CHOOSING LIFE, REJECTING THE
RH BILL (A Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines )
Our Filipino Brothers and Sisters:
The State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full
respect for human rights (Art. II, Section 11). The State recognizes
the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family
as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the
life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception (Art.
II, Section 12).
Background
We begin by citing the Philippine Constitution. We do so because we
intend to write you on the basis of the fundamental ideals and aspirations
of the Filipino people and not on the basis of specifically Catholic
religious teachings.
We are at a crossroads as a nation. Before us are several versions
of a proposed bill, the Reproductive Health bill or sanitized as a Responsible
Parenthood bill. This proposed bill in all its versions calls us to
make a moral choice: to choose life or to choose death.
At the outset we thank the government for affording us an opportunity
to express our views in friendly dialogue. Sadly our dialogue has simply
revealed how far apart our respective positions are. Therefore, instead
of building false hopes, we wish at the present time to draw up clearly
what we object to and what we stand for.
Moral Choices at the Crossroads — at EDSA I and Now
Twenty five years ago in 1986 we Catholic Bishops made a prophetic
moral judgment on political leadership. With this prophetic declaration
we believe that we somehow significantly helped open the door for EDSA
I and a window of political integrity.
Today we come to a new national crossroads and we now have to make
a similar moral choice. Our President rallied the country with the election
cry, “Kung walang corrupt walang mahirap.” As religious
leaders we believe that there is a greater form of corruption, namely,
moral corruption which s really the root of all corruption. On the present
issue, it would be morally corrupt to disregard the moral implications
of the RH bill.
This is our unanimous collective moral judgment: We strongly reject
the RH bill.
Commonly Shared Human and Cultural Values – Two Fundamental Principles
Far from being simply a Catholic issue, the RH bill is a major attack
on authentic human values and on Filipino cultural values regarding
human life that all of us have cherished since time immemorial.
Simply stated the RH Bill does not respect moral sense that is central
to Filipino cultures. It is the product of the spirit of this world,
a secularist, materialistic spirit that considers morality as a set
of teachings from which one can choose, according to the spirit of the
age. Some it accepts, others it does not accept. Unfortunately, we see
the subtle spread of this post-modern spirit in our own Filipino society.
Our position stands firmly on two of the core principles commonly shared
by all who believe in God:
(1) Human life is the most sacred physical gift with which God, the
author of life, endows a human being. Placing artificial obstacles to
prevent human life from being formed and being born most certainly contradicts
this fundamental truth of human life. In the light of the widespread
influence of the post-modern spirit in our world, we consider this position
as nothing less than prophetic. As religious leaders we must proclaim
this truth fearlessly in season and out of season.
(2) It is parents, cooperating with God, who bring children into the
world. It is also they who have the primary inalienable right and responsibility
to nurture them, care for them, and educate them that they might grow
as mature persons according to the will of the Creator.
What We Specifically Object to in the RH Bill
Advocates contend that the RH bill promotes reproductive health. The
RH Bill certainly does not. It does not protect the health of the sacred
human life that is being formed or born. The very name “contraceptive”
already reveals the anti-life nature of the means that the RH bill promotes.
These artificial means are fatal to human life, either preventing it
from fruition or actually destroying it. Moreover, scientists have known
for a long time that contraceptives may cause cancer. Contraceptives
are hazardous to a woman’s health.
Advocates also say that the RH bill will reduce abortion rates. But
many scientific analysts themselves wonder why prevalent contraceptive
use sometimes raises the abortion rate. In truth, contraceptives provide
a false sense of security that takes away the inhibition to sexual activity.
Scientists have noted numerous cases of contraceptive failure. Abortion
is resorted to, an act that all religious traditions would judge as
sinful. “Safe sex” to diminish abortion rate is false propaganda.
Advocates moreover say that the RH bill will prevent the spread of
HIV/AIDS. This goes against the grain of many available scientific data.
In some countries where condom use is prevalent, HIV/ AIDS continues
to spread. Condoms provide a false security that strongly entices individuals
towards increased sexual activity, increasing likewise the incidence
of HIV/AIDS. “Safe sex” to prevent HIV /AIDS is false propaganda.
Advocates also assert that the RH Bill empowers women with ownership
of their own bodies. This is in line with the post-modern spirit declaring
that women have power over their own bodies without the dictation of
any religion. How misguided this so-called “new truth” is!
