12 December 2012, 6:03 p.m. – CATHOLIC faithful and a number of anti-reproductive health (RH) bill lawmakers joined forces at St. Peter Parish Church on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City at 12 noon today before trooping to the Batasang Pambansa to stop the passage of the bill.
Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles said in his homily for the Mass to bless anti-RH lawmkers that this is a fight between the “Woman,” or the Church, and the “dragon,” or the government.
“At this moment, we are at the tip of the great battle with the dragon but we are confident because we have our Mother Mary who is our protector and who cares for God’s people,” Arguelles said.
The bishop asked the Catholic faithful to pray for the country’s leaders, as he challenged lawmakers “not to be ruled by evil.”
“Many [people] are following the designs of the evil one. Let us pray for our leaders and president,” Arguelles said. “And to our lawmakers, please do not sell your souls to the evil one for the sake of a 280-million-peso gain from the law. You are worth more than that.”
He called on lawmakers to pray first before voting, urging them not to fail humanity by following the will of God.
“Let us not fail our people at this important moment in history. We are the last bastion of God-centeredness in the world,” Arguelles said. “Let us not fail God, humanity, and our country.”
Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said “God has plans” whatever the result of today’s deliberations on the RH bill.
“Ano man ang resulta ng botohan, panalo na tayo sa mata ng Panginoon,” Castro said in a chance interview with the Varsitarian.
Anti-RH bill lawmakers also expressed their support to the Church by showing up for the Holy Mass before the rally.
“Hindi mapapasa ‘yun kasi kasama natin ang Panginoon at si Mama Mary,” Pangasinan Rep. Gina de Venecia said.
“We’ve prayed for this for so long, I know God won’t leave us alone,” Ormoc Rep. Lucy Torres told the Varsitarian. Gracelyn A. Simon
