Catholic lay orgs coming up with list of candidates

CEBU, Philippines - Catholic groups convened to select candidates to endorse candidates for senators and congressmen for the elections next month.

The Lay Initiatives For Life (LIFE) executive committee had a meeting at the LIFE head quarters yesterday at the covered court behind the Tanchan Hall of the Archbishop’s Residence compound to select candidates that they will actively campaign for.

During the gathering, the members of the executive committee voted for individual candidates or groups.

They will officially release the list of names this afternoon at 3:30.

LIFE 2013 is strongly campaigning against pro-Reproductive Health Bill candidates through their campaign titled “Knock-Out Pro-RH Candidates.”

The members of the LIFE 2013 include the Archdiocesan Council of the Laity, Catholic Charismatic Communities of Cebu, Family and Life Apostolate, Human Life International and Task Force For Family and Life-Visayas.

Monsignor Esteban Binghay, the Episcopal Vicar of the Archdiocese of Cebu, supported the move made by the lay group.

“Maayo kaayo na ilang gibuhat kay mao nay role sa mga laity, sa mga civilians on partisan politics. Ang mga pari pwede man untang makahimo ana, pero gidid-an mi sa simbahan. I have to congratulate them, kay ang di mahimo namung mga pari, sila ang nibuhat. I will pray for them every day for their success,” Binghay said. (What they are doing is good. Priests are capable of doing that but the Church is prohibited from campaigning.)

Binghay said that their move in endorsing pro-life candidates to be voted in the elections will be a way so that the Catholics will have a strong voice in running the political system and the government and that the Catholics will be heard.

He said that the mentality of President Benigno Aquino III is to pass controversial laws without considering the sentiments of the Catholics.

He added that after the RH Bill was passed, the laws that will possibly be passed under his administration and with the leaders under him include the legalization of divorce and same sex marriage.

“Kung padayunon na nilang mga tawhana (candidates under Pres. Aquino), kataw-an ta sa tibuok kalibutan. A Catholic nation who has laws against the Catholic Church,” Binghay said. (If this goes on, the whole world will mock us.)

Binghay said that since he could not campaign, he will just pray for these lay people who worked hard that the laws of God will surely win.

“Mga pari, Obispo, maglikay gyud sa controversy sa partisan politics among the priest because we have to serve all the people but these partisan politics is very divisive, that’s why the role of the lay people takes place,” he said. (Priests must avoid the controversies of partisan politics.) —/JPM (FREEMAN)