I TOTALLY agree with Fr. Ranhilio Callangan Aquino of San Beda College. In his letter (Inquirer, 3/17/08), he said there is nothing wrong with the bishops' practice of accepting donations. Like Father Aquino and all the Christians in this country, I also see no malice in accepting donations by the religious sector from the public and even government officials, including the Philippine president. In the first place, these funds are given freely by well-meaning believers to help the prelates in carrying out their covenant with God to help the sick and the needy.

However, I believe God's prophets are popular and very influential, contrary to Father Aquino's statement that they are not. All Christians look up to them as righteous leaders who would guide their flock in seeing the light, when there is almost none.

As vanguards of morality, the religious sector has always assumed an active duty even in times of grave political strife. While I concur that there's nothing wrong in accepting donations from well-meaning Christians, as men of God, we pray that some bishops would also recognize bribery when they see it.

Because once these funds begin to influence the prelates' inclinations on sensitive political issues, then accepting donations becomes bad because the money could also cloud their better judgment, to the detriment of the very public they profess to serve.--GINA DE VENECIA