WE, the bishops, priests and lay leaders who compose the Mindanao Council of Leaders of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) welcome the visit of Pope Francis in the Philippines who will arrive on January 15, 2015. As we gather in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City for continuing study and program planning on January 6-8, 2015, we further contemplate on his state visit that it may bring justice to the poor, deprived, oppressed and suffering Filipino people.
The centuries of hardship wrought by colonialism are still felt by the Filipino people even until today. Haciendas and big track of lands are still owned by the few elite families in our country. The compradors and big landlords still dominate the Philippine society, who is exercising their political power like running big business enterprises. Political patronage, wardlordism and fascism are being employed by the local politicians just to remain in power.
The government lead by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III perpetuates this
unjust system. The entire bureaucracy is doomed to succumb to a great
failure.
What can a father of an influential institution may bring on his state visit in this country ruled by elite politicians and oppressors? From the perspective of the poor, deprived, oppressed and suffering Filipino people, the Pope’s visit may bring Good News to them. As they long for social justice, they pray and hope that the Pope may express a message of emancipation, fullness of life and lasting peace. The victims of extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearance, trumped-up charges, arbitrary arrests and illegal detentions want the Pope to say something about their life-situation, about justice and liberation.
They may not come closer to the Pope, but they want their cry be heard and answered. In their behalf the Obispo Maximo of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, the Most Rev’d Ephraim S. Fajutagana, D.D. as he is one of the non-Roman Catholic Church leaders invited for a dialogue with the Pope will bring their concerns. Because the IFI is the tangible result of the struggle of the Filipinos against colonialism and oppressive political and economic system, it is the Obispo Maximo’s obligation to be able to bring to the Pope the cry of the poor, deprived, oppressed and suffering people.
As we hope and pray for a successful visit of the Pope, in the earnest, we
demand from our government the release of all political prisoners and the
resumption of the stalled peace talks between the Philippine government and
the National Democratic Front of the Philippines as an offering to the pope and the Filipino people.
RIGHT REV’D ANTONIO N. ABLON
Diocesan Bishop, Diocese of Pagadian and
Vice Chair for Mindanao West District
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