Hardly Christ-like

In the years before the declaration of Martial Law, I held office in Patria de Cebu as executive secretary of the Cebu Archdiocesan Social Action Center (CASAC) and director of the Student Catholic Action (SCA). That would be my only personal reason to want Patria not demolished but preserved as a heritage site.

Nevertheless, I am not against Patria’s demolition for anything sentimental. In fact, I would have had no problem with losing a heritage site if the local Catholic community in general or at least its surviving Ave Maria hollow-block makers in particular had a hand in the decision to tear it down to give way to a commercial complex. Vox populi, vox Dei, right?

Patria’s demise, however, is not the voice of the faithful but of the clergy alone. Thus, I am objecting to that in particular and to the exclusion of the faithful in Church decision-making in general. We are already half a century away from Vatican II (which opened Church doors to lay participation) but the faithful have yet to gain a toe-hold in the decision-making structures of the Church.

Patria’s demise doesn’t have to be a done deal. Alternative win-win designs are readily available. The site of Patria de Cebu can be developed into a commercial park without tearing down the heritage building.

It is a “done deal” only because the Philippine Catholic Church has been and still remains a monarchy where the bishop is king accountable only to the Pope. Priests, the vassals who rule over parishes, answer to the bishop alone and not to the faithful in the parish.

The laity that priests ironically often call “people of God” or “children of God” hence their co-equal has no voice at all in the archdiocesan Board of Consultors (Advisers) which is composed exclusively of priests. Parish Pastoral Councils are made up of lay people but they are handpicked by parish priests who generally do not mince words about who is in absolute charge, thus making the council a veritable rubber stamp.

That is why it is hypocritical of bishops to object to government’s authoritarianism and lack of transparency. It has departmental checks and balances and its officials are elected by the people who thereby have a say in its running.

The Church, on the other hand, is an absolute monarchy. The bishop is accountable to Rome, parish priests to the bishop, and not to the faithful who have no say whatsoever in how a diocese or parish is run. Like who knows what is a diocese’s or a parish’s annual budget?

This does not have to be a “done deal.” It is so only because in the Church bishop and clergy are absolute rulers of the faithful whom they expect to merely believe and do what they tell them to.

It’s Catholic but hardly Christ-like.