Catholic dioceses to mount June protests vs RH bill

As debates on the reproductive health (RH) bill continue, Catholic dioceses have lined up more activities against the proposed measure. In Bulacan, some 100 parishes and 200 priests are to take part in a prayer rally on June 11 at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral grounds in Malolos. The activity will culminate with a Mass at 6:00 p.m. “The activity is under the auspices of the Diocesan Commission on Family and Life," Bishop Jose Oliveros said in an article posted Friday on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site. In Masbate, diocesan administrator Msgr. Claro Caluya said they are planning an anti-RH rally tentatively on June 7. Meanwhile, in Basilan, Bishop Martin Jumoad said they have placed streamers at Basilan’s eight parishes with the message “"No to RH Bill! Yes to Life!" In Iloilo, Jaro Archbishop and former CBCP president Angel Lagdameo said they already had an archdiocesan rally against the proposed measure in March. “We also placed streamers in strategic locations calling on everyone to reject the RH bill," he said. Natural family planning drive In Parañaque, the local diocese will conduct a training on natural family planning on May 28 and 29 for couple trainors, who in turn, will conduct training programs in their respective parishes. “It is the vision of the diocese to institutionalize NFP training by making it widely available and regularly conducted in all parishes, and establishing a diocesan training and competence center that will continually produce competent parish trainors," the circular read. The one who will conduct the class is Mrs. Felicidad Porsuelo, one of the country’s pioneers in natural family planning education. Organized by the diocese’s Commission on the Family, the seminar will be held at the Family Wellness and Life Institute, De La Salle Zobel, Ayala, Alabang Village, Muntinlupa. In January this year, priests of the Archdiocese of Manila also took a reorientation seminar on NFP to help them convince couples to use the method. "The archdiocese said the seminar also demonstrated that the Church is not only stressing that artificial contraception violates Catholic teachings; it also harms women’s bodies and the environment," the CBCP said. - VVP, GMA News