Church vows ‘conscientious engagement’ with gov’t

FILE PHOTO: Facade of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)in Intramuros, Manila City. (File photo by RUDY ESPERAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Church has committed to remain vigilant against corruption and human rights violations as it vowed to have “conscientious engagement” with the government, according to an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Imus Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista, chair of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs (ECPA), said the church would support and collaborate with the government “provided moral principles are not compromised.”

“Tensions only arise when we do not fulfill what we ought to do according to God’s will such as when we do not respect human life; violate human rights and greedily think of personal convenience instead of seeking for the common good,” he said in a recent inaugural meeting with diocesan public affairs ministers.

The ECPA acts as the church’s liaison body in conferences with the government and gives a forum for discussion on church-state-related matters.

“We will also remain vigilant and critical to all forms of corruption, mishandling of public funds and violations of human rights,” Evangelista said.

The convention, Evangelista said, must also serve as a reminder that “the doors of our hearts are constantly open for dialogue because the secret to building a strong society and a better future for a nation is dialogue carried out in the spirit of discernment and humility.”

Meanwhile, ECPA executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano underscored that the mission of public affairs was evangelization and that it is intended for the “development of our people including the progress of our nation.”

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