BY FR. SHAY CULLEN
THE “MARCH for the Martyrs” was a spectacular event when thousands of marching Catholic students filled Taft Avenue in Manila carrying banners and placards, singing fervently the patriotic song “Ang Bayan”, and demanding justice for students killed by the anti-riot police of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. when they staged a demonstration against injustice and corruption in 1972.
They were the great days of inspiration in 1969-72 when the Catholic faith was expressed with passion for justice and truth and demanding government accountability on the streets and in Church sermons.
The Student Catholic Action movement was Catholic social teaching in action. The youth then marched and rallied demanding respect for the poor, justice for the down-trodden, freedom for political prisoners and an end to graft and corruption. I was newly arrived in the Philippines and I was greatly inspired by that faith in action.
The Catholic youth believed with all their heart that they could bring change and they took to the streets in peaceful but loud protest. They were peaceful and influential. The youth leaders took the lead and were joined by priests and religious sisters in their marches. Then faith in the message of Jesus of Nazareth that called for social change, justice and equality for the poor and the downtrodden was seen as the main purpose and meaning of Christianity.
The Catholic youth then were Christian activists and advocates for equality, social justice and real political change. The rich were challenged to repent and believe the Gospel and give up their ill-gotten wealth and share with the poor. The students were bringing social change and had almost won.
However, the rich and powerful ruling elite led by President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. could take no more of it and so Marcos declared martial law and became a cruel dictator and plundered the nation’s wealth and brought it into dire poverty. All protests were suppressed with the threat of summary execution and he stifled dissent but the Catholic youth did not give up their true faith. They strongly believed the social teaching that the power of truth and justice will move mountains of evil. This faith sustained them.
Nowadays, it is very different. That once powerful faith-in -action has dissipated and weakened. The clergy and students have abandoned the streets for the creature comforts of the rectory and college dormitories. They don’t believe that victory over injustice is possible.
The courageous exceptions give hope. They are the magnificent few youth leaders, bishops and priests, no more than fifty at most, that stood against Duterte, and were red-tagged and charged with baseless crimes.
Many clergy and youth are influenced by materialism, vice, drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, pedophilia and addiction to social media. This is what apparently dominates their lives, not faith and action for justice or the Gospel values of Jesus of Nazareth. The institutional Church is seeking the true faith to fight social and corporate evil and government corruption. As Saint James writes, “faith, without action, is dead.” (To be continued)/PN
