PHOTO COURTESY OF PCOO-MALACANANG
Opponents of the reproductive health (RH) law might find favor with Pope Francis’ message Friday on the “right of the unborn,” but a group supporting the recently passed law said the Pope’s statement was open to interpretation.
The group also asked Pope Francis to urge the local Catholic Church to be more welcoming of those who did not share its views on RH.
“While seemingly sharing the position of the local clergy, (the Pope’s message) is open to interpretation,” said Luz Francess Chua, executive director of Catholics for Reproductive Health (C4RH), of Pope Francis’ speech during his meeting with Filipino families at the SM MOA Arena Friday evening.
In his speech, the Pope sounded the alarm on threats to Christian values, such as “respect for the inviolable dignity of each human person, respect for the rights of conscience and religious freedom, and respect for the inalienable right to life, beginning with that of the unborn and extending to that of the elderly and infirm.”
Dialogue
Conservatives have interpreted the Pope’s words as his position against RH, Chua said.
“But I would like to think that (the Pope) is really trying to open up discussion. The fact that he mentioned the rights of the conscience and dignity of each person is something that we can hold on to for a dialogue,” she said.
“The debate is over,” the C4RH official added. “The RH law has been passed. Let’s move on and find a common ground.”
The group was hoping that the papal visit would pave the way for a dialogue between the RH advocates and the Catholic Church, Chua said.
In the spirit of the papal visit theme, mercy and compassion, Chua said C4RH had written Pope Francis a letter last week asking him to urge the local Church to welcome them back.
In May 2011, at the height of the debate on the RH bill, Chua said the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) released a clarificatory note singling them out with a warning that said: “Any Catholic who freely identifies himself or herself with this group gravely errs.”
Castigated
“We’re tolerated but not welcomed,” Chua said, adding that after being “castigated” by the CBCP, the group’s members feel uncomfortable wearing purple—the color associated with RH supporters—and that some members attend Mass in churches where they are “anonymous.”
“When you are welcome, you are accepted without question about who you are and what your beliefs are,” she said of the CBCP note which, she added, the C4RH was hoping Pope Francis would ask be removed.
In its letter to the Pope, the C4RH wrote: “We appeal to your kindness, Most Holy Father, to remind our local bishops to respond to questions, disagreements and even dissent with understanding and openness rather than with suspicion, opposition and sometimes contempt.”
They added: “The Church should ‘be a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel.’ Let us, C4RH members and associates, then feel welcomed by the Church.”
Chua said RH advocates would be discussing sexual and reproductive health issues and possible collaboration with church groups in promoting RH rights at Rizal Park tomorrow as they wait for the Pope’s 3 p.m. Mass.
“RH advocates will become the wave of purple amid the ocean of red, yellow and blue—the colors of the papal visit in the country,” she added.
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