CBCP asks IATF: Allow masses in GCQ areas

MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Church wants the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases to reconsider its decision to keep the ban on masses and the performance of other sacraments in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ).

An organization of lay religious workers – Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (SLP) – has relayed the same message to the IATF.

In a message aired over Catholic radio station Radio Veritas, Fr. Jerome Secillano of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Public Affairs Committee said the Church can be trusted to strictly observe health protocols if the ban on church gatherings is lifted.

“No, the church is not quiet. The church is doing her thing through our leaders in the proper way. The CBCP is coordinating with the IATF to reconsider (and allow) the public celebration of sacraments inside churches in GCQ areas,” Secillano said. Aside from the mass or the Eucharist, the other sacraments in the Church are baptism, confirmation, reconciliation, marriage, holy orders, and anointing of the sick.

“I would like to emphasize that the Church has been compliant, the Church is obedient, the Church supports these protocols that are being implemented (by the government), the quarantine and other safeguards” against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the CBCP officer added.

Secillano also assured the IATF that the Catholic Church is capable of enforcing quarantine regulations on parishioners inside church premises.

In fact, even before President Duterte placed the entire Luzon including Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), parishes across the country had already been implementing physical distancing to deter the spread of the disease among the faithful, especially during Holy Week.

The CBCP has also directed the faithful to receive communion by hand, as well as to refrain from touching or kissing religious images. Churchgoers are also prohibited from holding hands while reciting or singing The Lord’s Prayer, or from shaking hands when making the Sign of Peace.

Lay workers’ group SLP, for its part, said continuing the ban is curtailment of the right to worship.

“We demand that our right to religious worship be not curtailed when the necessary safeguards are followed,” SLP president Rouquel Ponte said.

“The Sangguniang Laiko ng Filipinas believes that giving the people the opportunity to connect with the Almighty God, especially through religious encounters and spiritual events will directly translate into goodness for themselves and for others,” he added.

The SLP also suggested that control over the activities of religious groups in GCQ areas be delegated to local government officials. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Alexis Romero