Papal Nuncio invites Rody to Pope’s Day celebration

While President Duterte is facing criticism over his controversial remarks on God, Pope Francis’ representative in the country has invited the Chief Executive to the Pope’s Day celebration on Friday.

“The Papal Nuncio has invited the President... because it’s what we call the Day of the Pope,” Pastor Saycon, one of the members of a three-man panel formed to dialogue with the Church, said yesterday at a press briefing in Greenhills, San Juan.

Catholics celebrate the Pope’s Day every June 29, the feast day of St. Peter the Apostle. Catholics believe that Peter, the leader of Jesus’ apostles, was the first pope. More than 80 percent of Filipinos are Roman Catholics.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said he was unsure whether Duterte would accept the invitation to be held at the Papal Nuncio’s residence in Manila.

“I do not know if the schedule of the President will permit it. And I do not know if the President will ask the three of us to go to represent him. But I would check first because apparently, the invitation was forwarded to the Department of Foreign Affairs so I will call the office if there’s any information on this invitation,” Roque said.

The committee formed to reach out to the Catholic Church and other religious groups consists of Roque, Saycon and foreign affairs undersecretary Ernesto Abella.

The office of Papal Nuncio Italian Archbishop Gabriele Caccia has not verified the statements of Saycon and Roque.

Saycon said the committee would have an “initial talk” with the Catholic clergy at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines office in Manila today.

It met yesterday with leaders of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches in San Juan.

Last week, the President questioned the creation story in the Christian Bible, saying God was “stupid” for allowing temptation to destroy his perfect work.

Duterte’s remarks drew a barrage of criticism from Christians who accuse him of blasphemy and disrespecting religious beliefs.

Roque had previously claimed that the President’s rants against Catholicism may have stemmed from his bad experiences at the hands of an American Jesuit priest who sexually abused him when he was in high school.

Duterte claimed that his comments on God was a reaction to Australian nun Patricia Fox, who is facing possible deportation for allegedly joining partisan political activities.

He also declared that his God is “perfect” while the God of his critics is “stupid.”

‘No apology’

Religious leaders, including Jesus is Lord Church founder Eddie Villanueva, have asked Duterte to apologize for his remarks, but Roque said the President does not need to do so.

“The God that I know will not demand a public apology. The God that I know is a God of love. He is too big for any words that may come from the mouth of a mortal,” Roque said.

“My God will not demand a public apology. He is a God of love, and He would wish healing for everyone,” he added.