Manila bishops’ pastoral letter over May polls

MANILA Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and the 15 bishops of the Manila Metropolitan Ecclesiastical Province reminded the voters not to be persuaded by candidates who are spending too much in their campaign.

“Excessive campaign expenses in the past did not augur good and responsive governance,” said Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and the 15 bishops of the Manila Metropolitan Ecclesiastical Province in their first of two Pastoral Letters on Election 2010 issued Saturday (March 13).

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The prelates also urged the public to choose freely the next leaders of the country who will be accounted to serve them.

“Freedom in an election means no physical coercion” and no use of threat or money to influence or buy votes,” added the pastoral letter, a one-page exhortation to the faithful in their jurisdictions, which include five provinces, 12 cities, and towns, and all military camps and chaplaincies.

The electorate should strictly study the candidates on how they will stop corruption and poverty, the two major issues “disabling the country today” and which haunt the country with “destructive mutuality” because “as corruption increases, poverty worsens.”

“The candidates should be scrutinized according to whether they are: God-fearing; moral; not given to vices; reverent of life and its deserved decency; consistent true friends of the poor; ever protective of the integrity of creation (friend of world ecology); simple and humble; and good examples for responsible Filipino citizenship,” the prelates said.

The pastoral letter will be read in all parishes and churches of the Archdiocese and Dioceses of the Ecclesiastical Province on Sunday, March 14, 2010, the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

But in some places it may be read the Sunday after. Parishes are asked to form circles/groups of discernment in their communities to reflect on and share thoughts on the Pastoral Letter.

Likewise, the prelates asked the faithful to pray for guidance from the Lord to discern properly their choices of candidates and for a peaceful election and “a unified people before, during and after the election.”

The Bishops of the Manila Metropolitan Ecclesiastical Province are the following: Antipolo Bishop Gabreil Reyes; Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco; Imus Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle; Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez; MAlolos Bishop Jose Oliveros; Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias; Paranaque Bishop Jesse Mercado; Pasig Bishop Francisco San Diego; San Pablo Bishop Leo Drona; Vicar Apostolic of Puerto Princesa Pedro Arigo; Vicar Apostolic of Taytay Edgardo Juanich; Military Oridnary Leopoldo Tumulak; Auxiliary Bishop of Antipolo Francisco De Leon; Auxiliary Bishops of Manila Bernandino Cortez and Broderick Pabillo. (FP/Sunnex)