Vatican won't gag anti-Arroyo bishops, group tells Enrile's wife

MANILA, Philippines - A group of Catholic scholars warned new Philippine envoy to the Vatican Cristina Ponce-Enrile Thursday against lobbying to gag bishops critical of the Arroyo administration. The Society of Catholic Social Scientists Philippine chapter said Vatican does not gag bishops who happen to be critical of a country's government. "Vatican will never silence bishops critical of President Arroyo," chapter head Emma Roxas said in a statement posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website. Because of this, Roxas said the government is gravely mistaken if it appointed Mrs Enrile, wife of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, to the Vatican to lobby for the silencing of anti-Arroyo bishops. She said Pope Benedict XVI "will never castigate" a bishop just for being critical of a country's government, as he even strongly urged the Church to address the vices and perils of the times. "(The Pope wants the Church to) appeal to the consciences of the powerful and of the intellectuals, not to mention of those who want to live narrow-minded, comfortable lives while ignoring the needs of the times," she said. Roxas also said the Pope is even supportive of bishops who stand for their convictions in the resolutions of conflicts and other social issues. The SCSS consists of Catholic scholars, professors, teachers and others in political science and political philosophy and sociology whose work touches social or public concerns. Its primary aim is to produce objective knowledge about the political, social and economic orders that can assist the Catholic Church in fulfilling its various apostolic efforts. The Catholic organization earlier called on the bishops to write Benedict XVI a letter expressing disapproval over Enrile's appointment. - GMANews.TV