THE Archdiocese of Manila has called on the clergy and faithful to be discerning in making donations amid reports of a solicitor in priest’s vestments visiting parishes. In a circular, vicechancellor Fr. Isidro Marinay said the individual was not included in the roster of the archdiocese.
“A certain Fr. Ferdinand C. Manguerra, who claims to be a member of the Congregation of Saint Jude, is certainly not a Roman Catholic priest,” said Marinay.
Not a few motorists and commuters have bewailed the prolifiration of alms-seekers bearing signed endorsements of organizations and singing carols inside buses and jeepneys, and on the streets during traffic jams.
“This Father Manguerra claims to be a priest of a religious congregation.”
The Archdiocese issued the warning to the religious community, school heads and organizations after receiving reports that Manguerra has been going around the metropolis, invoking charity to get people to fork over their cash.
Without denying the genuine act of kindness in the spirit of christian giving, Marinay urged the faithful to be wary of solicitors on the loose taking advantage of the holiday mood.
Earlier the Archdiocese also warned its priests against another hoax employing marketing to put one over his unsuspecting victims.
“Raymond Paraiso who introduced himself as [a meat processing firm] employee is an impostor,” noted the archdiocesan circular.
In his sales pitch, Paraiso allegedly offers to parish priests and school principals a feeding program for children with a promise to bring freezers and plastic to be used for the sessions.
He would require a counterpart contribution from the parish or school and after receiving the money, would leave the hapless victims holding an empty bag.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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