Catholic bishops held talks with top government officials, during which, they expressed strong commitment to develop positive relations despite differences over the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
The initial meeting was held at the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) headquarters in Manila on March 31, in what could be a major step by the two parties to iron out differences.
Archbishop Socrates Villegas, CBCP president, in an earlier TV interview that dialogue is the best way forward.
“There are issues where we differ in principle, but we should not allow such differences to prevent us from cooperating, such as working for the poor and empowering Mindanao,” Villegas said.
“We should support him on peacemaking, alleviating the situation of the poor and everything that is for the benefit of the people,” he said.
The CBCP head did not identify the Cabinet officials, but said they have made a “breakthrough”, adding that there was a mutual request from both sides to “tone down” attacks against each other.
“You stop, we stop,” Villegas said. “You can’t tell us to stop talking when issues are so un-Christian and against our beliefs…. If they stop killings, the so-called disregard for human life, then you can trust that we will tone down statements because we will see that goodwill,” he said.
The archbishop added the bishops are concerned that if they keep their silence and do not protest the killings “people might think it’s the new normal”.
“That is the more worrisome issue when our traditionally Catholic beliefs and Filipino culture is being changed slowly. It’s like the boiling of the frog. We should not consider killing, adultery andz swearing normal,” he said.
Villegas clarified that the Church is not against Duterte as a person, but against issues concerning morals.
“We assured for the success of the president, but solutions should be within parameters of morality,” he also said.
‘Self-examination’ of Catholic Church
Villegas has also called on the Catholic Church to critically self-examine itself in view of President Duterte’s tirade against the institution.
And that “self-examination”, Villegas said, must begin among the Church leaders.
“It’s a call to humility. It is also a call for self-examination. It’s an invitation for the priests to look into ourselves and see where we are wrong,” Villegas said in a TV interview.
It’s not for bishops and priests to say everything the president said is untrue, he said, but rather “we should examine ourselves and ask what has led him to make a conclusion against us”.
“We might have contributed to it, and if we have contributed to it, the time to reform is now!” Villegas said.
Villegas’s call came while the Catholic Church is a few days away from the celebration of the Holy Week, where Catholics are enjoined to reflect on their sins and the mystery of God’s forgiveness.
Duterte has repeatedly ranted against the Church for criticizing his bloody war on drugs that claimed over 8,000 lives in eight months, about 2,500 of whom were allegedly killed in police operations.
In several occasions, he also dug up several old controversies involving the bishops for supposedly ignoring their own follies and not doing enough to help the country’s problems, particularly on illegal drugs.
The archbishop admitted the Church is wounded by the sins of the clergy and the laity, because they are “not infallible” and “stained by sin.” But he said efforts are being made to make erring priests accountable and address the issues faced by the Church.
He said systems and tribunals are in place to handle such cases.
“Truth to tell, [we are] not new with sin. We started with Judas, and the spirit of Judas has not been diminished, it has even multiplied,” Villegas said.
“So that’s why there should be structures and institutions to make sure that the mission of the Church is not impeded by humanity and the sinfulness of its leaders,” he added.
The CBCP head went further by saying that there is no bishop, not even Pope Francis, who can stand up and say “I am all holy” because before God, “we are all sinners”.
“We have fallen, and sadly, we think in the future we would still fall, but there is a big factor that we should not forget, and that is God’s mercy, God’s love,” Villegas said.
He added: “And so if we are standing here, its not because we are better than the others, it is because God has chosen us in spite of who we are.” Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews
Image credits: Sammy Navaja