Catholic bishops: Defend God's gift of life

Catholic bishops on Wednesday urged Filipinos to defend God's gift of life and guard against what they called "forces against life." On Wednesday, Imus (Cavite) Bishop Antonio Tagle said pro-life people must work together "to defend God's precious gift of life." Tagle made the call at the Manila Cathedral during his homily at a Thanksgiving Mass for lawmakers and lay groups opposing the reproductive health (RH) bill. "We also want to pray, we have to pray because the forces against life are always present. Let us not delude ourselves that we have only one enemy, that life has only one enemy. There are many faces of those who are against life so we have to pray," said Tagle, chairperson of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) Commission on Doctrine of Faith. He also said such a commitment to life should go "beyond compromises and bribes." "We will be offering our lives for the sanctity of life. Let it be fueled by the spirit of Christ ... Just like (the prophet) Jeremiah, (there should be only one motive, loving service ... that makes the fight for life redemptive," he said. "We hope our defense of life will go to that deep part of ourselves where Jesus has stored the Holy Spirit ... transforming us into true prophets of life patterned after Jesus himself," he said. A report on Catholic Church-run Radio Veritas said many pro-life lawmakers were present during the Mass, but did not mention names. The Radio Veritas report said 28 bishops and 28 priests attended the Mass, including Papal Nuncio Edward Joseph Adams, CBCP president Nereo Odchimar, and archbishops Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales (Manila) and Ricardo Cardinal Vidal (Cebu, retired). CBCP secretary general Msgr. Juanito Figura said pro-life organizations opposing the RH bill were feted during the Mass. The Catholic Church is against the RH bill, which allows artificial contraception. The Church favors only natural methods of family planning. Wednesday's Mass comes two days before an anti-RH bill rally at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on March 25. Rosales earlier branded the RH bill as a “serious threat" against “the fundamental love of Filipinos for family and life." “Being the last country standing against the vicious attacks of power in connivance with lawmakers, we see the urgent need now to stop the attack by the proposed RH bill on our valued culture of life," said Rosales. March 25 rally On March 25, celebrated by Catholics as the "Feast of the Annunciation of the Birth of the Lord Jesus," the Archdiocese of Manila and other dioceses will gather for a prayer rally at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. The event will begin at 3:00 p.m. and end at 9:00 p.m. From 4:45 to 5:00 p.m., there will be an interfaith prayer and declaration of opposition led by Father Caloy Reyes. From 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., there will be testimonies and a declaration of opposition led by: Mae Belgica, Bro. Bo Sanchez, and Representatives Fatima Aliah Dimaporo (Lanao del Norte, 2nd District) and Lucy Torres-Gomez (Leyte, 4th District). A video message from boxing legend and Rep. Manny Pacquiao (Sarangani, Lone District). There will also be a Holy Mass at 7:00 p.m. presided by Rosales, Vidal, and other bishops and priests. After the Mass, there will be a family consecration. The event will be capped by a fireworks display and a singing of "happy birthday" as a way of celebrating life. Prayer rally for life in Mindanao Some 500 people joined a "Prayer Rally for Life" in Butuan City in the Caraga Region in Mindanao on Tuesday. Butuan Bishop Juan De Dios Pueblos, D.D. of the Diocese of Butuan spearheaded the rally at Butuan City’s Rizal Park in front of the St. Joseph Cathedral. Pro-life advocates from Metro Manila such as lawyer Jo Imbong, Dr. Lovey Naces,and Dr. Rene Bullecer, also joined the rally. “RH Bill is anti-Life and therefore against the teachings of the Church and God and so we must joined hands to campaign against its passage in Congress" Pueblos said. Rev. Fr. Joesilo Amalia, St. Joseph Cathedral assistant parish priest, said bad governance and corruption in the government cause poverty not the growing population. The rally began at 1:00 p.m. and ended at around 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. After the rally, many participants went to the Shrine of the Unborn near façade of the St. Joesph Cathedral to offer prayers and light candles. Butuan City Rep. Jose Aquino II, in a text message to GMA News Online, said he is supporting the anti-RH stance of the Roman Catholic Church. “I am pro-life and I believe in the sanctity of human life, the RH bill is simply anti-life and therefore we must not support it," Aquino said. – with Ben Serrano, VVP, GMA News