News

‘Politicians not welcome on clergy meet’

MANILA, Jan. 19, 2010—Catholic Church leaders vowed to keep politicos out of next week’s gathering of thousands of priests from across the country in Pasay City.

Around 5,000 priests are expected to attend the 2nd National Congress of the Clergy which will be held at the World Trade Center from Jan. 25 to 29.

The gathering is being organized by the Episcopal Commission on Clergy (ECC) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Bishop Florentino Lavarias, chairman of the ECC, said the event seeks spiritual renewal and no politician will be welcomed at the venue.

“We have our rules... the congress is for the priests and we will keep it that way,” Lavarias.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales also called on politicians not to use the event for political campaigning.

He urged politicians to do away with posting banners in some areas near the venue for self-promotion just like what happened during the recent feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo district.

“Let’s not politicize the whole thing... there’s place for politics. They’d rather pray for us,” Rosales said.

(Roy Lagarde)