For, indeed, as created by God our bodies are given to us to keep and
nourish. We are stewards of our own bodies and we must follow God’s
will on this matter according to an informed and right conscience. Such
a conscience must certainly be enlightened and guided by religious and
moral teachings provided by various religious and cultural traditions
regarding the fundamental dignity and worth of human life.
Advocates also say that the RH bill is necessary to stop overpopulation
and to escape from poverty. Our own government statistical office has
concluded that there is no overpopulation in the Philippines but only
the over-concentration of population in a number of urban centers. Despite
other findings to the contrary, we must also consider the findings of
a significant group of renowned economic scholars, including economic
Nobel laureates, who have found no direct correlation between population
and poverty. In fact, many Filipino scholars have concluded that population
is not the cause of our poverty. The causes of our poverty are: flawed
philosophies of development, misguided economic policies, greed, corruption,
social inequities, lack of access to education, poor economic and social
services, poor infrastructures, etc. World organizations estimate that
in our country more than P400 billion pesos are lost yearly to corruption.
The conclusion is unavoidable: for our country to escape from poverty,
we have to address the real causes of poverty and not population.
In the light of the above, we express our clear objections:
1. We object to the non-consideration of moral principles, the bedrock
of law, in legislative discussions of bills that are intended for the
good of individuals and for the common good.
2. We are against the anti-life, anti-natal and contraceptive mentality
that is reflected in media and in some proposed legislative bills.
3. We object strongly to efforts at railroading the passage of the
RH bill.
4. We denounce the over-all trajectory of the RH bill towards population
control.
5. We denounce the use of public funds for contraceptives and sterilization.
6. We condemn compulsory sex education that would effectively let parents
abdicate their primary role of educating their own children, especially
in an area of life – sexuality – which is a sacred gift
of God.
What We Stand For
On this matter of proposed RH bills, these are our firm convictions:
1. We are deeply concerned about the plight of the many poor, especially
of suffering women, who are struggling for a better life and who must
seek it outside of our country, or have recourse to a livelihood less
than decent.
2. We are pro-life. We must defend human life from the moment of conception
or fertilization up to its natural end.
3. We believe in the responsible and natural regulation of births through
Natural Family Planning for which character building is necessary which
involves sacrifice, discipline and respect for the dignity of the spouse.
4. We believe that we are only stewards of our own bodies. Responsibility
over our own bodies must follow the will of God who speaks to us through
conscience.
5. We hold that on the choices related to the RH bill, conscience must
not only be informed but most of all rightly guided through the teachings
of one’s faith.
6. We believe in the freedom of religion and the right of conscientious
objection in matters that are contrary to one’s faith. The sanctions
and penalties embodied in the proposed RH bill are one more reason for
us to denounce it.
Our Calls
As religious leaders we have deeply and prayerfully reflected on this
burning issue. We have unanimously made the moral judgment – to
reject the RH agenda and to choose life.
1. We call for a fundamental transformation of our attitudes and behavior
towards all human life especially the most defenseless, namely, human
life being formed or being conceived. The cheapness with which many
seem to consider human life is a great bane to our religious-oriented
nation.
2. We call upon our legislators to consider the RH bill in the light
of the God-given dignity and worth of human life and, therefore, to
shelve it completely as contrary to our ideals and aspirations as a
people. We thank our legislators who have filed bills to defend human
life from the moment of conception and call upon all other legislators
to join their ranks.
3. We thank the great multitude of lay people all over the country,
and particularly the dedicated groups who made their presence felt in
the halls of Congress, to defend and promote our position. We call upon
other lay people and adherents of other religions to join the advocacy
to defend and promote our commonly shared ideals and aspirations.
4. We call on our government to address effectively the real causes
of poverty such as corruption, lack of social and economic services,
lack of access to education and the benefits of development, social
inequities.
5. We call for the establishment of more hospitals and clinics in the
rural areas, the deployment of more health personnel to provide more
access to health services, the building of more schools, the provision
of more aid to the poor for education, and the building of more and
better infrastructures necessary for development.
6. We echo the challenge we prophetically uttered 25 years ago at EDSA
I and call upon all people of good will who share our conviction: “…let
us pray together, reason together, decide together, act together, always
to the end that the truth prevail” over the many threats to human
life and to our shared human and cultural values.
We commend our efforts against the RH bill (or the Responsible Parenthood
bill – its new name) to the blessing of our almighty and loving
God, from whom all life comes and for whom it is destined.
