A FORMER member of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) expressed strong objection to the proposed legalization of divorce in the country.
According to Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, if couples can get a divorce then there’s no reason for them to get married at all.
“With legal separation, divorce why get married at all?” he said.
Cruz, chairman of the CBCP's National Appellate Matrimonial Tribunal (CBCP-NAMT), issued the statement following the re-filing of the divorce bill or House Bill 1799 in Congress by representatives of the women’s group Gabriela.
Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Emerenciana de Jesus said the bill presents another option for couples in failed and irreparable marriages.
The authors said the bill is being introduced based on indications that Philippine society is ready for the legalization of divorce.
Archbishop Cruz, meantime, asked the authors of the bill as to how many times a person is allowed to get a divorce.
“Please tell: how many divorces may a husband or wife get? one, three, five or more?" he said.
“How about the children: when their parents get a divorce, what in turn will the said children get?” added Cruz.
He said if the government is pro-population control, it should know that divorce increases population.
Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, CBCP Public Affairs Committee chairman, for his part, reiterated their opposition to the bill saying it is against the Church’s teachings.
"Absolute divorce is and will remain against the teaching and morality of Catholic Church," he said. (MSN/Sunnex)