Christianity is under attack in the Philippines

To prevent from being bored at home, I usually go to YouTube to view commentaries by religious people. Among them is the “Word on Fire” by Bishop Robert Barron, who is one of the leaders of the US Catholic Church. However, this has since been dramatically changed when another spiritual commentator, Dr. Taylor Marshall, tweeted Bishop Barron on what we should do to the people who desecrate the statues of saints and deface the images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and our Lord Jesus Christ, declaring them as “white supremacists.”

In short, Dr. Marshall asked Bishop Barron what they should do in response to these attacks against the Catholic Church. But Bishop Barron replied to Dr. Marshall, “It’s not the bishops’ job to police the church, it is the job of the laity, as you can see in Vatican II.” When Dr. Marshall asked Bishop Barron where it can be found in Vatican II, Bishop Barron blocked him and never replied to Dr. Marshall. Thus, I have stopped listening to Bishop Barron for he has shown his true colors.

I know that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a Catholic and so is presidential candidate of the Democrats but both have not been stopped from having Holy Communion despite the pleas of many conservative Catholics that, unless they change their pro-abortion stance, the Catholic Bishops Conference in the US should stop them from taking communion. Many conservative Catholics are aghast that the US bishops conference is not taking its role as the leader of the Catholic Church in America. In short, conservative Catholics in America realize that their bishops are supporting the presidential bid for Biden, whom many believe is a socialist, and which should never happen to the US. If at all, conservative Catholics, especially in the Philippines, know that God is using this global pandemic to correct the wrongs of humanity. This is why Christianity is under attack at this time.

Here at home, there is proposed House Bill No. 4633 called “An Act Making Hanging of Religious Mementos such as Crucifixes in Hospital Suites Optional.” This proposed bill, authored by House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, is not comfortable with the presence of crucifixes and other religious mementos inside a medical facility. Why should a cross be offensive to INC?

If you didn’t know, Rep. Marcoleta is the representative of 1-SAGIP Party-list and he is a high-ranking member of the influential religious group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). He stressed that the presence of crucifixes in many local hospital suites appears normal “but it raises serious interfaith issues.” He added that the crucifix is the “most salient representation of the Catholic Church” and its existence in health care institutions, especially hospital rooms, “presupposes singular church membership.”

If you ask me, Rep. Marcoleta should have been prevented from making this proposal as he is a member of the INC, which opposes the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is attacking the Duterte government on issuing the Anti-Terror Law, which many Catholics support. The only members of the Catholic Church who are against it are those supporting the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). At this point, I dare the CBCP to lead the Catholic Church in condemning this proposal by an INC official. I just hope that, in the next few days, the CBCP would openly declare its opposition to this bill.

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President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure that will allow the chief executive to adjust the start of the school year during a state of emergency or state of calamity. Republic Act No. 11480 was signed by the President last July 17. It amends RA 7797, which sets the opening of classes between the first Monday of June and the last day of August. But the government is sticking to its original plan of opening classes on Aug. 24. Education Secretary Leonor Briones issued a statement that the enactment of RA 11480 was a welcome development. “We thank the President for signing Republic Act 11480 amending RA 7797 mandating the Secretary of Education to recommend to the chief executive adjustments in the school calendar in ‘times on national emergency.’” In the exercise of this authority, the Secretary of Education may “authorize the holding of Saturday classes for elementary and secondary levels for public and private schools.”

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