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THE Catholic Church has laid down guidelines for the
faithful when they cast their votes in May 14 election.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio B.
Cardinal Rosales said on Wednesday that a pastoral statement would
be read in all Masses in the Archdiocese of Manila on Sunday related
to the Church’s choice of candidates.
“Choosing and holding the
leaders accountable to the governed is a critically important choice
that must follow moral guidance,” Rosales said.
The pastoral statement, which has
already been released to all churches in Manila, called on the
priests and faithful to vote for candidates who:
• Love and fear God
• Guided by a well-formed
conscience
• Always sensitive to the
choice of what is good
• Live and serve consistently
with moral principles
• Are honest, nonviolent and
compassionate
• Respect and protect the
limited sources in nature and require others to do the same
•Are ready to sacrifice
personal, party or group interest for the sake of unity.
Rosales called on the faithful to
safeguard the sacredness of the elections by not selling or
bartering their votes for favors, and not allowing themselves to be
coerced to vote for certain candidates.
He encouraged the members of the
Armed Forces, the youth and citizen volunteers to help the
Commission on Elections to ensure that voting is peaceful and that
votes are accurately counted and properly turned over to national
canvassers.
Earlier, the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of the Philippines president, Jaro Archbishop Angel
Lagdameo, said he does not buy the idea and practice of some
religious groups of endorsing candidates.
 ---William
B. Depasupil
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