What do Sta. Fe Aglipays think?
Apparently overlooked in the conflict between Fr. Roy Bucag, the Catholic parish priest, and Mayor Jose Esgana in Sta. Fe over the holding of a “music festival” there on closing day of Lent is the question whether the Catholic church can impose its standard on the entire town.
Fr. Bucag has opposed the festivity on Black Saturday, saying it would be offensive to the church and its flock. Mayor Esgana has approved the festival, saying it would benefit the town financially and add an attraction for visitors.
The conflict
The “musicfest,” one learns from the exchange between the two camps, will play acoustic music (no live band) for dancing while food and drinks are served. No fashion show or bikini contest, which a province ordinance prohibits. The permit is from 10 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday. Noise will be confined at the seashore where the activity will be held.
Futile argument. Fr. Bucag, with the backing of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, insists on no merrymaking, not even on Sabado de Gloria.
Given the separation of church and state, the town hall will prevail. It’s the “municipio” that issues the permit and controls the police, not the “convento.”
Of course, the priest can marshal his flock to stage a protest as it did a few days ago with a dawn procession, as it can do with a daily blast from the pulpit.
The mayor can flex government muscle too. In 1951, the icon of patron saint John the Baptist, was hauled to jail for “obstructing traffic” in the procession that was staged without a town hall permit.
What’s clear
Despite some murky areas in their quarrel, this must be clear to the feuding parties:
-- The parish priest cannot impose his will on the entire town, especially on matters of law and order and public welfare;
-- The mayor may not disrespect church ritual that boosts the spiritual welfare of his constituents.
And no, the Philippine Independent Church hasn’t been heard from. What the mayor and the archbishop say about the Aglipays’ opinion clash. The P.I.C. can weigh in with its view: how the dispute can be resolved to stop the church-state collision in Sta. Fe.