'Religious Services Are Essential'

CBCP APRIL 27 - MAY 10, 2020 VOL. 24, NOMonitor 9 [email protected] PROTAGONIST OF TRUTH, PROMOTER OF PEACE ‘Religious services are essential’ Calls mount for resumption of public Masses By Roy Lagarde AFTER nearly two months in lockdown, calls are mounting for the government to allow the resumption of public Masses and other church services while keeping all the necessary precautions. Bishop Broderick Pabillo, the apostolic administrator of Manila, said that “religious services” should be considered as “essential services” during the coronavirus pandemic. “So when the decision makers consider the essential services to be allowed, they should also consider the opening of the churches and its services as important,” Pabillo said. “Of course, necessary precautions should be taken, like the proper social distancing and the sanitation practices to be done in the churches,” he said. According to him, religion is very important to many Filipinos for it gives them Catholic priests Eduardo Vasquez Jr., and Rey Amancio wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to bless deceased people at a morgue in Malabon City on April 29, amid the prohibition of religious gatherings, including strength especially in funerals, during the government-imposed lockdown to contain the coronavirus. JUN SANTIAGO, CSSR difficulties. He said that a proof to this adding that allowing public particularly in dioceses where the doors of our churches for also urged the government to “With strict compliance is that one of the things that Masses “will uplift their there are no Covid-19 cases. people to pray. While it is true rethink its decision and give to Government Guidelines people save first in times of spirits to a great extent”. He said that while going to that we can pray anywhere, the faithful an opportunity on Social Distancing and disasters are their religious “Allowing people to go the public market is allowed, there is no place like the to uplift their spiritual Sanitation, the lay faithful images and Bibles. back to Church to thank the where physical distancing church and no celebration well-being, “which are both requests for Religious After the disaster, the Lord, to ask for his protection is hard to implement, “I see like the Mass,” Ayuban said. humane and essential”. Gatherings to be allowed in prelate said the first thing and implore his help, are no prevailing reason why an Government authorities The Council of the Laity the GCQ areas,” said Rouquel that the community would deemed very important by organized Sunday gathering earlier announced that of the Philippines said it is Ponte, Laiko President. restore is their chapel and the people,” he said. in a cathedral or spacious worship gatherings will willing to submit its plans, “We demand that our right pray together. Fr. Elias Ayuban, superior parish church, where physical continue to be banned even protocols and guidelines to to religious worship be not “The signs of God in their of the Claretian congregation separation can easily be after easing quarantine assure authorities of their curtailed when the necessary lives are very important for in the Philippines, also called executed, not permitted”. measures in some areas. strict observance of the safety safeguards are followed,” he the people,” Pabillo said, for the reopening of churches, “It is about time to reopen A lay Catholic organization and health measures. also said. Church leaders alarmed over govt’s Mindanao archbishop hits reopening of POGOs amid quarantine shutdown of broadcast network A CHURCH official has criticized the government’s decision to allow IF freedom of expression and dissent the reopening of online gambling is curtailed, human rights will even amid the country’s coronavirus follow suit, a Catholic archbishop lockdown. has warned. Archbishop Martin Jumoad Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Ozamis could not hold his of Lingayen-Dagupan said press frustration that authorities allow freedom encourages debates gambling during the quarantine, and discussions to increase while religious services remain government’s accountability and banned. protect the rights of the people. “Our leaders may want to “When freedom of speech or change our name from the only criticism is suppressed, tyranny predominantly Christian nation in abounds, liberty dissolves, our the Far East to gambling capital in country is weakened and human the Far East,” Jumoad said. rights are threatened,” Villegas said. Online gambling companies, also The former head of the Philippine known in the country as POGOs bishops’ conference made the for Philippine offshore gambling statement May 6 after the Employees and supporters of ABS-CBN hold a rally outside the network’s compound in Quezon City on operators, will be allowed to open Archbishop Martin Jumoad of Ozamis. BRENDA P. MILAN Network / A3 February 28, 2020. FILE PHOTO POGO / A7 Retrenchment of Catholic hospital workers ‘held in abeyance’ Bishops air stance to THE head of the Dominican trustees of UST, to which Order in the Philippines has UST Hospital is attached. uplift plight of workers halted the retrenchment of “In the midst of the non-frontliner employees of Covid-19, the University of ON Labor Day, Catholic “The Filipino workers are the hospital being run by its Santo Tomas is one with the bishops denounced the plight not only fighting Covid-19, top educational institution, nation in its hope and prayer of ordinary Filipino workers they are racing against time the University of Santo that we shall overcome this who are suffering the brunt of to survive. We are their only Tomas (UST). global pandemic,” the UST the coronavirus crisis. lifelines. Let us help them by UST, in a statement, said statement read. