LEADERS of the Catholic Church—a good number of them—have been showing their might in politics over the reproductive health bill that has been pending in Congress for 14 years.

They care less, or don’t care at all, about the constitutional guarantee on separation of church and state, and the free exercise of religion.

Unfortunately, several politicians equate the support of religious leaders to their religiosity or spirituality. Isn’t that just about the amount of donations or contributions they give to the church for special projects or scholarship grants of the parish?

Are priests, bishops and other Catholic church leaders as passionate in condemning politicians’ immoral practices such as gambling, womanizing, and corruption as they are in disparaging those who have bared their stand in favor of legislating an RH bill?

The controversial measure provides for a comprehensive policy on responsible parenthood, reproductive health and population management. After tumultuous debates last week, the House of Representatives voted 113-104 in favor of the bill’s approval on second reading. Voting on third reading is scheduled today.

On the first of the nine-day simbang gabi on Sunday, some priests and bishops took the occasion for a last-minute call on legislators to reject the bill. One bishop was even quoted to have said that a “crazy killer” Adam Lanza killed 20 children with three types of guns in a Connecticut school over the weekend; but our own President Benigno Aquino 3rd would be killing 20 million people children with a fountain pen if and when he signs the RH bill into law.

In the midst of the heated debates over the bill, a priest was quick to say that support for the RH bill is a sin while another bishop was quoted to have said that cyclone Pablo killed so many people in Mindanao because of the RH bill.

The RH bill has been portrayed as a work of evil, the evil of all evils. In many churches across the country, streamers against the RH bill are prominently displayed. But aren’t they committing a sin by judging people by their stand on a single topic but not on how they behave on many other issues.

I grew up in a family with deep religious beliefs. I spent my formative years in high school with Paulinian sisters. To this day, I keep my spirituality deep enough to believe that I worship a God who is fair and just, but never vindictive and cursing.

I just wonder how religious leaders who we should be looking up to allow themselves to be carried away by emotions and resort to labeling people and uttering disparaging remarks against those who don’t agree with them.

Why are Catholic leaders overzealously protecting the principle of separation of the church and state against moves to impose tax on their income-generating activities? But they over aggressively step into state affairs on certain issues to push an agenda.

Church leaders are supposed to foster unity, and not sow disunity among the people. That’s the kind of Christ’s teaching ingrained in me.

Because of unpleasant words and practices I see in some Catholic church leaders, I would rather pray silently in a quiet corner than attend masses where I would hear spiteful remarks that further fan the flame of disunity than nurture harmony in a community.

Let this not be misconstrued as a blind support for one side or the other. I just believe that a preacher ought to practice what he teaches. One cannot right a wrong with another wrong.

Comments are welcome at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.