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The Church has the prophetic duty to pass moral judgment in those matters which regards public order whenever the fundamental human rights of a person or the salvation of souls requires it, Pope Benedict said on November 29 as he received the first group of Philippine bishops during their five-yearly “Ad limina” visit.
The Holy Father stressed that in proclaiming the Gospel, the Church may touch upon “issues relevant to the political sphere.”
“This is not surprising,” the pope said, “since the political community and the Church, while rightly distinct, are nevertheless both at the service of the integral development of every human being and of society as a whole.”
Quoting a Vatican II document, he said “the Church contributes most toward the building of a just and charitable social order when, ‘by preaching the truths of the Gospel, and bringing to bear on all fields of human endeavour the light of her doctrine and of a Christian witness, she respects and fosters the political freedom and responsibility of citizens’.” (Gaudium et Spes, 76)
The Holy Father noted that the truth of the Gospel have led “generations of zealous Filipino clergymen, religious and laity [to promote] an ever more just social order.”
Pope Benedict also lauded the efforts of Philippine bishops in safeguarding the sanctity of life and preserving the integrity of marriage and the family.
The pontiff said it is the task of the Church to speak out on matters of moral and spiritual matters that affect the lives of believers.
He commended the Catholic hierarchy “for seeking to play its part in support of human life from conception until natural death, and in defence of the integrity of marriage and the family.”
The Church must act as a leaven in society, the pontiff said. But to be such, it must speak out the truth, he added.
This is best conveyed, according to the pope, “in the public witness offered by the Bishops, as the Church’s primary teachers, and by all who have a role in teaching the faith to others.”
The pope made the statement as he welcomed the group of 35 bishops led by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.
RH Bill
The Holy Father praised the Philippine bishops for their efforts to uphold the sacredness of human life from all stages and preserve the sanctity of marriage and family.
Church leaders in the country are currently at loggerheads with government officials against the passage of the controversial reproductive health bill.
The proposed law has contentious provisions which the bishops said are morally unacceptable as they go against the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Among others, it promotes the use of contraceptives, which bioethics experts say are abortifacients as they prevent the implantation of fertilized egg into the uterus.
The measure also provides for a mandatory sex education for students from Grade V up, which bishops fear could lead to promiscuity and teen pregnancies.
“In these areas you are promoting truths about the human person and about society which arise not only from divine revelation but also from the natural law, an order which is accessible to human reason and thus provides a basis for dialogue and deeper discernment on the part of all people of good will. I also note with appreciation the Church’s work to abolish the death penalty in your country,” the pope said.
The Church, in proclaiming the gospel values, will necessarily have to touch on issues that can be considered political, the pope said.
‘Prophetic stance’
The Holy Father also welcomed the bishops’ efforts to care for the weak and deprived as he noted the rise of Catholic charitable institutions in the country that care for the poor.
“A third aspect of the Church’s mission of proclaiming the life-giving word of God is in her commitment to economic and social concerns, in particular with respect to the poorest and the weakest in society,” he said.
The pope lauded the bishops for their “prophetic stance” on social issues as he mentioned the problems of unemployment, lack of adequate education and basic services in the country.
“In addition to this effort, you are rightly concerned that there be an on-going commitment to the struggle against corruption, since the growth of a just and sustainable economy will only come about when there is a clear and consistent application of the rule of law throughout the land,” said the pontiff.
‘Unified voice’
The pope also mentioned communications media as a field where the Church can have a voice to reach out to the faithful more effectively.
But he stressed that to create an impact it is important for the Church to have a “unified and positive voice” in presenting the gospel values to the faithful.
The Holy Father said lay people expert in social communications can contribute much in making the Gospel message attractive to people.
“If the Gospel of Christ is to be a leaven in Filipino society, then the entire Catholic community must be attentive to the force of the truth proclaimed with love,” he said.
The bishops who are in Rome for their five-yearly “ad limina” visit come from the 30 ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Metro Manila, and Central and Northern Luzon. The group is the first of three batches of bishops scheduled to visit Rome for the quinquennial visit “ad limina apostolorum.”
