Cardinal Tagle warns lawmakers not to politicize papal visit
Says the trip should be about Jesus and not about seeking political advantage.
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| Cardinal Tagle speaks at a media briefing in this file photo |
"I appeal to those planning to welcome the pontiff not to use the occasion for other motivations," Tagle said in an interview.
"There is nothing wrong in welcoming the pontiff if it's just to welcome him," the prelate said, adding that Filipinos should respect the purpose of the visit of the pope.
"We welcome him as pastor of the Church. Let us respect the nature of his visit," he said. "The pope himself said that the focus of the visit should not be him but Jesus," Tagle added.
Pope Francis will visit the Philippine from January 15-19, following a brief visit to Sri Lanka.
Tagle’s appeal comes at a time when Church leaders and laypeople in Sri Lanka have objected to the recent use of campaign posters featuring images of the pontiff and President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Rajapaksa has called for early elections in January, a decision that opposition leaders say was an attempt to improve his chances for a third term as president.
The Manila archbishop also appealed not to make the papal visit "too costly" not only because of the call of Pope Francis for simplicity but also because "this is also the call of the time".
Philippine Church leaders earlier announced that the expenses for Pope Francis’ January visit to the country would be pegged at US$1.5 million.
Tagle has said that Pope Francis himself requested that his visit be "pastoral and simple".
In the province of Bohol, the Diocese of Tagbilaran announced on Tuesday that it has already chosen five earthquake survivors who will join Pope Francis for lunch when he meets with at least 20 disaster survivors in Palo, Leyte, on January 17.
Organizers of the papal visit, meanwhile, said the number of bishops, priests and religious men and women who will be accommodated to attend the pope's Mass at the Manila Cathedral on January 16 will be limited to 2,000 only.
"If there will be more than that, we will have a problem," said Monsignor Nestor Cerbo, rector of the Manila Cathedral.
Tagle said the Mass would be a regular one but those who will be attending will have to ask for God’s forgiveness "for their sins, not just as Christians but also as leaders of the Church."
He said the Church leaders’ confessions would revolve around the main themes of "obedience, poverty, and chastity".
"The priests and the religious are reminded that we also need to experience God’s compassion because we are also weak, sinners, and we are always in the hands of a merciful God," Tagle said.
Source: ucanews.com
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