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His Holiness, Pope Francis,
Mabuhay at Kapayapaan sa Inyo (Welcome and Peace be with you)! We wish His Holiness a Blessed New Year and we pray for your continued good health and wellbeing. We are part of millions of Filipino Catholics who look forward to your visit on January 15-19, 2015. We welcome your inspiring presence and your heartfelt concerns for the welfare of the Filipino people, particularly the poor and marginalized, the survivors of calamities, the weak and the outcasts. The Catholics for Reproductive Health (C4RH) is an organization of Filipino Catholics who actively took part in the advocacy for the passage of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law, which our Congress passed in December 2012 and was affirmed by our Supreme Court in April 2014. We believe that everyone has the right to reproductive health (RH) information and services [and that it] which is consistent with our faith and morality as Catholic Christians. However, given the much-heated debate surrounding RH, C4RH not only was branded as a “fake Catholic organization” or simply “fake Catholics” but had to be especially [mentioned] cited in a Pastoral letter, “Clarificatory Note on Catholics for RH (C4RH),” which the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) released in May 2011. It warned sternly that “Any Catholic who freely identifies himself or herself with this group gravely errs.” C4RH it is a duly-registered non-government organization (NGO) and as Catholic RH advocates, we are exercising our right to freely form an association. We are also a support group to those who have been deeply hurt after being accused as “children of Satan,” “devils,” “doing the work of the devil,” “abortionists,” and those who have been taunted to leave the church and/or denied receiving holy communion. In exasperation, some have begun to question their faith and their respect for the Church hierarchy authorities. Some have [refused] stayed away from holy mass altogether in protest [for] against the use of pulpit in spreading hate and discord over RH. In those times (and even to a certain degree, up to now), the church was no longer a sanctuary and the mass ceased being a celebration and fellowship for sharing the joy of the Gospel. In the process, we have become outcasts [ourselves] in our own church. Despite such personal pain and humiliation, many of us still remained steadfast in our resolve and continued to advocate for the development of a mature and informed conscience that would guide us in making responsible decisions concerning our sexuality, family planning, and reproductive health. We have reached out and called for more discussions and dialogues that would thresh out the issues and find some common ground towards dignity and quality life. We have also attempted to understand the perceptions and positions of some clergy, nuns, lay leaders and members on certain sexual and reproductive health concerns so that we would be guided on how to proceed with the dialogues [conversations]. (Please find the enclosed copy of the research and hopefully, Your Holiness will find it interesting and instructive as well.) C4RH has been treated as the outcast, the “other (fake) Catholic” because we asked for clarification and may have disagreed on the hierarchy’s position on reproductive health. Feminists and women’s rights advocates were also subjected to this “Othering” attitude. When we requested for dialogues with our church leaders, we were given the cold shoulder. However, very recently, on December 30, 2014, at the time when Typhoon Seniang made landfalls in central Philippines and caused unprecendented flooding, 8 local bishops and 7 priests concelebrated at the grandiose wedding of a showbiz celebrity [royal] couple. Perhaps, some of our church leaders would rather have nothing to do with wayward, dissenting Catholics like us but would willingly lend guidance and blessing to [the happy] showbiz celebrities [royalty couple]. Most Holy Father, in you exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, you said that 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. 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. We have followed the pronouncements of your good office, Your Holiness. Your journey across the globe to visit our country bearing the message of mercy and compassion is greatly welcomed by us. We hope and pray that Your Holiness will find it in Your Heart to hear our plea. With our highest esteem, reverence and respect to Your Holiness, Ernesto M. Pernia, Ph.D. Chairperson Rey H. delos Reyes, MD, FPOGS Vice-Chairperson Arche I. Ligo Secretary Ana P. Ebo Treasurer Aurora Javate-de Dios, Ph. D. Member Edelina P. dela Paz, MD Member Ladyln L. Mangada Member Jeff Y. Fuentes Member Luz Francess Chua Executive Director |