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Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Pardo factions open to dialogue
The two factions of the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish in Pardo, Cebu City are willing to talk to each other with Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal as mediator. That is, if the cardinal is okay with it.
Sun.Star Cebu chanced upon Pardo parish priest Msgr. Constantino Diotay at the Archbishop’s Palace yesterday, seeking an audience with the cardinal, but the latter was not around.
Diotay said the issue has gone too far. He felt the need to straighten it out, possibly with the cardinal facilitating the dialogue.
The controversy started with the Kalihukang Katoliko Karon (KKK)-2, a group that wants Diotay and another priest, Fr. Domingo Tapic, out of the parish.
KKK-2 spokesman Justino Coquilla said they also planned to meet with Vidal yesterday, but a staff member at the cardinal’s office informed them that he will not be accepting any visitors for the week since he has to rest.
Vidal arrived last Friday from Valencia, Spain, where he attended the 5th World Meeting of Families. He has been swamped with engagements since then.
Coquilla told Sun.Star Cebu that they are willing to sit down with Diotay and Tapic, as long as Vidal facilitates the meeting.
Since they failed to meet the cardinal yesterday, the group instead sent their position paper along with a petition to oust Diotay and Tapic from the parish.
Coquilla said the petition contains at least 5,000 signatures.
Allegations
The group wants the two priests replaced for alleged “corruption and overstaying.”
However, in an interview with radio dyRF, Diotay said the issue of overstaying is not a problem as long as there are no complaints.
He added that a priest’s transfer is up to the archdiocese.
Among the criticisms of KKK-2 against Diotay and Tapic are the alleged moneymaking schemes of the parish.
One of which is the parking fee imposed inside the church compound: P10 per parking and P50 per month for overnight parking.
But Diotay said the fees are not imposed on churchgoers, but on those who use the area to park their vehicles while they go to the supermarket.
The parking fee is “only a little share for necessary service,” such as peace and order maintained by the parish security guards and for the cleanliness of the parish.
Also, KKK-2 is concerned with the conversion of the Pastoral Center into a school, allegedly to compete with the Holy Rosary School of Pardo.
Diotay said it is part of the service of the commission on formation to take part in the early development of the barangay’s children.
Renovation
The parish priest believes the moneymaking issue is rooted on one main issue, which is the group’s objection to the renovation of the church for the celebration of the parish’s 140th anniversary in September.
He added that the issue has been blown out of proportion. He said he has always been open to a dialogue with the group but they never approached him. Instead, they went to the media.
Now that it has come to this, Diotay said that it is only prudent that the cardinal mediates a dialogue between the two parties.
Diotay already explained earlier that the renovation was for the impending anniversary and in accordance with the liturgical norms outlined by Msgr. Cris Garcia, chairman of the commission on worship of the Cebu Archdiocese.
Vidal, Diotay said, also gave him the go-signal for the renovation. (JGA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 18, 2006 issue)
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