CBCP issues ‘exhortation’ after Duterte’s attacks

THE CATHOLIC Bishops Conference of the Philippines, in a news conference on Monday, July 9, issued a “Pastoral Exhortation” that addressed, in part, “those in this world who boast of their own wisdom, those who arrogantly regard themselves as wise in their own estimation and the Christian faith as nonsense, those who blaspheme our God as stupid.”

The CBCP message, which also flagged the consequences among the poor of the government campaign against drugs and criminality, was issued before President Rodrigo R. Duterte was scheduled to meet also that Monday afternoon with CBCP president and Davao Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, who presided over the press conference with CBCP vice-president, Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David.

Also joining them was Bishop Mylo Vergara, who heads the CBCP’s commission on social communications.

Archbishop Valle and Mr. Duterte subsequently met at Malacañang at 4: 00 p. m. and both agreed on “a moratorium on statements about the Church,” according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr.

The statement, as attributed to Archbishop Valles on behalf of the CBCP said in part, “And to those who ridicule our faith, we say with St. Paul, “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God’ (1 Cor 1:27-29).”

The statement also said: “In these times of darkness, when there’s so much hatred and violence, when murder has become an almost daily occurrence, when people have gotten so used to exchanging insults and hurting words in the social media, we admonish the faithful to remain steadfast in our common vocation and mission to actively work for peace.”

The statement added further: “How are we to deal with fellow ‘ Christians’ who see nothing wrong about the killings, who just laugh when our God is blasphemed, and who take part in passing on fake news?”

“There will always be those among us who profess the faith in Christ but are so easily seduced by the empty promises of Satan. Remember him who once sold the master for 30 pieces of silver because he had allowed himself to be mastered by Satan? St. Paul is right in saying, ‘… there have to be divisions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may become known’ (ESV 1 Cor 11:19),” the statement also said.

“Our sufferings as Church leaders are nothing compared to the sufferings of the poor in our country. Do we not hear the cry of poor slum-dwellers being jailed for “loitering”? Have they forgotten that for the homeless urban poor — the little alleys between their flimsy homes also serve as kitchens, bathrooms, recreation spaces, and playgrounds for their children?” —