacks by President Duterte on the church and the clergy.
Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of CBCP public affairs committee, said the insinuations of the President against bishops are meant to divert the attention of the public from what the priest described as the failure of the administration to address pressing problems of the nation.
“I don’t understand why we are taking this guy seriously. It’s obvious that he delights in creating controversy to deviate people’s attention from his government’s inefficiency,” Secillano said in a statement.
“His ignorance of the Church’s workings tells us Catholics that we should neither believe this guy nor even take him seriously,” Secillano claimed.
The CBCP official also rebutted the appeal of Duterte for the Filipino faithful not to go to church anymore and instead just build their own chapels at home and pray there.
According to Secillano, Duterte cannot push for people to just pray at home as churches are special places that house the Eucharist or Christ in the form of host, which is reserved in the tabernacle.
The priest explained that the Eucharist cannot be placed in houses as the danger of its desecration is likely and such activity is against Canon 935 of the Code of Canon Law.
He also said a church is one of the proper places specific to man’s activities and is no different from a government office.
“The church is a house of prayer, it is a place for worship. Remember that there are places proper to man’s activities. If government officials can do their meetings, conventions, conferences and even consultations in expensive hotels or restaurants, why can’t people pray in the church, which is the proper place for worship?” asked Secillano.
As for the supposed donations asked by the Church, he said they never oblige people to donate money whenever they visit churches, with some even pretending to be “so consumed in prayer” to not notice the collection boxes being passed.
He explained that the faithful are merely encouraged to donate or make “love offerings” when they go to church in order to help pay for its electric consumption and maintenance, among others.
The priest said it is a far cry from what happens whenever government officials do their business.
“When government officials conduct their meetings in high-end hotels, people’s money are being spent,” stressed Secillano.
Duterte has had a long list of attacks against the Catholic church, including one where he called God “stupid.”