Cardinal Rosales calls for calm, unity
“Sa pag-uusap ng tunay na magkakapatid,
lahat ay mananalo.”

Cardinal-elect Gaudencio B. Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, has called on the people to remain calm after the declaration of a state of emergency by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “We are in a sensitive situation,” he said. “The first EDSA was the result of prayer; not a propaganda kind of prayer, but sincere prayer. The problem is not with the 10, the 100, but with all of us. We should face that.”

In an interview by reporters after the Farewell Mass for outgoing Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Antonio Franco at the Manila Cathedral this morning, Feb. 24, Cardinal Rosales asked his countrymen to act with sobriety and humility. Speaking in Filipino, he said, some may say that all are right, and others may say all are wrong, but what is important is that, in the eyes of God, we ask for unity.

In Filipino, he said, “ito ang panawagan ng Simbahan sa inyo, huminahon kayo. Anuman ang pananampalataya n’yo, anuman ang relihiyon, lahat tayo ay magkaisa. Una sa lahat sa panalangin at kahinahunan at pag-uusapan, at kung magkasundo lahat dapat mag-sakripisyo para walang sasabihing siya ay panalo o siya ay talo. Sa pag-uusap ng tunay na magkakapatid, lahat ay mananalo.”

The declaration of the state of emergency does not bode well, he said. Why was it declared? He asked.

"First because there is danger; second there is the great temptation for the different contending factions to use force and violence. This is not right because this takes away the power of peace from the people as the real spirit of EDSA. EDSA I in 1986 became the model for the world because there was not the use of force.”

Cardinal Rosales called on all those who wish to assert their individual beliefs and principles to talk it out. “It is not good to show the world and the youth these disagreements and conflicts; these accusations and counter-accusations that we take to the streets are infantile acts. Those who have issues to raise should do so with humility. Hindi maaaring katulad ng isang pamilya ma girian ng girian. Huwag sanang ganoon, konting lamig para sa mga Pilipino, magkaisa tayo.”

His final message: “Ito ang panawagan ng Simbahan sa inyo, huminahon tayo. Anuman ang pananampalataya n’yo, anuman ang relihiyon, lahat tayo ay magkaisa. Una sa lahat sa panalangin at kahinahunan at pag-uusapan, at kung magkasundo lahat dapat mag-sakripisyo para walang sasabihing siya ay panalo o siya ay talo. Sa pag-uusap ng tunay na magkakapatid, lahat ay mananalo.”