The Catholic Church is “in no position to dictate on the state what is best for Filipino families,” the statement claims. “We know that our stubborn assertion that a genuine marriage cannot be dissolved is not necessarily shared by all religions, and we respect that.”
“But before we join the bandwagon, shouldn’t we ask ourselves, on the basis of research and statistics, if the legalization of divorce all over the world has indeed helped in protecting the common good and the welfare of the family?” they wrote.
In their letter the bishops urged the country to adhere to the principle of “maghunosdili muna tayo at mag-isip-isip,” which in the Filipino language of Tagalog means “Let’s keep our cool and ask ourselves.”
“Think about the many times your parents had gotten into each other’s nerves and were almost tempted to call it quits,” the prelates wrote. “Think about the number of times your father slept ‘outside the kulambo’ or your mother packed up her things and brought you with her to her parents’ home, because of a misunderstanding between the two of them.”
“Think about what could have long happened to your own family if civil divorce had already been available when you were much younger, and your parents were going through some serious problems in their relationship,” the prelates said.
The statement acknowledged that “some marriages might indeed be beyond repair,” but they pointed out that marital crises are a regular part of many marriages from time to time.
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