The controversial campaign material of the Diocese of Bacolod
"Priests are sources of unity, especially during the Mass. If (a priest) will support any candidate, he will divide the people. The canon law prohibits it."
-CBCP president and Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla (2004)
I would have appreciated if the clergy here placed something like "Vote for the right people" or anything like that, then it would have been justifiable as not being a campaign material but what the Diocese of Bacolod did was every bit wrong. They publicly proclaimed who their "flock" should vote for. Guiding, as they would say, towards right is not the same as ordering them to do what they think is right according to their thoughts.
In any way, Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong, it therefore may deviate from any laws or noms that may limit or restrict one individual from doing anything that they so desire in relation to the nature of their act.
It therefore employs the use of Free will, and is like the sister to conscience since one must have the freedom to act upon what his/her conscience dictates -- to sum it up putting a poster that enforces an idea upon the people contradicts the idea of the use of conscience and free will, both frequently preached by the church.
Now, in this light, the rule of law states that: "everyone be subject to the same law" and that includes all priests, but in the case of the Bacolod Diocese they said that "only Vatican can order the removal of the poster." They, therefore, recognize, or rather, treat themselves as people with extra-judicial power, mocking the established laws of the government. Now, if I was to follow this correctly,the Canon law also prohibits priests from supporting candidates. So, wait... are they not breaking both their own laws and the laws of this country?
Ah, shall we follow this church's example?
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