Vatican encourages Catholics in the Philippines to listen to their pastors on divorce bill

Holy See Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations Bishop Paul Gallagher said the Vatican will encourage Catholics in the Philippines, particularly political leaders, to “listen to their pastors” regarding the latest divorce bill, which was approved by the lower house of the country’s government in May.

In a press conference held earlier this week, during his visit to the Southeast Asian nation from July 1 to 5, Bishop Gallagher addressed the issue of the absolute divorce bill, which was approved by the House of Representatives of the Philippines on May 22 with 131 votes in favor. One hundred and nine House members voted against the legislative proposal and another 20 refused to vote.

According to CBCPNews, the official news organ of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Bishop Gallagher said that the teachings of the Catholic Church on marriage are “very clear and very well known” and that the Episcopate and the bishops of each diocese must be pastors who offer couples and families “the best approach” when it comes to overcoming marital problems and marital breakdown.

“And at the pastoral level, the issue is within the competence of the Episcopal Conference of the Philippines and each of the bishops,” he said. “I assume, because it is an important issue, that they will discuss it. Therefore, we (the Holy See) hope to hear from the bishops on this in a matter that is primarily of their interest.”

Since May, Filipino bishops and priests have actively addressed issues seen as grounds for “absolute divorce,” such as violence, drug addiction and alcoholism.

In an interview with The Manila Times, Fr. Jerome Secinano, spokesperson for the CBCP and former Supreme Court judge, said that the official position of the Philippine bishops is to “oppose the divorce bill in the country” and that Lawmakers must do more to protect people by addressing the underlying problems that lead to marriage breakdown.

“If there is physical violence, then laws must be made to stop the physical violence that is occurring in marriage. We already have such laws; however, the reinforcement of these laws may be lacking,” said Father Secilano.

“That’s why they (legislators) try to invent more solutions, as they say, to these abusive relationships, but divorce is not a solution. It’s going to perpetuate the cycle of violence,” he added.

In an editorial reflecting on the divorce bill, Father Elias L. Ayuban Jr. wrote that every family has its “defects and problems to resolve” and that more work must be done to prepare and accompany couples before and during marriage for the future of the Church.

“The crisis in the Church and in society begins with the crisis in the family caused by a confluence of factors, among them, without a doubt, the breakdown of marriage,” he wrote. “Legalizing divorce will not minimize our woes as a Church and a nation. It will only increase them. It may offer relief to couples in distress, but it will undeniably cause untold suffering to the young, whom our Holy Father calls ‘the present and future of the Church'”.

The absolute divorce bill has not yet been discussed in the country’s Senate and must achieve majority approval before it can become law. Although only six of the 24 senators have publicly endorsed the latest version of the bill, it appears to be gaining more support.

Currently, the Philippines and the Vatican are the only two countries in the world where there is no divorce law.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.