KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines — A Mindanao prelate has asked Catholics not to join street protests against the Reproductive Health Bill, saying that rallies will not help people understand the issue.
The RH Bill, which the Catholic Church and Pro-life groups oppose, passed the House’s health committee last week.
Bishop Romulo Dela Cruz of the diocese of Kidapawan told people attending Mass at the Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace cathedral here Wednesday morning that the issue could be more easily understood if it was discussed in the proper forums, not in the streets.
“The issue should not be discussed in the street, that is why we are discouraging our followers to air their sentiments in the streets,” Dela Cruz said.
He said the Catholic Church has decided to integrate its campaign against the RH Bill in Masses.
Starting this week, he said, priests will be reading a pastoral letter issued by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, which details the bill’s “negative repercussions to the family and the society once the House and the Senate approve it.”
He said Catholics in turn could help in the campaign by talking to their neighbors.
“Let’s unite in preserving life by not supporting the RH bill,” Dela Cruz said.
“Life is important, so let us preserve it. Let all baptized Christians do his or her share. We should preserve life by saying no to RH bill,” he said.
Dela Cruz also repeated the Catholic Church’s stand that poverty was not brought about by the burgeoning population but by corruption in government.
He cited the current controversy over allegations of corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines as an example. (report from Williamor Magbanua, Inquirer Mindanao)
