Babel

“GMA’s CANDIDACY widens gap in Pampanga clergy.” So screamed the banner of Punto! Friday last week.
“Let us be fair to the people and to the teachings of the liturgy,” said Fr. Jun Mercado, parish priest of Barangay Lourdes Sur, Angeles City, in reaction to parishioners who expressed to him their disappointment over alleged statements issued by Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David during Masses at the Holy Rosary church against the candidacy of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the 2nd district of Pampanga.
“The Mass is a liturgy of unity and love, and not one of protest and dissension… It would be wrong for the bishop to make political statements during Mass,” Mercado remarked.
While Mercado himself crossed the partisan divide and asked the people of the second district to support GMA, he did so “outside the Mass,” at the church patio rally before the President filed her certificate of candidacy last Tuesday.
In that same Mass, homilist Fr. Roland Moraleja made an analogy of GMA’s “going down” from the presidency to Congress with that of Jesus Christ’s “taking the form of a slave to serve mankind.”
"Be not afraid,” so Moraleja addressed GMA. “To serve, we must humble ourselves,” and invoked a passage in the second chapter St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians citing Jesus as God humbling himself by taking the form of man.
“You have served Pampanga well and they still need you in Pampanga, regardless of what people say. If other people put you down, we Kapampangans will put you up.” So Moraleja elevated the President to gloria in excelsis. So was it written in our editorial here the following day.
“Blasphemy,” cried Bishop David at Moraleja’s statements.
Not quite, countered Mercado, saying Moraleja’s homily comparing the President’s decision to run for a lower post with Jesus Christ’s assuming human form was devoid of political undertones.
“Even Fr. Moraleja’s statement that Kapampangans would lift up the President when other people try to bring her down was in the context of the gospel,” Mercado affirmed.
On his alleged politicization of the pulpit, David said: “I don’t make political statements in church. I am a pastor, not a politician. I only preach on God’s word and relate it to current spiritual and moral issues.”
On GMA’s running for congresswoman, David had this to say : “I have come to the conclusion that PGMA is a big lawbreaker. “She breaks the spirit of the law but she has enough paid lawyers to justify her conduct as in keeping with the letter of the law. This is precisely what ails our country…(GMA) is now giving a very bad example to ordinary citizens on how to treat the law. Hanapan mo ng butas ang batas para makalusot (Seek a loophole in the law to get by it.) This behavior is sinful. We are all capable of it, humans as we are, but Jesus has given us an example on how to rise above it.”
Even at the once of speculations that GMA would run in the 2nd district when her hometown visits became frequent, the bishop already issued a statement asking her not to run “in the name of decency and for the sake of propriety.”
Of accusations that he uses the Mass for political commentaries against GMA, David urged Mercado to air his grievances to higher Church authorities rather than the media.
Sadly, the higher Church authorities are themselves enmeshed in differences of their own where GMA’s candidacy is concerned.
“Addiction to power…(GMA) exhibits lack of propriety and remains fixated to have a Cha-Cha – once elected – as soon as possible, to target the Office of Prime Minister.” So was GMA archcritic Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz quoted in the media, adding that the framers of the Constitution did not think of imposing a ban on an outgoing president running for a lower office simply because it was unthinkable.
“There appears to be no reasonable cause for such a constitutional prohibition as really there is no person in his or her sound mind who will do
such a funny and demeaning political circus.” So was Cruz quoted as saying.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said: “I wholeheartedly suggest she give others a chance to serve and not give in to the temptation of power.”
Catarman Bishop Emmanuel Trance: “She would have shown some statesmanship or political delicadeza if she does not run.”
“It’s not proper for a former president to seek a lower position,” said Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad. “(GMA) is already in the category as an elder adviser or statesman of our nation,”
Laoag Bishop Sergio Utleg said GMA “should retire.”
Legazpi Bishop Emeritus Lucilo Quiambao said GMA’s “self-demotion” as a congressional candidate “might be interpreted (as an act) to cover up for something.”
At the other end of the political spectrum in the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines rise:
The venerable Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal: “If somebody wants to serve the people, who can stop her? Provided the Constitution allows that.”
Virac Bishop Manolo Delos Santos, saying that since there was no legal impediment for GMA to run as congressman, “let her constituents decide.”
Bontoc-Lagawe Vicar Apostolic Beltran: “That a President should, immediately after her term, seek a lower office is unusual ... but it is not for that reason immoral. It is possible for motives less noble and worthy to be considered, but it is also a principle of ethics that one should never presume evil or malice of others.”
Bishop Beltran called “conjectural” critics’ warnings that GMA was setting the stage for a parliamentary shift in government and her ascendancy as prime minister.
“It is the sovereign people who, by exercising the power of the ballot, must decide whether or not to allow her to assume office. And whether or not she becomes Speaker ... is for her peers in the House of Representatives to determine by the processes that are legal and fair,” he said.
Bishop Marquez of the Diocese of Lucena: “I should not stifle people’s clamor for any public servant to serve and represent them in government.”
A Babel of tongues GMA’s running has caused among churchmen. Whither goeth the faithful now?