CBCP Pastoral Letter on the latest decision on the Reproductive Health Bill
Contraception
is Corruption!
Seeking Light and Guidance on the RH Bill Issue
“What then should we do?” (Lk. 3, 10)
As we begin the nine-day Misa de Gallo today, our thoughts
turn to John the Baptist, the one who points to Jesus, the Christ Child. People
came to him to ask, “What then should we do?” because their hearts were filled
with expectation for the Messiah. (Lk. 3,15) They needed reason to hope. St.
John the Baptist told them to share what they had, to act with justice,
and shun extortion.
Today, our question as a people of God, regarding the
controversial RH bill, may be the same. What then should we do?
On behalf of the President of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines, I reiterate the collective discernment of the
Philippine bishops that the RH Bill if passed into law can harm our nation.
Contraception corrupts the soul. The RH Bill is being gift wrapped to look like
a gift for maternal health care. It is not so. It will lead to greater crimes
against women.
The poor are being promised a better life through the RH
Bill. It will not be so. The poor can rise from their misery through more
accessible education, better hospitals and lesser government corruption. Money
for contraceptives can be better used for education and authentic health care.
The youth are being made to believe that sex before marriage
is acceptable provided you know how to avoid pregnancy. Is this moral? Those
who corrupt the minds of children will invoke divine wrath on themselves.
The Reproductive Health Bill, if passed into law in
its present form, will put the moral fibre of our nation at risk. As we your
bishops have said in the past, a contraceptive mentality is the mother of an
abortion mentality. The wide and free accessibility of contraceptives, even to
the youth, will result in the destruction of family life and in greater
violence against women.
What then should we do?
We congratulate the one hundred four (104) congressmen and
women who voted NO to the RH Bill. You have voted courageously, despite all
pressures, to stand up for what is right and true. The Church will remember you
as the heroes of our nation, those who have said no to corruption and who
care for the true welfare of the people, especially the poor. May you continue
to be steadfast and not waiver in your stand against moral corruption.
What then should we do?
We plead with the sixty four (64) congressmen who have not
voted, to be enlightened and stand up for the Truth. As St. John the Baptist
directed the people to justice, we call on you also to seek justice for
the Filipino people. The Church teaches us to follow our conscience, the inner
sanctuary where we are alone with God (Gaudium et Spes #16), but such
conscience must be formed and informed according to the universal values that
are common to all human persons. The truth is that to be pro-child, pro-mother
and pro-poor, we must resist all threats against them. This is justice. Stand
up for it; defend it; do not be swayed by worldly pressures, and be the
champion of the people who voted for you. God knows and sees what you are
doing.
What then should we do?
We admonish the Filipino Catholic faithful to share with
those who have less this Christmas, but also share in praying that our
congressmen and women will be faithful to their call to serve the true
interests of the Filipino people. This means upholding life, saying no to
contraception which is corruption, and being faithful to the Christ Child who
was pro-woman, pro-child and pro-poor.
From
the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Dagupan City, December 15, 2012
For
the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines currently
out of the country,
+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS, D.D.
Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan &
Vice-President, CBCP