Bicol archbishop bars priests from saying Mass for Lozada

MANILA, Philippines - Saying a Mass should be free of political undertones, the archbishop of Nueva Caceres town in Camarines Sur has barred priests from celebrating the March 24 Mass to be attended by key ZTE witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. “Ang hindi ko pinapayagan, huwag gagamitin para akitin ang tao ang misa. Mas sagrado ang misa diyan (What I'm prohibiting is the use of the Mass to encourage people to join rallies. The Mass is sacred)," Archbishop Leonardo Legazpi told church-run Radio Veritas Monday. "Masakit 'yan na makita na ginagamit at nagpapagamit ang pari, madre at Obispo para sa ganyang bagay (It hurts to see that priests, nuns, and even bishops are being used to abuse the sacredness of the Mass)," Legazpi added. Lozada's camp has been bringing their caravan for truth to the provinces, their current stop being Cebu City. Legazpi said that while he is not against the holding rallies in his area, he is opposed to the use of Mass for political purposes. “Ang hindi ko gusto, gamitin para diyan ang misa. Hindi para diyan ang misa. Ibaba mo ang kalidad ng misa (What I oppose is that if people will use the Mass for political purposes. You are undermining the sacredness of the Mass if you will use it for political purposes)," Legazpi said. Legazpi was one of the three bishops who wrote the recent pastoral letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that denounced corruption but fell short of calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Legazpi said the Roman Catholic Church bars the use of the Mass to urge people to join political rallies. Legazpi however admitted he does not have the power to hand down disciplinary action to priests that would still celebrate Mass for Lozada despite his order. "Ang may kapasyahan diyan ay ang Obispo ng lugar. Yun talaga sapagkat siya ang pastor ng lugar na yun (That power lies on the bishop)," he said. Meanwhile, the archdiocese of Cebu denied that Ricardo Cardinal Vidal barred priests from celebrating a Mass for Lozada. Lozada, who arrived in Cebu early Monday morning, was scheduled to attend a forum and a "Mass for truth and accountability" in Cebu City within the day. Early reports, however, said that hours after Lozada's arrival, not a single priest would attend to his request for the conduct of a Mass, allegedly after the priests were directed by Vidal not to entertain Lozada's request. "The burden of truth is on them (Lozada's camp). Let them show that, indeed, Cardinal Vidal (gave the directive)," Msgr Achilles Dakay, Archdiocese of Cebu media liaison officer, said in a radio interview on Monday. "We are more than 300 priests here and how can the Cardinal prevent any of them?" Dakay added. Vidal had been quoted in earlier reports as expressing his opinion that it was unnecessary for Lozada to visit the province and be treated to a hero's welcome. - GMANews.TV