Cardinal leads anti-health bill drive

Gaudencio Cardinal Borbon Rosales

Function: Archbishop of Manila

Title:

Birthdate: Aug 10, 1932	Country: Philippines

Elevated: Mar 24, 2006	More information: [link=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/brosg.html][www.catholic-hierarchy.org]

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Cardinal leads anti-health bill drive
Sept 08, 2008
Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and the Archdiocese of Manila have initiated a signature campaign against the reproductive health bill pending in the House of Representatives.

(manilastandardtoday.com, September 6 - 7, 2008) MANILA - Fr. Rufino Sescon, archdiocese chancellor, said the cardinal and parish priests decided on this course of action at a meeting last month.

The campaign will be stepped up in schools and offices in Manila, calling on the faithful to block the bill, which the Church says promotes abortion as a form of family planning.

Sescon said the Manila archbishop had expressed the desire to have the letter signed by him, the clergy, religious and lay faithful.

Sescon said the cardinal insisted that proper catechesis or instructions on Responsible Family Planning according to Church teachings should accompany, if not precede, the presentation of the position paper to the people for signing.

“We must adequately teach our people the scriptural, theological and even scientific foundations of our position,” Sescon said in a circular to the priests and chaplains.

The circular also urged the priests to intensify the Family and Life Ministry in their parishes and chaplaincies.

The Manila chancellor said that the method of implementing the signature campaign has been left to the priests who are being asked in the circular to exhaust all means available to have it (signature campaign) reach the most number of people in the archdiocese.

“This could include bringing the letter to the schools and offices and other establishments within the archdiocese,” Sescon said in a statement.

“Let our voices be heard by our government officials. Let us show them we are serious and united in this cause. Let us promote active social awareness and involvement among the faithful. Part of Christian discipleship is good citizenship,” the circular stated.

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