If ever Bishop Oscar Cruz had issued a harsh statement that called on the Catholic Church not to give communion to public servants who are sinners, why should some congressmen be mad about it? This is a million dollar question that now spells the difference because some legislators who are themselves sinners are on the side of the present administration. Therefore, it is only incumbent upon them to come to the save their flock.
In retaliation to what the good catholic bishop said, the 24 congressmen, mostly allied to the administration. have called on the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to suspend or remove Cruz. According to them, it wasn’t appropriate for a certain bishop to be issuing such an acidic statement to the public. The CBCP has yet to act on the congressmen’s request.
It appears that some members of Congress are already being used or are intervening in the affairs of the Catholic Church. Why would they dictate upon the bishops what to do and say, in light of the recent controversies where even the leader of the land was allegedly embroiled in corruption. Isn’t it the prerogative of the Church not to give communion to sinners who have not even gone to confessions. And isn’t it ungrateful to God for someone receiving communion, especially if that individual has committed terrible sins over and over again?
What’s wrong if Bishop Cruz would encourage the Church to refrain from giving communion to public sinners? It’s the bishop’s constitutionalright to do so. During the time of the late Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, who encouraged his flock to come into the streets that toppled theMarcos regime, why didn’t they come out and seek the CBCP to remove the archbishop? I think what the late Cardinal did was moreserious than what the bishop did.
If I were to be asked, I don’t think it is a good example for some public officials who are linked to corruption in government to be receivingthe Holy Communion. Otherwise, it could be misconstrued as the Catholic Church’s act of tolerating what is bad before the eyes of God.Aren’t they guilty to be receiving the Body of Christ, knowing that they have sinned against humanity?
Anyway, should the CBCP listened to the last ditch attempt of the congressmen to oust Bishop Cruz from the CBCP, so be it. Everybodyknows that majority bishops in the CBCP tend to ignore the political chaos that tarnished the country’s image in the international community.
It is either they are on the side of public officials who are corrupt or the people who have suffered a lot because the delivery of basicservices do not trickle to them in some ways.
In today’s interview by Mr. Anthony Taberna at Umagang Kay Ganda, Cruz said that he would plant camote once he is ousted as member of the CBCP.