Thursday, January 11, 2007 Talk back: Priests and money By Rainier A. Belleza Jr.
ON page A10 of the Dec. 29, 2006 issue of Sun.Star Cebu was a news report entitled: “Priest loses witness to breakaway group.” It was about a libel suit filed by Fr. Domingo Tapic of the Pardo Parish against 12 parishioners.
The report quoted a portion of Tapic’s affidavit as follows:
“As a diocesan priest, we are allowed by the Church to own properties since we earn income. During our old age or retirement, we are on our own. As parish priest of Pardo, I earn income as priest but I give to Cardinal Vidal what is due him, and I retain some as allowed by the Church to answer for the Church maintenance, stipend due me as a priest, salaries of Church workers, cost of food, water, power, telephone.”
This is revealing since what the people believe is that priests have their vow of poverty. If they are busy in secular matters, how can they attend to the spiritual needs of parishioners?
The affidavit also mentioned Cardinal Vidal as if he was on the take. We would like the good Cardinal to clarify this. We don’t want anyone to use the name of God to make money.
