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PHILIPPINES: The Catholic Bishops of the Philippines invited their faithful to join them in 4 days of prayer, penance and alms next week to atone for those who blaspheme against God, who slander and bear false witness, and those who commit or justify murder to fight crime.
The call came in a pastoral exhortation by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the Philippines (CBCP) which was released at a press conference Monday, at the end of 117 Plenary Assembly CBCP in Manila
Signed by the president of the CBCP, Mgr Romulo Valles of Davao, the exhortation entitled "Rejoice and be happy!" Drawn attention to "those troubled times" in the Philippines urging Catholics
Prayer, penance, almsgiving
The Bishops urged their faithful to spend a day of prayer and penance on July 16 2018, the feast of Our Lady of Carmel, "by invoking the will of God, thank you to those who have blasphemed the Holy Name of God, those who slander and bear false witness, and those who commit murder or justify murder as a means of fighting crime in our country. "They also invited them to" three days of fasting and alms from 17 to 19 July 2018. "
The exhortation mentions no one by name but refers to the shocking statements made by President Rodrigo Duterte on several occasions. Duterte had a tumultuous relationship with the Catholic bishops, who criticized his brutal war on drugs, his incentive to reinstate the death penalty and his obscene language.
Duterte made harsh criticisms after calling God "stupid" in a speech at Davao Another day on Friday, he declared that he would resign if anyone could prove that God existed.
"Those who consider themselves proud as wise according to their own estimation and the Christian faith as nonsense, those who blaspheme our God as stupid, the words of St. Paul are just:" For the stupidity of God is wiser than the human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength, "said the bishops
. our faith ", the bishops again quoted St. Paul saying that God chooses fools to shame the wise and weak to confuse the strong
No politics but of faith and morality
In The Pastoral Exhortation of Asia's Most C The atholic nation refuted allegations that they were "involved in political movements aimed at destabilizing the government." "We are not political leaders, and certainly not political opponents of the government," they said, adding that the church respects elected political authorities as long as they "do not contradict the spiritual principles and fundamental morals that we cherish, such as the sacredness of life, the integrity of creation, and the inherent dignity of the human person. "
" When we talk about certain issues, "they say," it is always from the point of view of faith and morality.
Church for Life, Peace and the Poor
The pastoral exhortation also expressed its concern over the attacks on church personnel, with 3 priests killed in firearms attacks since December. "What's new in the fact that priests are murdered to witness Christ ? ", They asked." What's new in the servant leaders? " s who are slandered because they have fulfilled their functions of shepherds configured to the person of their First Shepherd? "
The Filipino bishops also used pastoral exhortation to reaffirm the vocation of the pastor. Church. mission for peace and to express its solidarity with the poor, the displaced and the suffering, especially drug addicts labeled as "non-human" and criminal, and innocent victims of the war on drugs.
Duterte came to power in the 2016 presidential election on the promise to kill criminals and urge people to kill drug addicts.
"Should we be spectators when we hear about cold-blooded people killed by ruthless murderers who have human lives like garbage?" the bishops asked, saying for every drug suspect killed, there is a widowed woman and there are orphaned children who have stayed. – Vatican News
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