Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who is against the passage of
the Reproductive Health bill now pending in the House of
Representatives, is staunchly defending the right of the Church to teach
moral principles.
In his New Year’s message, Cardinal Vidal lifted quotes from the
World Day of Peace message of Pope Benedict XVI that dealt with the
right to religious freedom.
“When the Catholic Church teaches on moral principles, she is likewise exercising the right to religious freedom,” Vidal said.
”In the church’s opposition to the RH bill, up to what point can we do that?” he said.
Vidal pointed out that the Church will continue to preach against abortion, divorce and same-sex marriage.
“If the church stops teaching moral principles, do you suppose she will still be able to teach
effectively?” he asked.
The Catholic Church is strongly opposing the use of artificial means of birth control, including contraceptives and condoms.
One of the contentious issues raised during the current Congress is
the penalty clause of the RH bill authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman
penalizing those who do not teach natural and artificial forms of family
planning.
The 79-year-old prelate said the church speaks with “courage in
conviction” but there is also “openness when the same conviction is
proven to be without basis.”
Vidal said, “The Holy Father, reflecting on the signs of the times,
spoke about freedom of religion. He expressed his concern because
Christians in many parts of the world are denied the right to practice
their faith.”
The Cebu prelate pointed out that “in our country, we are blessed with a Constitution that guarantees such right.”
However, Vidal warned against the “illusion that moral relativism
provides the key for peaceful coexistence when it is actually the origin
of divisions and the denial of the dignity of human beings.”
Vidal said in today’s society, there are sectors who think “public
display of faith offends those who do not share the same faith.”
But, he stressed, “faith has always something positive to share with everybody.”
SIC: MB/INT'L