LET’S START with these definitions, courtesy of that free online encyclopedia a.k.a. internet.
Vulgarity is the quality of being common, coarse, or unrefined. This judgment may refer to language, visual art, social classes, or social climbers.
Hypocrisy is the contrivance of a false appearance of virtue or goodness, while concealing real character or inclinations, especially with respect to religious and moral beliefs; hence in a general sense, hypocrisy may involve dissimulation, pretense or a sham. Hypocrisy is the practice of engaging in the same behavior or activity for which one criticizes another.
Let’s take this in the view of the actions and pronouncements of some members of the Philippine Catholic Church, particularly Archbishop Luis Tagle, Archbishop Socrates Villegas, the self-proclaimed running priest Fr. Robert Reyes, Sister Mary John Mananzan and the rest of the padre and madre de cacaos who are “devotees to the cult of the yellow ribbon.”
The last time I looked, we are still a free and democratic country and contrary to the pronouncements of most of mainstream media and the pseudo-communists and so-called leftists, democracy is not dead, likewise for press freedom.
The principle as defined by the Constitution (yep, the one former Chief Justice Hilario Davide is willing to die for), separation of the church and state still stands and we are not a theocracy.
According to the same Constitution, religious institutions are exempted from paying taxes and should not interfere with the affairs of government and the government should also not interfere with the affairs of the religious institutions unless of course they break the law.
Simply put, by not paying taxes religious institutions have no right to demand or criticize the government.
But any member of a religious institution who is a citizen of the Philippines, natural born or naturalized, pays taxes and not a convicted criminal are free to criticize or air grievances against the government within legal bounds of course.
As an example, that Australian nun Sister Patricia Fox who have been joining political rallies has no right to do so because she is not a citizen of the republic. It is just right that she be deported for usurping a right that is exclusive to taxpaying Filipino citizens.
Members of religious institutions i.e. priests from the Philippine Catholic Church using the pulpit and other forms in the name of the Philippine Catholic Church have no right to do so, they can express themselves as citizens of the republic but not as members of the Catholic clergy.
Here’s the latest from Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan:
“Isn’t it too much? Will we not stand up yet? If not now, when?” said Villegas in his message for the feast of Mary Help of Christians on May 24. “It would be naive to hope things will improve without us lifting a finger.”
According to him, the country’s situation demand both prayer and action to defend the Catholic values from “anti-Christian forces” sowing death, fake news, corruption, and violating constitutional rights.
But among the social ills that are ripping the country apart, he said the spate of killings and the vulgarity “incredibly” top the list.
“It’s too much!” said Villegas, stressing out that vulgarity and murder are anti-Christian. “Think. Pray. Let us act together.”
I take it that by vulgarity and anti-Christian this is what the good Archbishop means:
Excerpts from the May 22 issue of Philippine Star:
Illicit affairs eyed in Fr. Mark Anthony Ventura’s murder
Following President Duterte’s pronouncements that slain Fr. Mark Anthony Ventura could have been involved in illicit affairs, investigators are now focusing their probe on the priest’s past personal issues.
Investigators will look into the private affairs of Ventura, who was shot dead after saying mass at a basketball court in Gattaran town on April 29, Senior Superintendent Warren Tolito, Cagayan police director, said.
In a speech in Tabogon, Cebu over the weekend, Duterte said the priest could have been killed because of his illicit affairs with the wives of a politician, a police officer, a military man, and a businessman.
“The strongest motive we have so far are his personal issues, like the ones mentioned by President Duterte,” Tolito said.
Really Fr. Mark, having an affair with somebody’s wife is dangerous enough but the wives of a politician, police officer and a soldier, these people have guns you know.
By the way isn’t coveting your neighbour’s wife against God’s Ten Commandments?
Here are more excerpts from the Sept. issue of the Manila Standard.:
Priest rapped for trafficking of 13-yr-old
The Department of Justice has been asked to prosecute Msgr. Arnel Lagarejos for human trafficking charges following his arrest by the Marikina police last July for allegedly “booking” a 13-year old girl from a pimp.
Aside from Lagarejos, the complaint for violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act has also been filed by the victim’s mother against Shaira Pedragoza, Ace Lasaca, a minor and several John Does who allegedly acted as pimps.
Public Attorneys’ Office Chief Persida Rueda Acosta, who accompanied the complainant to the DOJ, stressed that they have enough evidence to pin Lagarejos and his co-accused in the case.
Acosta said the case falls under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act considering the age of the victim — she was only 13 years old.
“We have enough evidence not only based on the victim’s testimony but also the text messages on her cellular phone and posts on her social media account wherein she positively identified Lagarejos,” Acosta said in an interview.
Indeed, vulgar and anti-Christian. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
