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Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Editorials: Anoter test for the archdiocese
The conflict between parishioners and two priests of the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva parish in Barangay Poblacion, Pardo, Cebu City is difficult to ignore considering that it has literally spilt into the streets.
Aside from a rally held by some parishioners, streamers criticizing the parish priest, Msgr. Constantino Diotay, and Fr. Domingo Tapic are visible at the Pardo skywalk and at the fence of the church and a nearby school.
Besides, the issues raised, specifically the one involving money, are as serious as the allegations of corruption priests usually pin on politicians—meaning, the public cannot easily set them aside.
Money matters
Diotay, in interviews with reporters, emphasized that the main point of the conflict is the opposition of some parishioners to the plan to lower the church’s altar, and that all the other issues were but secondary.
That may be so, but the way the controversy is developing one already gets the impression that the plan to lower the altar is more the final straw—the issue that finally pushed a number of parishioners to rise in protest.
An argument can be made, though, on the motive of the protest action’s leaders, who reportedly belong to a faction of the Kalihukang Katoliko Karon, an organization that tangled with another church-based group in 1998.
Still, questions on where proceeds from fees collected for the use of the cemetery, parking and the parish foundation school, among others, should be answered to the public’s satisfaction.
Cardinal
All sides of the conflict, including neutral observers, are one in saying, however, that the relationship between the protesters and the parish priests has so deteriorated a dialogue is no longer possible without a mediator entering into the picture.
Thus, all eyes are now focused on Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who has yet to decide whether to call all concerned parties to the Archbisop’s Palace to resolve the conflict.
But whether the cardinal will take the role of mediator or not, church leaders must act on the conflict to prevent it from further heating up and eventually affecting people’s perception of the Catholic Church in general.
It is one thing for the Church to be critical of the corrupt practices of government officials and another thing to be nonchalant of the allegations against priests.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 18, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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