Standing on the sidelines out of apathy or disaffection amid the problems besetting the country is an unacceptable option, a Catholic bishop said.
Bishop Patricio Buzon of Bacolod urged the diocese’s clergy and the religious to “do their share” in keeping society safe and “our democracy vibrant.”
“Being apathetic and silent in these trying times is not an option,” Bishop Buzon said in a circular letter dated July 22.
The prelate has earlier appealed for “prayerful vigilance” against attempts to violate human rights and the freedom of expression.
He also called on parishes to organize a “holy hour” on July 27, in time for President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address.
Bishop Buzon earlier condemned the House of Representatives’ denial of the franchise renewal application of ABS-CBN, the country’s largest broadcast network.
He described the network’s shutdown as an “insidious” move by the current administration to “quash dissent.”
The bishop also said that the nation’s “democracy is in peril” and called on the public to speak up against threats to basic human rights.
