Let us heed the Pope's call

Pope Benedict XVI recently called on the faithful to combat political and economic corruption in our respective communities.

This was not given wide publicity. When the Holy Father received the Bishops of the Dominican Republic in Rome during their periodic visit, he gave this message that rings around the world.

He condemned this "subtle and widespread blight" of corruption throughout Christendom. He did not specifically refer to the Dominican Republic, or any other Christian country like the Philippines.

Must we not heed him too? Recently I talked with our Vicar General, Vic Rivas, on the revival of Graftwatch. And he is willing to head it. This just needs somebody to get it organized. We were discussing this recently with Toti Ramos.

What got the Iloilo officials was a graft case filed by Graftwatch there headed by Msgr. Meliton Oso.

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The Pope said "the mission of the laity is the establishment of the temporal order and act in a direct and concrete way guided by the light of the Gospel and by the Church's teaching and inspired by Christian love."

He added: "For this reason, it is necessary to ensure that lay people receive adequate religious formation, so as to enable them to face the numerous challenges of modern society."

The Pope really meant business. He still added: "It is the Christians' task to promote human and Christian values that illuminate the political, economic, and cultural life of the country with the aim of instituting a more just and more equitable social order, in accordance with the social doctrines of the Church."

If we make the crusade here, I would go for involving all the Churches in the idea of ecumenism. We will be stronger with that.

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Said the Pope: "The laity must provide an example of honesty and transparency in the management of public affairs in the face of the unseen and widespread blight of corruption, which at times touch areas of political and economic power, as well as other spheres of public and social life."

He said, we must work so that our lives and our faith become an eloquent witness of the truth of the Christian message."

He warned of the dangers of Catholics living two parallel lives - "on one hand the so-called spiritual life, with its values and needs and on the other hand, the so-called worldly life which is family life, work, social relationships, political and cultural commitment."

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We hope for a reawakening. The people of Pampanga rejected politicians charged for massive graft in the sale of lahar spewed by Mt. Pinatubo and another politician whose family was reportedly involved in jueteng.

And they elected a priest, the first time in the country, to be Governor, Gov. Ed Panlilo.

The latest news from Pampanga said Gov. Panlilo discovered big amounts lost to government the past years. He earned millions the past few days. You can just imagine the many years of getting money from this lahar.

But that money did not pay. What it left is the shame of the family, the governor and his father, who, as senator, ran for the mayorship of Makati and lost terribly.

Recently, there was an invitation for the Pope to visit the Philippines but Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz opposed it. Archbishop Cruz might have an inkling that the Pope might talk of corruption and gambling here.

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There were many campaigns in the past to fight corruption.

President Joseph Estrada spoke big words denouncing the "scalawags in uniform" referring to the military and the police, the "scalawags in robes" referring to people in the judiciary.

As though he was clean himself. Then he got caught in the web himself and found himself out of Malacañang with people driving him out. Whether he is guilty or not is another matter.

But like a fish, he got caught in his own big mouth.

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Corruption in the provinces and rural cities is not much. But it does not mean we don't act. Let us just listen and heed Pope, Benedict XVI.

This is the first time the Pope addressed the issue of corruption all over the world, knowing many of those involved are Catholics.

He cannot excommunicate them without the court's conviction. Besides, there is also a move in the Church to abolish excommunication.*

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