Instead
of issuing statement regarding the recent reinstatement of the Environmental
Compliance Certificate (ECC) of Intex Resources for the Mindoro Nickel Project
(MNP), the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose (AVSJ) issued a pastoral (?) letter that has little to do with social or
public concern but more of an internal administrative matter.
The
letter I was told was signed by Bishop Antonio P. Palang, SVD, DD of AVSJ and read
in a Mass at the San Jose Cathedral last Sunday, June 14, 2015. It carried
something that has very little to do with the Catholic faith and divinity in
general but about an Estafa Case filed only last February this year against
priests Ruben S. Villanueva and Rodrigo A. Salazar, Jr., SVD. The alleged pastoral
stood firm to the conviction of the local Church to pursue said case in civil
law instead of her own tribunal system. Both Fathers Villanueva and Salazar in their
capacity before as heads of the Social Services Commission (SSC) and the
Vicarial Indigenous People’s Coordinating Office (VIPACO), respectively, are
staunch anti-mining advocates.
In
Oriental Mindoro during a mammoth rally against the Norwegian mining firm last
June 12, 2015 conjoining with the 117th Anniversary of Philippine
Independence, thousands of participants coming from various religious
organizations, priests, nuns and seminarians signified their disgust of said
mining project in whole Mindoro island. Though Calapan Bishop Warlito Cajandig
was not around, the involvement of his flock has the good prelate’s blessing.
Nobody from the AVSJ, priest and laity alike, came to attend the historic
gathering. Not even their shadows. All of the formators and seminarians of
Saint Augustine Minor Seminary in Calapan joined the mass action, as I have witnessed.
Incidentally,
among religious organizations based in Calapan, the Brotherhood of Christian
Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) been the most visible during the June 12,
rally. The BCBP Chapter there fully animated the theme, “Be Brave. Be Bold”, anchored from BCBP’s 35th NAC in Pasay only last May 1-2, 2015. This is what I also expect from same organization in Occidental Mindoro to be
brave and bold amidst injustice and abuses in our midst. This deafening silence
of our local Church made her lost her relevance in this burning call towards
protecting Mother Nature and promoting social justice.
Bishop
Palang some months back issued an official statement in defense of his priest,
Fr. Fernando Suarez, from a memorandum of the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops or USCC alarming their local dioceses over Suarez’ healing
masses in the United States. The prelate fully protected him against the
alleged “damaged caused to the reputation”
of Fr. Suarez in said statement released last April 20, 2015. But in the recent
call to protect the environment against mentioned destructive industry, nothing,
as in nada, was heard of from the
Church’s officials of the island’s other half.
When Fr. Villanueva and Fr. Salazar are still occupying their previous positions in AVSJ, they
had been key persons in staging a rally against Intex. Foremost was the one held
in May 2009 in Mamburao which was mandated and participated by Bishop Palang himself.
But in May 1, 2012, Intex offered a Mass celebrated by Bishop Palang in
commemoration with Philippine Labor Day, the Fiesta Celebration of St. Joseph
the Worker Parish in Brgy. Pag-Asa (Sablayan) to mark the mining company’s
launching of its Livelihood Enhancement through Agro-Forestry (LEAF) Project. Well,
I have no qualms about such gesture from my bishop for such is an avowed duty
of every priest. Priestly blessings, like sacraments, indeed should be
apolitical.
But
since Villanueva and Salazar, and other anti-mining clergy,- both diocesan or otherwise, left the vicariate, nothing was heard of about matters pertaining to Intex
from the present leadership of my local Church. Its diocesan social action arm
closed shop, not unlike her seminary, and never been re-opened since.
On
Thursday, June 18, 2015, Pope Francis is about to release his encyclical on
care for environment and for creation called Laudato Sii or “Praised Be”. That day, the Vatican will release the
first comprehensive Catholic moral statement on creation care and climate
change to the faithful around the world. How wonderful and timely it could
have been if the Church leaders of my diocese came up with a letter signifying
and presenting their stand on Integrity of Creation anchored on deepest
defiance against the Mindoro Nickel Project. As I have said earlier, they used
the divine authority of the Catholic Church to herald something that concerns
not of faith and teachings in general. They wield and use it against
individuals (priests, for that matter) and not in contradiction of bigger and
systemic foes like mining companies and the prevailing unjust mining policies
of the land!
Eduardo Balamiento, a cyberspace friend, correctly stated, "They (the AVSJ officials) should have resolved that conflict with the priests within the Church in silence. But in mining issue, it should be heard." I couldn't agree for more.
Eduardo Balamiento, a cyberspace friend, correctly stated, "They (the AVSJ officials) should have resolved that conflict with the priests within the Church in silence. But in mining issue, it should be heard." I couldn't agree for more.
But at
least, AVSJ’s present “pastoral” direction that my Church is heading is now clear to me after this personal reflection and I am sad. Very sad...
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(Photo; CybermovementagainstMindoroNickelProject)
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