Catholic church to lead 'prayer rally for life'
The power and influence of the Ilonggo Catholic Church hierarchy will be put to a test tomorrow, July 24. Alongside it, the convincing ability of His Grace, Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
As such, it would seemingly be "make or break" for the Jaro Archdiocese as calls and open invites were issued to attend the church-initiated prayer rally for life.
With the Freedom Grandstand as venue, expected to be present are students of Catholic schools and universities throughout Iloilo City and even Iloilo province.
The News Today (TNT) obtained an advance copy of the church's manifesto set for distribution and public pronouncement. The disclosure of the manifesto's contents will serve as the day's highlight.
It was not immediately clear if Lagdameo will read the manifesto, filled with direct attacks on the now highly-controversial Reproductive Health Act.
Taking off from the 40th anniversary of His Holiness Pope Paul VI Humanae Vitae, the manifesto began by a declaration that the Filipino family "is once again under siege!"
"The passage of Reproductive Health Bills and ordinances in Congress, the Senate, provinces, cities and municipalities is being railroaded," the manifesto said. "Passage of these bills further weaken the Filipino Family and eventually pave the way to legalizing abortion, as has been the constant experience in many other countries."
The Catholic Church's manifesto then continued by slamming assertions that population growth are linked to persisting poverty in the Philippines.
It is not population that is the problem, the Church stressed saying it is used as "convenient cover-up for failed development programs and indicates toleration of mismanagement and graft and corruption."
These as the Church continued to label the family bills as "death bills."
"For indeed, they will bring about D-ivorce, E-uthanasia, A-bortion, T-yrannical population control and H-omosexual unions," the manifesto stated. "We call on Filipino Families to defend ourselves by defending life. This could be our last chance."
Further still, the Catholic Church hierarchy charged that "many" legislators, the "unfamiliar" ones to the Act included, are lured into supporting the bills due to "monetary and other compensation."
By doing so, the manifesto averred, laws will be enacted "that will make the Filipino Family suffer even more."
As for unsolicited advice in the formation of family the Church-way, the manifesto laid down several guides.
"Let us complain to our mayors against pornography in stores and boycott these stores, especially those surrounding our homes and our children's schools. Let us not buy products that degrade sex and women in their advertisements. Let us review the textbooks used by our children for promiscuous and anti-parental content. Let us tell the TV stations that we want wholesome family entertainment. Let us organize ourselves and pressure our leaders to come up with pro-family and pro-life legislation and programs instead to strengthen society's basic unit, the family," the manifesto went.
Yet above all, the Catholic Church calls on its flock to pray for conversion of hearts and minds. And while at it, "promote through all possible means abstinence outside marriage and fidelity in marriage as well as modesty in our thoughts, words and actions."