Vidal underlines Church's right to teach moral principles

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who is against the passage of the Reproductive Health bill now pending in the House of Representatives, is staunchly defending the right of the Church to teach moral principles.

In his New Year’s message, Cardinal Vidal lifted quotes from the World Day of Peace message of Pope Benedict XVI that dealt with the right to religious freedom.

“When the Catholic Church teaches on moral principles, she is likewise exercising the right to religious freedom,” Vidal said.

”In the church’s opposition to the RH bill, up to what point can we do that?” he said.

Vidal pointed out that the Church will continue to preach against abortion, divorce and same-sex marriage.

“If the church stops teaching moral principles, do you suppose she will still be able to teach 

effectively?” he asked.

The Catholic Church is strongly opposing the use of artificial means of birth control, including contraceptives and condoms.

One of the contentious issues raised during the current Congress is the penalty clause of the RH bill authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman penalizing those who do not teach natural and artificial forms of family planning.

The 79-year-old prelate said the church speaks with “courage in conviction” but there is also “openness when the same conviction is proven to be without basis.”

Vidal said, “The Holy Father, reflecting on the signs of the times, spoke about freedom of religion. He expressed his concern because Christians in many parts of the world are denied the right to practice their faith.”

The Cebu prelate pointed out that “in our country, we are blessed with a Constitution that guarantees such right.”

However, Vidal warned against the “illusion that moral relativism provides the key for peaceful coexistence when it is actually the origin of divisions and the denial of the dignity of human beings.”

Vidal said in today’s society, there are sectors who think “public display of faith offends those who do not share the same faith.”

But, he stressed, “faith has always something positive to share with everybody.”

SIC: MB/INT'L