Pastoral Letter
“The inaccurate Reports on the Raid Conducted By Some Military
Units on the Sacred heart Novitiate, Quezon City”
August 29, 1974
To my dear People of God in the Archdiocese:
As Archbishop of Manila, I
find it necessary to speak to you some times on issues which affect us all.
This is one of these times, and I speak to you in the interest of truth and
justice.
On August 26 and 27, in the
newspapers and on radio and television, you no doubt learned of the raid conducted
by some military units on the Sacred Heart Novitiate, Quezon City.
The reports said that 21 persons,
including a priest, had been arrested during the raid. They went to say that
one of the auxiliary bishops of Manila, Msgr. Hernando Y. Antiporda, had “joined the search
parties.” And, towards the end of the reports, Defense Secretary Juan Ponce
Enrile was quoted “as thanking the members of the Catholic Hierarchy for their
full support.”
Those reports, I must tell
you now, are inaccurate and give a completely wrong impression.
One impression is that the raid was conducted with the approval of the Catholic
hierarchy. Another impression is that representatives of the hierarchy participated
in the planning of the raid.
None of these impressions is
correct. I repeat, none of these impressions is correct.
The raid was not conducted with the approval of the Church; the hierarchy
did not participate in its planning and execution.
If Msgr. Antiporda was there,
it was because, two hours after the raiders descended on the novitiate, and
on the insistence of the priest in charge of the novitiate that I be called
to the scene, I asked him to be there. I wanted him to be there to make sure
that no excesses would be committed against the rights of the persons at the
novitiate. Msgr. Antiporda went there willingly, not just in obedience to
my request but because it is the duty of all priests to act if there is a
possibility that injustice may be committed.
The reports would have us believe
that the raid was carried out with the consent and approval of the priest
in charge of the novitiate. This is not so; he protested against it from the
beginning. The reports would have us believe also that the search was carried
out in an orderly manner. Again, this is not so. Even foreign nuns, who came
from various Southeast Asian countries to make a retreat in Novaliches were thoroughly searched.
The reports also clearly imply
that the priest and the twenty other persons arrested are guilty of subversion.
I cannot understand how such a verdict can be reached since, after all, no
trial has been held yet. But, because of the misleading reports, those arrested
have apparently been prejudged, perhaps even condemned by implication.
My dear People of God: Such
a procedure is unworthy of the pursuit of justice and fairness which the New
Society has numbered among its objectives. As part of the people who believe
in Christ’s Gospel of truth, justice and love, it is our duty to work for
these goals always. But it is also our duty to make our protests known if
— as in this case — we have reason to believe that these goals are being sidetracked
or forgotten.
Those in authority under the
New Society are committed, by their own declarations, to promote truth and
justice. As Christians, we should help them, by our prayers and sacrifices,
in becoming more dedicated to the achievement of these goals.
I urge you, therefore, to say
prayers of reparation for the injustices which have been committed, and for
injustices which are being committed. I also ask you to say prayers of petition
so that those responsible for our government in the New Society may dedicate
themselves with sincerity to the promotion of justice among our people. I
ask you also to pray so that those who are now under detention may be dealt
with fairly, justly and speedily.
To this end, I am inviting
you — and all others who may feel as you do — to a Vigil of Prayer for these
intentions. These prayers will be said at the Manila Cathedral on September
1 starting at three o’clock
in the afternoon.
During that vigil, let us pray
for ourselves and our leaders, let us pray for those who are under detention
and are suffering, to the end that all of us may live under a reign of truth
and justice, peace and freedom.
May the good Lord bless you
always.
Devotedly yours in Christ,
(SGD.) + JAIME L. SIN, D.D.
Archbishop of Manila
