MAINTAINING A NON-PARTISAN CHURCH: THE PHILIPPINE CHURCH, COMELEC, AND TEAM BUHAY

MAINTAINING A NON-PARTISAN CHURCH:

THE PHILIPPINE CHURCH, COMELEC, AND TEAM BUHAY

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Now that some Bishops, priests, and lay leaders want to distinguish between ‘Team Buhay and Team Patay’ and directly or indirectly campaign for or against certain political candidates, here’s my two cents’ worth:

The Supreme Court initially favoring the Church via the TRO issued against the Comelec’s order for the removal of the “Team Buhay, Team Patay” tarp, it may, in one way, show the possibility of a so-called “Catholic vote.” But this would not in any way guarantee a better election, better politics, much less a better Philippine Nation.

I understand the Church’s rage on Legarda, Escudero, Hontiveros, et al., for supporting the RH Law. But calling Cynthia Villar, JV Ejercito, Nancy Binay, and others “Team Buhay” and endorsing their candidacy is another thing. I appreciate ‘Team Buhay’ for their opposition to the RH Law, an opposition that is seemingly a continually losing battle in this secular world. But putting them in the Senate, tantamount to saying they are our best choices for the highest law-making body of our country, to me that is unacceptable.

THE FALLIBILITY OF A POSSIBLE CATHOLIC VOTE

I have not forgotten how in 2010, even without the idea of a “Catholic vote” some bishops and priests, some of them still have that ominous yellow ribbon on their cars to this day, openly endorsed Noynoy Aquino. Fast forward to 2013 we all know that Aquino played a vital and most important role in the railroading and immediate passage of the RH Law after hasty deliberations. Noynoy might have still won the elections then even without endorsement from the Church leaders; he would still have railroaded the passage of the RH Law afterwards. But those who endorsed him have less of a right, or maybe they have no right at all, to scream in protest; they are partly to blame for the ‘success’ of RH.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A NON-PARTISAN CHURCH

In 2010, in the midst of election campaigns, I also did ask myself, “isn’t it high time for the Church to identify and promote certain candidates that would echo the “Catholic voice” in the government. At that point an acquaintance, now a priest in the Diocese of Malolos, answered me in this line thought: “if the Church names candidates the Catholics should vote, the Church would be as much responsible if a candidate she endorsed fails in governing, or worse, end up being as corrupt as the leaders the Church so condemn.” And now I realize, Ta Menx, now Fr. Menald, was right then; right until today if he still holds the same opinion.

The Church serves as the herald of the truth; the arbiter of morality of this nation.  If the Church leaders would openly dictate who the Catholics should vote and they directly or indirectly commit a mistake and help elect corrupt, even evil officials, then her voice as a moral guardian would be muffled. If the Church would endorse candidates who cannot keep their promises of good governance, then she would lose her authority as an arbiter of morality. It would be hypocritical of a Church that would engage in partisan politics if one day she rejoices and claims credit for electing a leader via the Catholic vote and then the next day cries “Anathema sit!” on that same leader.

This is the very reason why the Church should remain non-partisan; it is essential to her nature and mission to remain so. It is vital to witnessing to the truth that the Church does not take sides on the issue of politics. The Church can remain non-partisan when it comes to elections, but be still as bold in proclaiming the truth about Christ’s teachings.

STATEMENT OF FILIPINO BISHOPS AND STATEMENT OF THE BISHOPS OF THE PHILIPPINES

This need to maintain the non-partisan stand of the Church may be the reason why, of the many voices I hear on the ‘Catholic vote’ there is one obviously missing; one so important – that of the pre-eminent Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. Moreover, lay leaders, priests, and bishops have taken initiative, but it is apparent that the initiative is not sanctioned on an official level by the Philippine Church, there seems to be no official statement by the CBCP. These two facts, the silence of the Archbishop of Manila, ‘primus inter pares’ among Filipino prelates and the lack of an ‘official’ declaration of the CBCP tells me the initiative of the so-called Catholic vote is just that, an initiative, though not in any way an official teaching of the Philippine Church.

With this in mind, I have reason to believe that though some Filipino bishops would want otherwise, the bishops of the Philippines via the CBCP leadership and the Philippine Church that Cardinal Tagle so vividly represents, intends to remain as non-partisan as ever and refrain from partisan politics, as all of us should do so.