Silence Is Never The Response

It was with great disappointment I read the statement issued by Archbishop Socrates Villegas, as a response to threats from president-elect, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City. Disappointed, because I would have preferred to hear more from the powerful organization he represents. Instead, he issues a mediocre reply. And, it took him several days to come up with it?

Silence accomplishes nothing. It will only encourage more mockery from the oppressor. It will embolden his ilk to act brazenly towards the achievement of their villainous ends. And what of the flock? Does a good shepherd indulge in silent meditation while tribulation lurks in close proximity? What good is the staff if the shepherd prefers indifference to confronting an abomination? Where will the sheep turn to when the tempest arrives? Another shepherd? These are but a few questions the good Archbishop of Lingayen needs to ponder on as he sulks in his quietude.

I don't claim to know the politics that transpire inside the nether crevices of the Philippine Catholic Church. But, I believe the monsignor was very careful with his words, and gingerly avoided any confrontation with other bishops. Laughable as it may seem, but the mayor does enjoy the admiration of a  lot of Catholic clergymen and its hierarchy. There should be an oxymoron to be found in that.

In the past, the Catholic Church has used silence as a weapon against oppressive secular powers. In the 1930s, the Nazi regime in Germany prospered using brutal methods. Thousands of people were killed or went missing in Argentina during the rule of the military junta. At around the same time in the 1970s, the equally malevolent dictator, Ferdinand Marcos waged a campaign of death and corruption in our own realm. Until Jaime Cardinal Sin heroically salvaged the situation. While the faithful suffered under the hands of tyranny, the princes of the Church insulated themselves in silence. We don't need silent shepherds. We need more cardinals named Sin!