Pope: No to RH, divorce
MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Church’s campaign against the Reproductive Health (RH) and divorce bills got a big boost after Pope Benedict XVI rallied behind the efforts of bishops to defend the value of human life and sacredness of marriage.
“His Holiness prays that this time for reflection and renewed dedication in the service of the Gospel will bear abundant fruit for the Church and the society,” read the message of the Pontiff to Philippine bishops currently attending their 103rd Plenary Assembly in Paco, Manila.
“He encourages the bishops in their efforts in defense of the value of each human life, of the sacredness of marriage, and of the family,” it further read.
The Pontiff’s letter addressed to CBCP President Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar was signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
Odchimar had earlier said that the issue of the RH bill will be included in their bi-annual gathering.
“We will be discussing that because that is the present burning issue and we have to speak out on that,” he said in an interview with reporters.
“We are the last bastion standing against the RH bill, divorce, and now there is also the possibility of same-sex marriage and we won’t be surprised if after that would come euthanasia,” added Odchimar.
The Catholic Church has been opposing the RH bill convinced that it is anti-life and family due to its promotion of artificial contraceptives as a family planning method.
The Church is also against the introduction of divorce in the country for it destroys the marriage bond.
As of Saturday morning, 89 bishops, out of the 138 members of the CBCP, were present during the Plenary Assembly.
Among them are the bishops allegedly involved in the so-called “PCSO fund mess” namely; Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, Butuan Bishop Juan De Dios Pueblos, Bangued Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian, Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad, and Bontoc Bishop Rodolfo Beltran.
The PCSO had earlier accused some bishops of receiving donations and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) from then President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo allegedly for political patronage.
Expect greater opposition from the Catholic Church when it comes to the issue of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill and divorce bill when Congress resumes its session on July 25.
This after the fight of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) against the said bills got a boost from no less than Pope Benedict XVI himself.
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Comments
The only thing I can say about the RH Bill and the controversy it spawns is this: those supporting it do it for economic reasons - less mouths to feed, less people to support, etc. Those opposing it, do this for ideological reasons - the sacredness of human life, and the trivialization of the sexual act. Can there be an acceptable balance between these two?
From the point of view of the pro-life people, balance can only be found in respecting the nature of things. It is not true that the anti-RH oppose the bill for mere philosophical reasons. One only needs to visit pro-life websites to see the legal, ethical, religious, moral, economic, and practical reasons behind the opposition.
On the other hand, it is also not true that pro-RH people just think about economy; they are also after the social acceptance of contraceptive mentality, and that includes abortion, divorce, and other anti-Filipino cultures.
i was pro RH bill but the actuations of the senate against the bishops in the PCSO mess are so abusive! i can't help but change my views about the whole thing. What is PNOY and senate trying to achieve? persecuting our bishops? the problem is very clear: there's a defective policy in the handling of PCSO fund! PCSO should stop investing in the charity and health sectors! our country could not gain enough from the giving alms to the sick and the poor! why not INVEST in the education sector? invest large amount of PCSO monies to computers, INFORMATION TECH instead of ambulance! educate our children and youth by constructing classrooms and buildings! forget about helping the poor and the sick it will not do good to our country in the long run! Also, if the Senate wants to investigate, it should be fair enough to include all religions! what about the MADRASAH schools supported by the govt? isnt that against the constitution? let's be FAIR!
the priests are burdened enough with no wives, no family and hectic schedules in the church and you want them to be poor? or to ride in a public utility vehicles or worst just take a walk to reach their destinations? you know, you can be rich but your heart still belong to the poor! that should be the essence of the whole story! i love my church, my priests and my bishops and i want them to enjoy life too including material things! the problem with Pnoy's administration is DAKDAK DAKDAK DAKDAK! what's so immoral about having SUVs amounting to just 8M all compared to the billions of pesos of funds generated out of the PCSO funds? the problem is in the POLICY! PCSO should stop investing in the charity and health sectors! our country could not gain enough from the giving alms to the sick and the poor! why not invest in the education sector? invest large amount of PCSO monies to computers instead of ambulance! educate our children and youth by constructing classrooms and buildings! forget about helping the poor and the sick it will not do good to our country in the long run! Also, if the Senate wants to investigate, it should be fair enough to include all religions!
This is obviously an attempt to discredit the stand of the bishops regarding some controversial issues, as if these bishops are just speaking for themselves. Even if the Philippine bishops play coward and remain silent on these controversies (like what some bishops in the US do), the stand of the whole Church will remain as it was, as it is, and as it will always be. Besides, the RH Bill is not a battle between the Church and the government; it is rather between the Filipino people and the developed countries pushing the contraceptive culture and trying to snatch from us our natural resources by depopulating the country (as it was recommended by Henry Kissinger).
ASSHOLE LIVING IN LUXURY
Tell the Pope to just stick to Vatican and don't mess with the situation in the Philippines. Just take care of your priest that molested children and leave the RH and Divorce law to the Lawmaker.
The Pope is the Pope. He knows his mission; he knows his jurisdiction; he knows what to do and when to do it. The Pope is the visible head of the Catholic Church, and where there are Catholics, he is the Shepherd in that place, no matter what country it is.
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