BELEAGUERED priest Winston Cabading received a shot in the arm as the Philippine Association of Catholic Exorcists (Pace) on Saturday, May 27, 2023, expressed support for their fellow exorcist against the charges filed by former elections chief Harriet Demetriou.
In a statement, Pace Secretary General Fr. Jose Francisco Syquia said they stand with Cabading and his statements regarding the 1948 alleged Marian apparition.
"The Pace expresses its support and prayers for Fr. Winston Cabading," said Syquia.
"We stand with Fr. Winston Cabading in his obedience and union with the Pope and the Philippine bishops of the Catholic Church with regards to this issue," he added.
The group of exorcists said this is because Cabading has proven to be a faithful servant under the "difficult ministry of exorcism."
"He has given his entire life to always preach and teach the truths of our Catholic Faith. He has consistently been proven to be a true shepherd guiding his flock to always be united in the truth," said Syquia.
The Pace official also noted how Syquia has previously helped clarify confusion, dispel doubts, and answer questions from the faithful regarding the 1948 alleged apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Carmelite Monastery in Lipa, Batangas.
"He did this challenging task always careful to remain one with the mind and stand of the Church, which has made a definitive, final, and, therefore, closed verdict that ruled that the alleged apparition in the Carmelite Monastery is not supernatural in character and origin, that is, not from God and hence, not worthy of belief," said Syquia.
On May 13, Cabading was arrested for violation of Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code or Offending Religious Feelings charges filed by Demetriou.
The charges filed by Demetriou alleged that Cabading offended her religious feelings when he spoke against the Marian apparition during a national conference in 2019 and during an online show in 2022.
The 57-year-old priest is currently out after posting a bail bond of P18,000 last week.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 81 has scheduled the arraignment of Cabading on June 1. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)