THE Cebu clergy and laity have stood firm against the pending “Absolute Divorce Bill” and are calling on all Catholic faithful to join them in a prayer rally against the bill on Saturday, July 27, 2024.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, in a forum at the Archbishop’s Palace on Saturday, July 20, 2024, said the pending legislation not only undermines the sanctity of marriage but also devalues family solidarity and harms children.

To demonstrate the Catholic church’s resistance to the divorce bill, Palma will lead an assembly at Fuente Osmeña Circle in Cebu City on the afternoon of July 27, starting at 1 p.m. Participants will then march to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño at 3 p.m., where Palma will preside over a mass at 5 p.m.

The archdiocese will suspend Saturday afternoon masses on that day to allow the faithful to participate in the prayer rally.

The Church also started the Oratio Imperata for marriage and the family at the start of this month.

Palma said that in his more than 40 years of experience as a priest, he witnessed several couples testifying marriage is not a walk in the park, rather it is a commitment of two individuals to work together in harmony and hold on to their promises to each other.

“Divorce is not the solution. Do not be deceived by the notion that it will only affect those who seek it,” Palma said.

Palma stressed that divorce leads to the breakdown of marriages and families which does not resolve the root cause of problems that lie within the dynamics of the couples themselves.

Divorce will reduce marriage to a meaningless ceremony, the prelate added.

“Be aware that divorce will redefine marriage by eliminating its permanent character. It is not true that divorce will not harm anyone as studies show that children suffer most in a divorce,” he said.

The church has various programs that promote healthy marital relationships, Palma said, adding that when utilized, it substantially assists couples in resolving most toxicity in their marriages.

Palma urged Catholics to avail of programs that the Archdiocese’s Commission on Family and Life promotes, including pre-and post-marriage couple counseling and support to resolve indifferences among couples.

In cases of irreparable and broken marriages, legal separation and declaration of nullity of marriages or annulment have already addressed these situations, Palma added.

Signature Campaign

Rev. Fr. Carmelo Diola, member of the Core Committee of the “Yes I Do, Yes to Marriage, Yes to the Family, No to Divorce” move, said they gathered at least 122,000 signatures across various parishes in the Archdiocese against the divorce bill.

These signatures will be sent to the Senate President next week, as they will try to convince lawmakers to reconsider the passage of the bill, Diola said.

He said this figure might increase to 160,000 with more signatures from the remaining district still up for counting.

Diola said that in the latest SWS survey, a majority of the Filipinos supported the Divorce Bill, while a handful were undecided.

He added the church has embarked on intensifying its awareness campaign to convince the undecided and even a number of those who support the bill to say against the absolution of marriage.

The Philippines, aside from the Vatican City, is the only remaining country that has no Divorce Law.

The House of Representatives approved the Absolute Divorce Act (House Bill 9349) on the third and final reading last May 22.

The House approved the bill with 131 affirmative votes, 109 negative votes, and 20 abstentions. / EHP

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