In his commentary titled “Church as leaven of society” (Inquirer, 1/11/13), Ernesto Pernia says that Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle “must exhort the people to put to rest divisive issues once democratically resolved—Vox populi vox Dei—so that the country can move on.” He doesn’t get it.
First, RH (reproductive health) is indeed a divisive issue. It is all about the culture of death versus the culture of life. It is between evil and good. It is ultimately about the work of Satan and the work of God. It cannot be resolved through law, even if democratically resolved (which is not so, because corruption was involved). If that were the case, then Catholics in the western world should just accept abortion and same-sex unions where they have been “resolved” by law.
Second, when it comes to morality and spirituality, Vox populi vox Dei does not apply. The crowd clamored for the crucifixion of Jesus, but was that good and right and just? In fact, in a world deep in darkness and evil, those under the dominion of Satan can be the majority, and are often the loudest. We cannot and will not go into a fellowship with evil.
Third, we precisely do not want the country to “move on” under the aegis of RH. Move on to what? Sexual licentiousness? Valueless sex education? Abortion? Same-sex marriage? Loss of religious freedom? Persecution of the Catholic Church?
Pernia says, “Instead, those who opposed the bill seem bent on waylaying the law’s implementation through challenges in court, with the tacit encouragement of some bishops. This certainly is no way toward peace and harmony in the new year.” We indeed are totally opposed to RH, and will fight it with all our strength. President Aquino and his toady legislature started this fight, won the first round, and now wants us to accept what we cannot. The way to true peace and harmony is faith, family and life, all of which the pro-RH camp is seeking to destroy. With RH, the country can indeed move on … to destruction and perdition.
The fight has just started.
God bless the Philippines.
—FRANK PADILLA, fapcfc@gmail.com