Manila, Philippines – Pinaalalahanan kahapon ng maimpluwensiyang Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) ang mga mananampalatayang Katoliko na ang paghihiganti ay hindi kailanman pamamaraan ni Hesus.
Ang paalala ay ginawa ng CBCP, kasunod na rin ng mga batikos na ibinabato ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa mga lider ng Simbahan, maging sa Panginoon mismo, na tinawag pang estupido ng pangulo.
Sa pagtatapos ng regular na 117th plenary assembly nitong Lunes ay nagpalabas ang CBCP ng isang pastoral exhortation na may titulong ‘Rejoice and be Glad’ na pirmado ng pangulo nito na si Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles.
Sa nasabing kalatas, pinaalalahanan ng CBCP ang mga mananampalataya na nagpuyos ang mga damdamin, sa mga nakakainsultong pahayag ng pangulo hinggil sa mga turo ni Hesus sa kanyang mga disipulo.
“We wish to remind those who have been angered by the insulting statements of people in authority; remember what the Lord had taught his disciples. He said, “But to you who hear I say… bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well…” (Lk 6:27-29). Vengeance is never the way of Christ. It is not the way of Jesus to return evil for evil; no, we can conquer evil only with good (Rom 12:21). Up to the last moment of his breath, he had nothing but words of mercy towards his tormentors, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do” (Lk 23:34),” bahagi ng kalatas.
Kasabay nito, mariin rin namang pinabulaanan ng CBCP ang akusasyong sangkot sila sa planong pagpapabagsak sa pamahalaang Duterte.
“Nothing can be farthest from the truth. Our concern is never the establishment of any earthly kingdoms. Worldly kingdoms come and go. We work only for God’s kingdom which is beyond this world — so that we can start learning to live life “on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10),” anito pa.
“For the times in our history when we fell into the temptation of working for political power, we can only bow in shame and say, never again! We do not proclaim a false image of God, such as one who is just watching from heaven like a ruthless deity who threatens us of damnation in hell all the time. Ours is the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ — the God who saves, a God “rich in mercy and compassion”, a God involved in our history, a God who — for love of us — emptied himself totally, and “became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9),” paliwanag pa nito.
Iginiit rin ng CBCP na nirerespeto ng simbahan ang political authority, partikular na ang mga halal na opisyal ng pamahalaan, lalo na at kung hindi naman anila kinukontra ng mga ito ang pinapahalagahan nilang ‘basic spiritual at moral principles,’ tulad nang kasagraduhan ng buhay, integridad ng mga nilikha, at dignidad ng tao.
Binigyang-diin pa nila na sila ay hindi mga political leaders at hindi rin kalaban o political opponents ng pamahalaan at sa halip ay kakampi, at kaagapay ng pamahalaan lalo na kung ang pag-uusapan ay ang common good at kapakanan ng mga mamamayan.
“The Church has, throughout history, coexisted with countless forms of government. The Church has always been and will always be a partner of government (especially in the LGUs and barangays) in countless endeavours for the common good, especially in addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged sectors of society,” anang CBCP.
“Sometimes we qualify the collaboration as “critical”, mainly to distinguish our differences in terms of ultimate goals, even as we partner in some shared endeavours. Needless to say, on some specific issues, collaboration might not be possible because of our spiritual and moral beliefs, which we persistently propose, but never impose on the unwilling. In such instances, we can only invoke our right to conscientious objection. We do recognize the constitutional provision of the separation of church and state, mainly in the sense of distinction of roles in society. When we speak out on certain issues, it is always from the perspective of faith and morals, especially the principles of social justice, never with any political or ideological agenda in mind,” pahayag pa nito.
Nanawagan din naman ang CBCP na kasabay nang kapistahan ng Blessed Mother of Mt. Carmel sa Hulyo 16, 2018 ay sama-samang manalangin at mangumpisal ang mga mananampalataya, upang humingi ng habag at hustisya para sa mga taong lumapastangan sa banal na ngalan ng Panginoon, gayundin sa mga taong nakapatay at naniniwalang ang pagpatay ang tanging paraan upang labanan ang kriminalidad sa bansa.
Ang naturang day of prayer and penance ay susundan umano ng mga Obispo ng tatlong araw na fasting, paryer ang almsgiving mula Hulyo 17 hanggang 19, at inaanyayahan din nila ang mga mananampalataya na makiisa sa kanila sa naturang banal na gawain.
Ang tatlong araw na plenary assembly ay sinimulang isagawa ng mga Obispo noong Hulyo 7, 2018 sa Pope Pius XII Catholic Center sa Paco, Manila at dinaluhan ng mga aktibo at retiradong miyembro ng CBCP. (Macs Borja)
Idinaan ng mga Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)sa mga Banal na kasulatan mula sa Bibiliya na pinamagatang ‘Rejoice and be Glad’ ang mga pahayag at patama nsa Diyos ng Pangulo. Kuha ni Crismon Heramis
REMATE FILE PHOTO | KUHA NI CRISMON HERAMIS
REMATE FILE PHOTO | KUHA NI CRISMON HERAMIS
REMATE FILE PHOTO | KUHA NI CRISMON HERAMIS
