Bishop’s announced choice of Kapatiran bet raises concerns

from Malaya

http://www.malaya.com.ph/03042010/news9.html

BACOLOD Bishop Vicente Navarra has not forced any of the priests in the Diocese of Bacolod to go with him in his decision to support candidates of the Ang Kapatiran party.

Navarra and Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles last week openly endorsed the presidential bid of JC delos Reyes, a councilor of Olongapo City. They expressed belief the party is sincere in bringing about political change.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has been very firm on its stand against involvement in partisan politics.

Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, director of the Social Action Center of the Bacolod Diocese, said priests under the diocese respect Navarra’s decision.

"I believe it is not easy for Bishop Navarra to make this decision this time. He’s already fed up with our present situation," Buenafe also said.

Navarra said he also respects the position of priests under his Diocese who may have their own preferences.

There were reports that some priests in Negros Occidental expressed dismay over Navarra’s open endorsement, saying he should have kept it to himself.

Navarra and Arguelles have resigned from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting which has been accredited by the Commission on Elections as its citizen’s arm.

Francisco "Kit" Tatad and JV Bautista, senatorial candidates of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino who visited Bacolod early this week, said it is not proper for leaders of the Catholic Church or any other religion to endorse political candidates.

"That could be a violation of constitutional provisions. We are supposed to have a separation of Church and state," Bautista said.

He also said the clergy’s job is to guide their flock on the selection candidates to support.

Tatad said "The Church has a right and a duty to provide the moral guidelines to the laity…but to identify a particular candidate as against others may be a little difficult for others to understand."

"The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines itself has taken what I believe is the correct position by only providing catechism, the moral guidelines as mandated by Catholic teaching," he also said.

Bautista and Tatad accompanied PMP presidential bet Joseph Estrada during their campaign sorties in Negros Occidental Monday and Tuesday. – Gilbert Bayoran