Today's column by Fr. Bel San Luis SVD in Manila Bulletin:
Word Alive
By FR. BEL R. SAN LUIS, SVD
IN light of the voting in Congress on the RH Bill, it is timely and proper to remind our congressmen and senators of St. Thomas More, patron saint of lawyers and politicians, whose exemplary life and firm conviction were highlighted in the multi-awarded movie “A Man For All Seasons.”
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A devout layman and brilliant lawyer, Thomas was appointed High Chancellor of England by King Henry VIII. At a crucial point, Thomas was made to choose between friendship and loyalty to the king and his faith and conscience.
He chose the latter when he opposed King Henry’s decision to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon, marry Anne Boleyn, and make himself supreme head of the Church of England
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Rather than approve what he believed was against God’s will, he resigned from his prestigious and wealthy position as Lord Chancellor and lived a life of poverty. Because he would not give his support to the king, Thomas More was arrested, convicted of treason, imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1534, and beheaded in July of the following year. On his way to public execution, Thomas More encouraged the people to remain steadfast in the faith. His last recorded words were: “I DIE THE KING’S GOOD SERVANT, BUT GOD’S FIRST.”
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In the name of political loyalty, some Christian politicians today have surrendered their consciences to their party leaders or the President. A good example is the RH Bill’s voting. Certain politicians favor the RH Bill because of their loyalty to the President or they may risk losing their pork barrel and crucial projects in the coming election year.
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The indomitable spirit and religious conviction of Thomas More should be an inspiration to our congressmen and senators to reject a bill that is ethically unacceptable and contrary to the will of God.
As Christians, whether politician or citizen, we should be loyal to our country indeed – but loyal citizens of God’s Kingdom FIRST.
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SOMETHING FISHY? In her column last Dec. 5, 2012 entitled “A Day to Remember at the House of Representatives,” Belinda O. Cunanan reports, “Last night, people power in red ‘occupied’ the House of Representatives at close to midnight, after waiting for the House leaders who failed to show up after ‘suspending’ session supposedly for ‘a few minutes.’
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“The uproar that caused the ‘suspension for a few minutes’ came after the nominal voting that Cebu Rep. and Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia Sr. had sought on his amendment. Garcia wanted the provision unequivocably inserted in the substitute RH bill that would define as the beginning of life the moment of conception – not at ‘implantation’ as the pro-RH bloc wanted…
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“Garcia’s amendment on conception was ruled lost in the nominal voting after the secretariat said there were 57 votes for the amendment, vs. 81 against it. Earlier it was announced that 150 House members present assured quorum (a quorum needs 146 members).
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“But when the total number of votes came in, there were only 139 members, and Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay quickly stood up to question the quorum.”
Belinda Cunanan remarked that the night ended in confusion, suspension, and frustration.
