“FORGIVE him for he doesn’t know what he is saying.”
Quoting one of the seven last words of Jesus Christ, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma made this reaction following the recent tirade of President Rodrigo Duterte against the Catholic Church.
Last month, Duterte was quoted as saying that the Catholic Church is an “oligarch” and will be dissolved within 30 years due to alleged abuses priests committed over the years.
But instead of countering the President’s tirade, Palma urged the faithful to pray for Duterte.
Palma said that despite the President’s attacks against the Catholic Church, it remains strong and has stood for years, surviving numerous persecutions.
“For sure, daghang emperador nga nangaway sa Simbahan. Wala na sila, pero ang simbahan naa gihapon (Many emperors fought the Church. They’re all gone now but the Church remains),” he said.
Since he assumed office last year, Duterte has waged a verbal war against the Catholic Church, particularly the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, over issues concerning policies in his administration.