WE’RE already living post Vatican II, breathing fresh air since 1964. We have also outgrown George Orwell’s concept of big corporation, the one managed by Big Brother, and now living with excitement ever, past test-tube babies in the 90s. Now we find ourselves surviving in an era of highly competitive but exciting digital world of 21st century, connecting people in different parts of the globe through the power of communication technology. Simply amazing, you might say.
Yet despite all these advancements in science and technology, our spirituality hardly registers any innovation. This is naturally so because of the full trust we bestow to the Church. Various schisms in the church, giving birth to Protestantism led by Martin Luther in the early church reformation history, might have split the Church into Greek Orthodox and different denominations alright, but the same message of liberation still remains the same. Hardly are we intimidated by the challenges of the times.
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The survival instinct of Pinoys is definitely never suspect. Where did we draw our strength to face different problems and calamities in the first place anyway if not from our faith in God? Without such faith, we would have been added to the statistics of faceless humanity. In fact, the more problems there are staring before us, the more we’re drawn to the Church. Msgr. Quitorio, the CBCP spokesperson, once observed how the Church is filled to the brim whenever a crisis hits the country, as in the past years.
Much is yet to be desired though if we are to truly live our billing as practicing Christians, whether one is a Catholic or Protestant in ecumenical sense.
Six Bishops have lately shunned away from tradition, breaking the long silence of the Church in its participation in Philippine politics. I know such initiative will hardly alter political landscape of the country as my colleague Kairos Columnist Arnold Van Vugt wrote in this paper. But the Church should never let its guard down or the more we’ll be consigned in the dustbin of history.
I agree with other colleague Frank Malilong, regular columnist of Sun.Star Cebu that the almost-celebrity-status enjoyed and by preachers and clergy vis-a-vis other professions could be a factor in clearing the selection of better candidates.
Incidentally and this is for the record, I’m happy that Fr. Jong Sabuga, SSJV, in Malitbog has gone a long way setting the tone of politics in this Bukidnon municipality. This is understandable as he is rallies for a friend, Fr. Diosdado Tabios of Nacionalista Party, who is throwing his hat in political arena as gubernatorial candidate for Bukidnon against administration bet Vice Governor Alex Calingasan. It’s not a surprise that NP’s Manny Villar’s tarpaulin is hanging familiarly in front of the Malitbog parish.
How I wish the church takes her official stand and consistent to avoid confusion among its flock. Fr. Sabuga’s example of the Church openly lobbying candidates is definitely an isolated case, but one that shows how this practice can be is explored more through collaboration by the clergy and the faithful.
On top of this, the good priest is backing the Willy Guiahan for vice mayor and three other natives from Impahanong as town councilors to secure genuine voices of the natives the municipal council, currently ruled by the incumbent slate for many decades.
Malitbog is known to be bailiwick of the administration and it’s crucial as well for those running in higher office like Congressman Edui Pancrudo, who won in this town despite having been clobbered in other municipalities Manolo Fortich, Talakag and the rest of first district.
Let’s just see if the church through Fr. Jong would turn the result of election the other way around, at least for this municipality.
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It’s just unfortunate that there are no middle and non-partisan party that take the initiative of conducting political forums in the grassroots. This is lamentable especially in local areas controlled by the incumbents, who has the arrogance of fielding their relatives to secure they could clip the voices of the opposition in town councils. Here the Comelec should have come to the rescue by conducting more education campaigns for our voters. Unfortunately, our election officials are held hostage by politics as they are inept addressing such issue when ironically, they have the power to seal the fate of anti-dynasty syndrome.