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CBCP defends position vs repro health bills
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MANILA, If protecting the sanctity of life and family is being “parochial” and “stupid”, then so be it, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said.
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Fr. Melvin Castro, CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life executive secretary, said the Church stand against contraceptives is firm no matter how its critics describe it.
“The Church is just being true to Christ and to the Gospel,” Castro said.
The priest admitted the Church is often criticized for its “uncompromising” stand on family and life issues but said they have all the moral reasons to defend its hard-line position.
He said the Church understands the suffering of many people from poverty but there is no way the Church will allow a “contraceptive mentality” to burgeon in the country.
Castro stressed the Church, all throughout these times, has been constant in pushing for the respect of human life and to the dignity of the family.
“This means that any artificial means to control human body especially in its fertility is contrary to the Gospel,” he said. “This is not just invented by the Church. “
“This is actually the source of tension from everywhere because the Church is coming from the truth of the Gospel and not from the convenience of the world as it were.”
Senator Panfilo Lacson yesterday defended the Congress move to legislate population control programs, branding as “parochial” and “stupid” the Church reading of the reproductive health bills.
Lacson is also the author of Senate Bill No. 43 which pushes the adoption of a reproductive health and population management council to oversee the country’s family planning program.
But the priest responded humbly by saying that “the Church as a mother understands even if it’s being attacked, we take it for what it is.”
“They are reacting against the stand of the Church but we cannot change the truth. This is not being narrow minded but being true to the Gospel,” Castro said.
CBCP Legal Office executive secretary Atty. Jo Imbong, for her part, said it’s “unfortunate” that such comment came from a member of the senate.
“Any member of the legislature has no authority to make laws that are immoral or that violates the rights of an individual,” she said.
Imbong reminded lawmakers that they are public servants— with a noble task to serve their constituents.
“They could not change the operations manual of the people, that is what they call considerations of humanity which are outside the realm of legislation,” she said.
“Legislators could not meddle (on this issue) because being a parent, being a person and the right to have a family did not come from civil authority. It is a natural right,” she added.
This means, Imbong said, that when humans were created, “we did not create ourselves. So if we are created there are laws that dictate on how we should live and this is the natural law.”
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