Shepherds lead by trust, not by the nose  

It is correct that the separation of Church and State enshrined in the Constitution is about keeping the hands of the State off matters belonging to the Church and not the other way around. Thus, the State cannot establish a religion, recognize one, or pass laws that either promote or curtail one. The Church, on the other hand, in keeping with its mission, is free to employ acceptable means toward this end.

So can bishops, priests and nuns tackle political issues in the exercise of their individual rights and in furtherance of Church teachings? Legally, yes. Realistically, no, especially when they, wittingly or unwittingly, confuse fair political discourse with blind partisanship. And even more so if their idea of taking issue with anything political only involves brutalizing the Marcos family to the exclusion of everything else.

Politics is essentially a fabric in the daily life of a nation. There is all the time in the world to take up political issues everyday. Strangely, bishops, priests and nuns do not soil their hands in dirty politics everyday. Most days they busy themselves looking the other way, ignoring the bad things that go on in this nation 24/7. There is so much Church business to attend to and get fat from that they ignore political shenanigans most of the time.

It is only when election time comes that bishops, priests and nuns suddenly become acutely cognizant of issues affecting the nation. Why, bishops even have no qualms misappropriating pastoral letters for partisan purposes. There are probably more partisan-laced pastoral letters issued during elections than at any other time. And always in the guise of some messianic duty to demonize the Marcoses.

And that is not political awareness in the national interest. That is not even an exercise of personal rights and freedom for which the Constitution has been very generous to them. That is pure and simple unbridled and arrogant political partisanship, which is very bad considering that the Church is not just the men and women of the cloth who wield its reins but also includes the flock, we ordinary folk who make up 85 percent of Filipino Christians.

Every congregation of people who attends Mass, novena or other religious gathering is always bound to be a mix of different political persuasions. There will be Pinks, Reds, Greens, Whites or what-have-you color of the political spectrum. It is neither good nor fair to savage Marcos in there because he or his supporters are in no position to defend themselves. All they can do is swallow the abuse in silence and be driven to sin in thought.

It is nothing less than scandalous to use the Church or its teachings to promote partisan politics, not even in the guise of exercising a constitutional right. Political posters in Church or wearing ribbons of a particular color? What kind of blasphemy is that? It not only leaves a bad taste in the mouth, it inspires contempt and spite for shepherds who are supposed to lead by example. No wonder politics is dirty. Maybe the ecclesiastical model is filthy.

There is a reason why government employees like teachers, policemen, etc. are not allowed to wear anything that might suggest preference for a particular candidate. Not only do these people wield power and influence, it is also in keeping with good taste and sense of propriety that they project the aura of neutrality, even if in their private capacities they are not prevented in any way from exercising their rights.

Yes, bishops, priests and nuns have rights, too. And they are free to exercise them in their private capacities. But they must not play partisan politics in the guise of pursuing their ministry, especially when they are apolitical most of the time and become anti-Marcos only during elections that happen just once every three years. At other times they probably welcome Marcos children to their schools and take their and their supporters' donations.