Palma urges Catholics to pray for healing of moral illnesses

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma asked for more prayers to save the country from moral degradation as he officiated the Chrism Mass and renewal of priestly vows at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

“Lord, heal our land.”

This prayer was echoed by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, who said that the nation’s moral sense has to be saved from total degradation and called on the people to pray and to revisit the faith.

“The apparent indifference toward the killings in the war on drugs is but a moral illness. Enjoying and laughing at speeches peppered with curses and bad words is also a moral illness. And so we say Lord, heal our land,” he said in his homily.

Palma officiated the annual Chrism Mass and renewal of priestly vows at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on Tuesday morning.

Although he did not mention names, Palma was obviously alluding to the government’s war on drugs which has resulted in more than 7,000 deaths since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed his post last July 1.

In his speeches, Mr. Duterte has deployed a collection of expletives —one of which sideswiped even the deeply revered Pope Francis, while eliciting laughter from some people.

Watch your mouth

The country’s top executive has also been relentless in his criticisms of Catholic Church leaders who have been vocal in condemning the extrajudicial killings that had attended the administration’s crackdown on the narcotics trade.

Just recently, Mr. Duterte predicted that the church will become irrelevant in 30 years.

Palma, however, said the President should think twice before opening his mouth.

“The President has forgotten that the Catholic Church has been here for over 2,000 years now. Emperors and kings come and go, but the church remains. My joke is he (Mr. Duterte) must not have known what he is talking about,” he said, referring to the words of Jesus Christ, its founder, that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.”

“If he has a challenge for the church to be relevant, then we accept that. But the President should know that the Catholic Church persists not because of its bishops and priests but because of God,” he added.

Hope

During the Chrism Mass and renewal of priestly vows, Palma encouraged priests and lay people never to lose hope amid difficulties and evils in society.

He particularly instructed all priests to keep telling stories of hope and inspiration to remind people that God journeys with His people, even in the darkest moments of their lives.

“We are evangelizers. Instead of presenting what is evil, let us tell the good news to people, and the good news is that amid the bad things that happened, there is still a bright spot in our community. Let us not forget that God is with us,” the archbishop said.

Cebu — cradle of Christianity in the Far East — should continue to propagate the faith amid hostilities and problems, he said.

“Let the seeds of the kingdom grow in us. We know that if we pray, a lot of good things will happen,” Palma said.

‘Pray for us’

Amid criticisms from the current administration, Palma appealed to the faithful to pray for their priests and bishops.

“We (bishops and priests) are never worthy to be here. But we know that it was God who chose us to serve Him and His people. And so we are here. He is sending us to serve His flock,” he said.

“Please pray for your priests so that in doing our tasks, we may lead you to Christ. And please pray for me, your bishop, so that I may become a good shepherd and teacher,” he added.

Mutual prayers from priests and lay people will bring about something good in the community, he said.

“After years of priesthood, there are no regrets. And there’s no turning back. May we who are lavishly loved by the Lord continue to serve Him and the community,” he said.