Villegas laments: Filipino values slowly eroding, being twisted

Archbishop Socrates Villegas. NIÑO JESUSORBETA

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Socrates Villegas has expressed disappointment over what he has been hearing and reading about the country’s leaders in local and international news, which he says reflects a slow erosion of Filipino values.

In his message titled “Confused and sad yet hopeful,” Villegas said the “cherished Filipino values maka-Diyos, makatao and makabayan are slowly eroding to be replaced by an open license for cuss words, orchestrated lies and vulgarity never heard before.”

“I am afraid that our children and youth will catch and embrace these twisted upside down values. I dread the thought they might carry these errors into the next generation and render tomorrow bleak and gloomy,” Villegas said in his message.

The Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop also expressed grief and alarm over the spate of unresolved killings in the country amid the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs, and what he called “new things” that make Filipinos laugh.

“I am in this endless grief at the killings I have seen and heard. The well is running dry and I can no longer give a word of condolence to the bereaved families because I also need to be assured even a bit that things will get better and not become worse even more,” Villegas said.

“My brows have not been without furrows for some months now – worried, confused and sad. I cry as I pray alone. I am horrified at the new ‘things’ that make my countrymen laugh. How do I cope? I repeat and hold on to the saying: The darkest hour is just before dawn. The darkest hour is the hour before the sunburst!” he added.

But Villegas said he was hopeful that peace restored and harmony would be regained and that “we shall see civility recovered and courtesy won back.”

Villegas urged Filipinos to pray the rosary every day, go to confession at least once a month, and attend daily Mass “for the healing of all Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad – healing from anger and indifference, healing from cynicism and apathy, healing from blindness and passivity, healing from unconcern and listlessness.”

“In my great shame at where our nation is going, in my confusion, in my doubts, in my grief, in my worry, in my fears, what can I do to change the downward course of my beloved Philippines?” Villegas said.

“Let us fight the confusion and errors, let us resist the attacks of evil by the power of the daily ROSARY, the gift of daily HOLY COMMUNION and the humble PENANCE for sins. Using these three-fold weapons from Fatima, let us work to restore our land,” he added. JE/rga

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