MAKATI City, Dec. 13, 2012—Aside from the highly visible stand-off between anti- and pro-RH supporters in Congress over the House’s vote on the bill, a more quiet RH resistance in the form of a Mass gathered 5,000 people at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe yesterday.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle called on the faithful a few days ago, to attend a vigil and a series of masses against the bill, which started last December 11.
Spiritual dimension of the common good
Celebrating the noon mass on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Cardinal Tagle asked the faithful to pray especially for the country’s House representatives, who would be voting on the controversial bill later during the day.
During his homily, he cited the bishops’ contribution to deciding the fate of the RH Bill.
“I don’t think it would be bad if priests give their spiritual and moral view to complete the search for the common good,” Tagle said, in obvious reference to the issue.
The cardinal added, he does not pretend to be an economist or a politician, but he believes the so-called common good is not a mere sociological or cultural concept, but has spiritual and moral dimensions as well.
Pro-life Pinoys
According to Fr. Roy Decena, a priest serving in the shrine, the big crowd gathered showed the naturally pro-life character of Filipinos.
Several groups came from as far as Ilocos Norte to attend the noon mass celebrated by Cardinal Tagle.
Fr. Decena added, it was not lost on him that the vote for House Bill 4244 was set on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the pro-life movement.
In an interview he said, “This is a very fitting reminder to all Filipinos to protect life, to preserve life, and to fight anything that would be against life.”
Another mass was held for the intention of the RH Bill at the St. Peter’s parish along Commonwealth avenue, just a few kilometers away from the House of Representatives yesterday. [Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]
