THE time for silence is over. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo on Sunday urged the faithful to finally speak up and defend their faith against the latest tirade of President Duterte.
In his homily during the feast day of the Child Jesus or Santo Niño, Pabillo said the faithful should protect their faith like they would a child.
“We should defend children against evil. This is the same with our faith, especially now that it is being opposed,” Pabillo said.
While he did not name Duterte, Pabillo cited the recent actions of the Chief Executive, such as calling God “stupid,” as well as urging people not to go to church, and to kill, and to steal.
“Are these correct? These are against our faith,” Pabillo said.
Duterte’s relations with the Catholic Church remain strained as it continued to criticize the growing number of casualties in the government’s war against illegal drugs.
In order to defend their faith against attacks, the chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said people should nourish their faith.
He said this could be achieved by reading and reflecting on the words of the Bible, participating in Church activities and helping other people.
“It is not only our faith, which should deepen, but we should encourage others to do the same,” Pabillo said.