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Saturday, September 17, 2005
Nalzaro: Church and media
By Bobby Nalzaro
Pardon me but I disagree with the statement of Ricardo Cardinal Vidal that media caused the divisiveness among leaders of the Catholic Church.
The Cardinal's statement stemmed from the report that some Church leaders accept donations from state-run gambling institutions like the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
The issue sparked varied reactions from the public and within the Church. But those who got the donations, including Vidal, insist these did not personally go to their pockets but to some church-affiliated charitable institutions.
However, other Church leaders criticized Vidal's stand, saying it is immoral for the Church to accept such donations as the Church is generally against all forms of gambling. “The end does not justify the means,” one bishop said.
Because of the clash in viewpoints, Vidal pointed to the media as the cause of the divisiveness. It is as if he accused the media of engaging in “sabong strategy” resulting in a conflict among respected Church officials.
I just hope our colleagues in Batangas did not quote the cardinal’s statement out of context when the cardinal issued it while attending the gathering of bishops there. I know that the cardinal is concerned with the media. He even initiated the giving of recognition to deserving media practitioners through the Cebu Archdiocesan Mass Media Awards.
Still, let us examine the cardinal’s statement. I don’t think media is sowing intrigue to get the interest of readers, listeners and viewers. We don't need that strategy in order to sell.
Media properly attributed the sources of the negative views. An example is Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz, who is leading the campaign against illegal gambling, especially jueteng.
Cruz is vocal against the Church accepting donations from state-run gambling firms. He insists that gambling won’t become moral even if the money is channeled to the Church because it comes from an immoral source.
Cruz was properly identified as the one who made the statement. Is that sowing intrigues? It would have become an intrigue had media printed the statement without attribution or had the statement been a product of the imagination of a reporter.
The bishops who made those statements should be the ones blamed and not the media. But that's the beauty of the Roman Catholic faith. Priests and the faithful can agree and disagree.
To Church leaders, don't shoot the messenger. Just answer the issue.
(bgnalzaro@gmanetwork.com/ 0919-3181404)
(September 17, 2005 issue)
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