Church not doing enough vs corruption, retired bishop says

MANILA, Philippines - Despite vocal statements by its officials, the Catholic Church may still not be doing enough to fight corruption, a retired bishop said Friday night. Vicar Apostolic emeritus of Bontoc-Lagawe Francisco Claver said the Catholic church should do more to fight corruption and push economies that put people's needs ahead of selfish gains. "The Church could do something just to stop corruption, so that this money of corruption could go to the poor for the development of all," Claver, 79, said in a statement posted on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Web site (www.cbcpnews.com). Claver said the gains of democracy could easily be wiped out if the Church and civil society will not renew their resolve to fight the "ogre of corruption" especially in government. He said poor people are getting poorer because of corruption and the country wasted opportunities for growth because of it. Worse, he said it is sad that corruption in the country is still prevalent despite the Church's never-ending teachings about morality in public governance. Claver blamed public cynicism for this, saying greater and wider efforts are needed to foil, monitor and prosecute corruption. "It's sad to say that corruption here last years and years and nothing is being done even though the bishops are teaching painstakingly the authentic Christian love that people must do," he said. He added bishops still has to make stronger stand against corruption, adding that it has very detrimental effects on the country's poor people. He stressed such problem is a moral issue that bishops must address and they must take a stronger stand on what's going on in the government. Claver said the Church should not only give guidance but also provide leadership so that people will be properly guided. In its earlier statement, the CBCP lamented that corruption has become a "pervading cancer" that has spread "from top to bottom of society and government." "As we evaluate them, the people at the top are the corruptors and it seems that nothing could stop them," Claver said. He said this must serve as a challenge to all and not just by entirely relying it to the Church people, adding the real motivation to fight corruption has to come from all of us. "Let us talk about how to correct this… talk about the basic of everything and about the basic of everything and about to practice without corruption. It has to be done! We can do something about this issue," he said. - GMANews.TV