Pope Leo XIV has so far been extra cautious in media interviews. In this sense, he is different from Pope Francis. The latter would frequently answer queries from journalists who did not need submit their questions beforehand. Mind you, the more juicy quotes often came in the context of media interviews. A good example is that quote, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” when he was asked about gay lobby. That was in an impromptu interview while inside a plane on his way back from Brazil!
Thus, when Pope Leo gives brief statements to reporters, we give much weight to them precisely because of their rarity. More than three weeks ago, we had an instance of Pope Leo answering questions in public. His reply, while common sensical, would not sit well with some sectors within the Church.
The question was about the plan of Cardinal Blasé Cupich of Chicago to give a lifetime achievement award to Illinois Senator Dick Durbin for his help to the immigrants. This plan drew criticisms from pro-life advocates within the Catholic Church because the Senator, while personally against abortion, also opposes banning access to it. It is to be noted that Pope Leo himself is from Chicago. It is to be noted too that the Senator eventually declined the award in view of the backlash.
The current Pope initially says that the Senator cannot be judged on a single issue but on his whole work. And then the Pope adds, “Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion’ but (also) says ‘I am in favor of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life. Someone who says, ‘I am against abortion but I’m in agreement with the inhumane treatment of immigrants who are in the United States’, I don’t know if that is pro-life.”
The criticism against the myopic view of pro-lifers is relevant to the Philippine context as well. Pro-lifers here tend to limit their advocacy to the issue of abortion and reproductive health. We can call their stance anti-abortion but not pro-life. We all should oppose attempts to terminate the life inside the womb of a mother. But being pro-life cannot be reduced to being anti-abortion.
Why were many (probably not all) pro-lifers in the Philippines silent on extra-judicial killing? They who were vociferous on the morally complicated reproductive health issue suddenly were tongue-tied when it came to the bloody war on drugs which killed thousands. Ironically, it is extra-judicial killing which is unambiguously immoral.
And should not pro-life also mean a vigorous environmental advocacy? But many pro-lifers in fact deny the reality of global warming and its dangers to the lives of hundreds of millions.
Pro-lifers are equally silent on social justice. Their voices are muted when it comes to unfair labor practices.
This brings to the issue of corruption, specifically shown in ghost projects. There is no doubt that the deaths of many can be traced back to ghost flood control projects. Moreover, money that could have been spent for health care, classrooms for basic education, roads that can facilitate transport, eventually found their way to the bank books of legislators, contractors, and district engineers. Corruption kills and logically therefore it should be the concern of pro-lifers.
This reductionist approach to pro-life was shown more than a decade ago when pro-lifers hailed Imelda Marcos a heroine simply because she voted against the reproductive health bill, which eventually became a law. Never mind that the former first lady (now a first mother) had pending graft and corruption cases. She was later convicted by the Sandiganbayan.
In the September 21 rally in Fuente Osmeña, there were priests and nuns, seminarians, students from different universities and colleges, activists and civil society groups. But I did not see the even the shadows of those I know who present themselves as pro-lifers.
This piece therefore is an invitation to pro-lifers to broaden their understanding of what life is! Corruption dehumanizes most especially the poor. The rich and the middle class can go to private educational institutions but the poor have no choice but enroll in public schools where classrooms are utterly lacking because the budget for education has been slashed in favor of the ghost projects. The rich can go to private hospitals but the poor will have to go to district hospitals which could have used funds that went to the pockets of legislators. It is the poor who have to navigate through the floodwaters.
The fight against corruption must transcend labels like radicals, moderates, conservatives, or liberals. It also must go beyond political affiliations. We are all victims, after all.
I hope to see a placard which reads, “Corruption kills! Mga kurakot, ikulong na yan” – Pro-life, Cebu Chapter.