Sometimes being right all the time gets boring. What can be so complicated or even “mind boggling” about how Fr Ramon Villarin, President of the Ateneo de Manila University, sides with the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Phiippines’s (CBCP) censure of faculty members found to be teaching “inappropriate” matters on reproductive health? The Ateneo, after all, is an institution that describes itself as a Roman Catholic institution of learning that sees its Mission as one characterised by loyalty to the teachings of said church. Don’t take my word for it, check out their Mission Statement here where it says…
As a Catholic University, the Ateneo de Manila seeks to form persons who, following the teachings and example of Christ, will devote their lives to the service of others and, through the promotion of justice, serve especially those who are most in need of help, the poor and the powerless. Loyal to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the University seeks to serve the Faith and to interpret its teachings to modern Philippine society.
[NB: Boldface added by author for emphasis.]
And what exactly are these “teachings” pertinent to the issue at hand? Well, I’ve cited the relevant excerpts from Canon law recently in my so-usually prescient articles…
Similarly excluded [from “lawful means of regulating the number of children”] is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means.
So let me now ask our chattering armchair “activists”: What is it exactly about Fr Villarin’s official statement on the matter of teaching “reproductive health” at the Ateneo that you consider to be out of line?
| SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY! Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider! Learn more |
In connection with this, I call attention to the 192 members of our faculty who have grappled with the underlying issues in the context of Catholic social teaching, and who have spoken in their own voice in support of the bill. Though the University must differ from their position for the reasons stated above, I appreciate their social compassion and intellectual efforts, and urge them to continue in their discernment of the common good. As there is a spectrum of views on this ethical and public policy issue, I ask all those who are engaged in the Christian formation of our students to ensure that the Catholic position on this matter continues to be taught in our classes, as we have always done.
[NB: Boldface added by author for emphasis.]
To summarise in a manner Tarzan could understand:
Roman Catholic Church say: Artificial contraception bad.
Ateneo faculty say: Artificial contraception not bad.
Ateneo PRESIDENT and CATHOLIC PRIEST say: Ateneo faculty out of line.
In its crocodile expression of indignation on the matter, the Inquirer Editor actually had it right in paraphrasing the good Father:
You want to fill your kids’ minds with the light of learning, send them to UP and the other schools in the university belt. Don’t send them to Ateneo.
Well, um, yeah. That’s exactly what all this ultimately means, dude. You’re either a Catholic or not. And last I heard, the Philippines is a secular country where everyone has a choice to be one or not. You want to be secular? Then exercise that right at its most fundamental level before you go off on some sort of non-Catholic crusade.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck,
quacks like a duck, it must be a duck! Therefor I suggest that it is now well past
time to duck and run, jump-a-sinking
ship-(opt out)! If anyone needs a church
to “enable” responsible behavior then they
are welcome to start the interviewing process
today! Note: The Holy Roman Catholic church through out history has motivated the creation of a large number of good churches…
just pick one!
Pilipinas Catholics who are pro-RH have no need to tear their cedulas to join Manalo-group or the Baptists or whatever… if these Catholics believe that VATICAN words on condoms will change…. just like VATICAN words agreeing eventually that they were wrong and GALILEO was right (that earth is NOT the center of the universe).
this line:
“I ask all those who are engaged in the Christian formation of our students to ensure that the Catholic position on this matter continues to be taught in our classes, as we have always done.”
to me just says to teach the catholic position but in no way says that other positions cannot be taught
this line:
Though the University must differ from their position for the reasons stated above, I appreciate their social compassion and intellectual efforts, and urge them to continue in their discernment of the common good.
to me also says that the Ateneo did not say the faculty was out of line…only that their position differs from the official university stand.
MDS had a comment on this.
To simpify what she said:
On RH, RP, and PC: “It’s not dogma, so we’re not required to follow. You clerics are not the church”
Bakit ang mga First World Countries which are Catholics din naman empowering their citizens to plan their family? Tapos ang CBCP hinahadlangan naman ang RH Bill at pinagbabantaan ang mga nagtuturo sa Ateneo? Na saan ang Freedom of Speech dito? Nasa panahon ba tayo ng Medieval Period na kung saan ang mga hindi kaanib ng Simbahang Katoliko ay napapagbintangang mga mangkukulam? Masyado nang nanghihimasok ang Simbahan sa Estado. Tayo po ay Demokratikong bansa at hindi Sekular na bansa.
There were histories, whereby the Roman Catholic Church was wrong. They prosecuted Galileo, who believe the Earth revolves around the sun. They taught the world was flat. They burned on stakes Heretics. They tortured (inquisition) people, who disagreed with their teachings.
They sold indulgences to dying people; so that they can go to heaven.
I have nothing against the Church. However, if you see that the agricultural lands are mostly owned by the Oligarchs, like the Conjuangcos and Aquinos…and most of our people have just small plots of lands. Then, we need to control the population, to prevent Food riots…
uhm Hyden Toro, one thing i hate are people talking about things they do not understand completely and publishing them publicly on some virtual social arena. the church was never against geocentrism (thats what they call it btw). They were more concerned on Galileo’s ways. Consider yourself informed:
another thing i hate are people who disrespect and mangle God and the church…
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-galileo-controversy
So, you understand the inquisition completely? Or the Galileo thingy, for that matter? Because you have read it on the interweb?
Simple solution: kill all the Catholic clergy and close all the seminars.
This is just a simple statement. If you believe in the Magisterium of the Church, then you are Catholic. If you defend your faith as a Catholic, then you must be Catholic, and if not, then obviously, you are not Catholic. The best and most practical thing to do is get out of it.
Sino ka para maliitin ang pangulo ng Ateneo? At nakasisiguro ka bang pinipilit at isinusupalpal niya sa bawat propesor at mag-aaral sa Ateneo ang posisyon ng CBCP?
Kapag pumasok ka sa mga theology, philosophy, polsci, history, sociology, etc classes sa Ateneo, malalaman mong may academic freedom ang mga propesor. At marami sa kanila, mulat at patuloy na pinaglalaban ang RH law.
At nakakatawang hindi mo binigyang diin ang pahayag ni Villarin na “I appreciate their social compassion and intellectual efforts, and urge them to continue in their discernment of the common good”. Hindi naman sila mga diyos na omniscient, kaya kinakailangan ng patuloy na pananaliksik– isang kilos na malinaw na sinusuportahan ni Fr. Jett!