For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
+Nereo P. Odchimar, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, CBCP
January 30, 2011
English
Version (read tagalog version)
PASTORAL
LETTER ON THE MAY 2010 ELECTIONS
It is not difficult to see what happens is society affects
the lives of individual persons. Changes in the economy, politics, and
culture influence our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Since it
is the mission of the Church to cherish and protect the value and dignity
of every human person, she must get involved in social developments
and provide guidance and encouragement to the faithful. That is the
reason why I, your bishop and pastor, wish to share with you some thoughts
and suggestions regarding the elections that are to be held in our country
on May 10, 2010.
To the citizenry, the voters, I have this to say: Participate!
Make your vote count. Take the trouble to find out who deserves your
vote because they truly have the good of the people in mind and heart.
Then go out and cast your ballot. Do not let laziness or indifference
keep you home or elsewhere. The power to choose your leaders is a basic
and, yes, sacred human right in the eyes of civil society and of the
church. Protect that right and never allow anyone to take it away from
you through bribery and coercion. If you want to live in a democracy,
take your responsibilities seriously and protect your vote as well as
the votes of others if you are in a position to do so. Follow your informed
conscience and choose honest and compassionate leaders who sincerely
have the good of the people especially the poor, at heart.
To the candidates seeking elective positions, we urge
purity of motives in aspiring for leadership. Our nation has suffered
for so long from officials who are more interested in self-service than
in service of the people. Our country is crying out for statesmen rather
than politicians, heroes rather than celebrities. The call to love comes
before the call to lead. What does it profit a man to get elected and
yet lose the meaning of life? We believe that beyond the façade
of irresponsibility and uncaring with which selfish politics has covered
our faces, there still remains in our hearts that spark of goodness
and compassion which can be ignited in service of our people.
As we celebrate the saving mystery of Our Lord’s
passion and resurrection, let us all as one nation cooperate with God’s
loving plan to renew and transform our history and world. May our decisions
and actions in connection with the 2010 elections be worthy of the followers
of Jesus Christ. May the loving God who watches over our lives bless
our country with clean and honest elections and leaders whose one desire
is to serve.
+
Marlo M. Peralta, DD
Bishop of Alaminos
“ENTER
TO WORSHIP, LEAVE TO SERVE”: A PASTORAL LETTER IN THE CELEBRATION
OF HOLY WEEK AND CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO THE CURRENT NATIONAL SITUATION
My
dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Once
again we are gathered as a community of faith to celebrate the Holy
Week, that sacred time of year precious to the heart of most every Filipino.
Let us raise our minds and hearts in gratitude for God’s graciousness
in choosing us to be the only Catholic nation this part of Asia. Let
our celebration of the saving Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus
reassure us once again of the Father’s immeasurable love for us.
But
before we continue, here are some questions that should bother us: Why
is it that the only Christian country this side of Asia is also graded
as the most corrupt? Why is the distribution of resources among our
people so criminally uneven? Why is the opportunity gap (not to speak
of financial) so intolerably wide between the rich and the poor? Why
are we made to breathe lies and brazen denials like a toxic atmosphere
that surrounds us from north to south, from east to west?
Why
indeed? Could it be that religion as we understand and live it is more
for personal advantage than for self-giving worship? Could it be that
prayer makes us feel good but does not challenge us to change and be
more responsible for the common good? Could it be that a deep seated
self-seeking hides behind the rituals and devotions that we so easily
and habitually practice?
For
our people’s sake it is high time that we recapture in our Christian
lives the true meaning of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
There is ultimately one truth of life that the many rituals and sacraments
of the Church are pointing to, only one message pertaining to our existence
that the Gospel teaches: the meaning of human lives and the one saving
truth for our world is that self-forgetful love ready to pay the price
of loving is stronger than sin or death. Jesus gave witness to this
with his life; we are called to follow his example. This is what Holy
Week is about.
ENTER
TO WORSHIP, LEAVE TO SERVE. This declaration which meets people
at the front door of a certain church is of great relevance to our celebration
of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. Let this statement challenge
our religious practice as Filipinos. Perhaps it will lead us to take
action and demand nothing less than the truth about our national situation.
Perhaps it will inspire us to do something to help close the unjust
gap between the rich and poor. Perhaps it will move us to exercise greater
responsibility in relation to the important issues that affect our life
as a nation. Perhaps it will urge us always to remember that religion
does not only happen in church but in the much wider events and developments
of our world that Jesus has redeemed by his Cross and Resurrection.
+Marlo
M. Peralta, D.D.
Bishop of Alaminos
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