‘Enough
Is Enough’
Pastoral Statement of His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal
Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
CONSCIOUS of the
present “state of affairs,” which undoubtedly is tense, and CONCERNED about how it adversely affects our
economy, and bitterly afflicts our people, we, the Archbishop, the
Auxiliary Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity of the Archdiocese of
Cebu, deeply feel that now is not “a
time to be silent,” but a “time to speak” (Eccl.3:7),
COMMITTED as we are
to our prophetic role, and in response to the challenge of the Apostle
James… “Humbly welcome the ‘word’ that has
taken root in you, with the power to save you. Act on this word. If
all you do is listen to it, you are deceiving yourselves” (I:21-22),
WE STRONGLY MAKE THIS APPEAL.
- Let
us “make peace,” the “peace” that “Blessed Pope John XXIII has
described as anchored on “truth, justice, love and freedom” (“Pacem
in Terris”) April 11, 1963);
-
let the “truth,” then, be told with courage
in the proper forum in order to build trust.
-
Let ‘justice” be upheld for all, always tempered with forgiving
love;
-
Let “freedom” be really responsible at all times, at any cost.
-
Let “democratic processes” take their proper course in settling
“charges and counter-charges” in the proper venue and in holding
elections at the proper time.
May “Sr. Sto. Niño
continue to protect us. And may “Our Lady of Guadalupe,”
the Patroness of Cebu, pray for us, always
and everywhere. Amen.
(SGD) +RICARDO J. CARDINAL VIDAL
Archbishop of Cebu
August 30, 2003.
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