The Catholic Republic

By Patricia Evangelista • Philippine Daily Inquirer

LAST WEEK, Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Family Life of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, denied reports that a Catholic parish has banned supporters of the reproductive health (RH) bill from receiving Holy Communion. He blamed supporters of the RH bill for agitating the public, claiming that it is proof that there is an element of deception behind the bill.

The alleged draft statement by the Parish Pastoral Council of Santuario de San Jose in Mandaluyong City describes support for the RH bill as an act tantamount to the commission of a mortal sin. The bill, says the statement now circulating online, “is inherently immoral and evil, recommending, supporting, defending, promoting and practicing its provisions and tenets constitute a mortal sin against many of the ten commandments.”

CBCP’s Castro may claim that the statement is false, and that it does not come with the blessing of the CBCP, but he misleads when he claims he is unaware of its source. Santuario de San Jose’s secretary Ella Dula did deny to various news agencies that the parish posted the statement, but she admitted it was drafted by the parish pastoral council.

Dula told ABS-CBN that “Yes, there is a statement but there was no announcement during the weekend. I don’t know how it was leaked.” She told GMA News that the council was surprised, and insisted that it would never have released the statement as it was.

Castro calls the statement black propaganda, claiming its only goal is to cause agitation and anger among Catholics.

The Church is forgiving, he says, for there is no need to punish those who support the bill, because they are only acting as a result of ignorance and goodwill.

Perhaps the Church was less forgiving in 2008, when Ozamiz Bishop Jesus Dosado barred Catholic politicians who openly supported and advocated “anti-life” legislation from receiving Communion. CBCP News Online quoted Dosado as he spoke to a gathering of Catholics that one cannot be called “a Catholic in good standing” if one can “publicly hold views that are contradictory to the Catholic faith.” He said he had the right to refuse Holy Communion to such legislators, and added in his pastoral letter a no-communion policy for politicians promoting reproductive health and artificial birth control.

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