The Church’s official neutrality is a Christological strategy that ensures that the pastor always reaches all people. It limits the high political risk of defeat and political backlash. It gives the Church a soft landing in case of defeat.
A big majority of Filipinos, most of whom are Catholic, voted for Bongbong. All the pontification fell on deaf ears
Goodness without truth is pretense. Service without truth is manipulation.
The extent to which the Church can go in the US is not applicable in Nigeria because the socio-cultural context of each country differs
Expecting our bishops to call out politicians publicly as Pentecostal pastors do is an uneven comparison and unfair to our bishops
If, while exercising his priestly ministry, a priest publicly supports a political party, he alienates himself from his parishioners who are in the opposition.
It is easier to restore an authority based on coercion than moral authority. In other words, once moral authority is lost, it may never be restored.
Be shepherds with ‘the smell of the sheep’…people capable of living, of laughing and crying with your people, in a word, of communicating with them – Pope Francis
As priests and religious, we are trained to be adaptive whilst keeping to Church’s law and fundamental teachings. As we exercise our authority, let us always remember that no two places and people are the same.
As we exercise our duties and make decisions concerning the flock entrusted to us, we should ask ourselves: If Christ was here, what would he do? If Christ was present today, how would he react to this situation?
