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Sunday, May 14, 2006
Lawmaker urges bishops to focus on religion
DAVAO CITY -- House Majority Leader Prospero Nograles urged the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to concentrate on matters attacking the Catholic faith these days rather than meddle with politics.
Nograles advised the bishops to concentrate on the issues surrounding the controversial movie "The Da Vinci Code" instead of debating on Philippine politics and criticizing the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
"It's not for the Palace or Ermita (Executive Secretary Edgardo Ermita) or the politicians to comment on The Da Vinci Code or Gospel of Judas. It's for our bishops to tell us what and how we should respond to this blasphemy and attack on our fundamental Catholic beliefs," he said.
"I think this should be the area of great concern and the topic that our very vocal bishops should focus, preach, refute and concentrate on today instead of debating what's happening in Philippine politics and on the faults of Arroyo. We need guidance here from our bishops. Our Catholic faith can't be left by them to just shake, rattle and roll," Nograles added.
Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales of Manila, however, denounced "The Da Vinci Code" as blasphemous last Friday but stopped short of calling for the movie to be banned.
Rosales's statement echoed comments from the CBCP, which on Friday warned that the movie adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novel could shake the faith of Christians in this predominantly Catholic nation unless they are properly guided.
Rosales urged priests and parish leaders to organize discussion and study groups focusing on the divinity of Jesus Christ, including "prayers and reparation for the sins of blasphemy.
On Wednesday, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita called for "The Da Vinci Code" to be banned.
Theaters have been advertising that the movie will start screening next week, although government censors have yet to decide whether the movie can be shown.
The English-language version of the book is freely sold in the Philippines.
In its statement, the bishops' conference said Dan Brown's story "gives erroneous impressions" on fundamental Christian beliefs, the most serious being his assertions that Jesus was not divine but only human, and that he married Mary Magdalene and had children.
"In the face of the confusion the novel has generated, we invite the Catholic faithful to serenely affirm the fundamental truths of our faith, in particular the following: Jesus Christ is truly God and truly human. The full truth about Jesus is not attained by mere historical reconstruction or ingenious human speculation," the pastoral statement said.
"Let us not lose heart. The history of the Church attests to how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has withstood many trials. The Truth of Jesus Christ can never be shackled," they said. (BOT of Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(May 14, 2006 issue)
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