Don’t trade faith for aid, ‘Yolanda’ victims urged
MANILA, Philippines–A Catholic bishop has complained that some religious denominations were using relief and assistance operations in areas devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda to proselytize and recruit survivors—mostly Catholics—into their groups.
According to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website, Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez has issued a pastoral letter denouncing the practice of these religious groups, saying they are “taking advantage of the survivors’ vulnerability in the guise of compassionate response.”
“Proselytizing from among the vulnerable calls into question the sincerity of one’s charity. To them I say: If you really want to help, do so without conditions,” Varquez said.
The religious denominations have been recruiting survivors, mostly Catholics, into their groups through financial and relief aid. Varquez, however, did not identify the religious groups.
“Lack of respect for the faith of others can never be Christ-like,” he said.
Accept aid
But he went on to advise survivors to accept assistance but “never give up your Catholic faith.”
“Faithfulness is a mark of true faith. As members of the Roman Catholic Church, let us unite ourselves in living, preserving, defending and proclaiming our Catholic faith,” Varquez added.
The prelate earlier criticized international and local nongovernment organizations (NGOs) that distributed contraceptives such as condoms and pills to typhoon victims.
According to him, these NGOs “unfortunately also abuse” the vulnerability of the victims by making contraceptives essential components of their assistance.
Varquez called on Catholics to take a moral stand with the local clergy and resist all forms of artificial birth control services.
“This phenomenon is alarming,” he said in the CBCP article. “They violate Catholic norms of morality and many times adversely affect the health of persons, especially women.”