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo upholding their rights and of Kidapawan and Gerardo dignity,” he said. the termination of workers, In a report, the Varsitarian, UST Hospital in Manila. THE VARSITARIAN contained in a memo dated UST’s student publication, Alminaza of San Carlos said The prelate claimed that April 29, was “held in said UST Hospital planned to Francis Ramirez also said with all legal requirements the pandemic has exposed more than two million abeyance” by Fr. Napoleon lay off some “non-frontliner” the Philippine Health such as a 30-day notice even more the “injustices” workers have been displaced Sipalay, and would be personnel and adapt other Insurance Corp. had yet to to affected employees against workers. in only over a month “with no reviewed by the UST Board cost-saving measures as pay more than P180 million and coordination with “Indeed, this year’s Labor assurance of getting back to of Trustees in a meeting on financial losses brought about in reimbursements, which the Department of Labor Day is yet another frustrating work when the crisis is over.” May 20, 2020. by the Covid-19 pandemic usually took five to six and Employment. Laid- commemoration for our The Labor department has Sipalay, the prior provincial continued to balloon. months to be settled. off workers will receive a workers,” Bagaforo, who earlier stopped accepting of the Dominicans, is also Hospital medical Ramirez said the 150-percent separation pay, heads Caritas Philippines, applications for its Covid-19 chairman of the board of director Dr. Marcellus retrenchment plan complied he said. (PressOne) said. Workers / A7 A2 WORLD NEWS APRIL 27 - MAY 10, 2020 VOL. 24, NO 9 CBCP Monitor Italian churches prepare to resume Vatican Briefing funerals after eight-week ban Pandemic could take heaviest toll on homeless, says pope ROME Newsroom— After eight weeks The homeless “risk paying the heaviest price” amid the without funerals, Italian families will coronavirus crisis, Pope Francis has said in a message be able finally to gather together to to street newspapers. In a statement dated April 21 but mourn and pray at funeral Masses for released by the Holy See press office April 27, the pope the victims of the coronavirus starting noted that the pandemic posed a dire threat to the more May 4. than 100 publications sold by the homeless worldwide. In Milan, the largest city in Italy’s Thousands of people depend for their livelihoods on the coronavirus epicenter, priests are sale of street newspapers, he said. (CNA) preparing for an influx of funeral requests in the coming weeks in the Pope Francis urges Catholics to unite through praying the Lombardy region, where 13,679 have rosary in May died. Pope Francis sent a letter Saturday encouraging Catholics Fr. Mario Antonelli, who oversees to pray the rosary throughout May. He also shared two new liturgies on behalf of the Archdiocese prayers to implore the help of the Virgin Mary during the of Milan, told CNA that archdiocesan coronavirus pandemic. “Contemplating the face of Christ leadership met April 30 to coordinate with the heart of Mary our Mother will make us even more guidelines for Catholic funerals as more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this than 36,000 people remain positive for time of trial,” Pope Francis said in a letter April 25. He COVID-19 in their region. urged families and individuals to “rediscover the beauty of “I am moved, thinking of so many praying the rosary at home in the month of May,” which dear people who have wanted [a Undertakers wearing face masks carry a coffin in a cemetery in Bergamo, Italy, March 16, 2020.AFP is traditionally a time of increased devotion to the Blessed funeral] and still desire one,” Fr. Virgin Mary. With his letter, the pope included two prayers Antonelli said April 30. funeral liturgy includes three ‘stations’: its lockdown, it remains unclear when to Our Lady to recite at the end of the rosary, which he said He said that the church in Milan is the visit / blessing of the body with the public Masses will be allowed by the he would also pray throughout May “in spiritual union with ready like the Good Samaritan to “pour family; community celebration (with or Italian government.

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