CBCP issued Statement on the PCSO Controversial Scandal

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The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday July 11, 2011 issued an official statement over the controversial vehicle donations from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

“As shepherds struggling to love you like Jesus the Good Shepherd, we are sorry for the pain and sadness that these events have brought upon you,” the CBCP, through its current President, Bishop Nereo Odchimar said in a Pastoral Statement.

The CBCP said they are also “saddened that many of you, especially the youth, the poor, our Basic Ecclesial Communities, have been confused because of the apparent inconsistency of our actions with our pastoral preaching.”

And while it maintains the bishops accepted the donations “without malice,” the CBCP said bishops involved in the scandal are also willing to “accept responsibility for their action.”

On top of the controversy is Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos who accepted a sports utility vehicle from former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through PCSO’s funds. Pueblos recently hit President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s performance and said he does not deserve to lead the country (Related story: Malacanang hits prelate).

“We assure you that the bishops concerned are ready to accept responsibility for their actions and to face the consequences if it would be proven unlawful, anomalous, and unconstitutional,” CBCP added in its statement.

The highly-influential CBCP has also vowed to “re-examine” their values.

“We also assure you, our beloved people, that we shall re-examine the manner of our collaboration with government agencies for purposes of helping the poor, making sure that pastoral sensibilities are respected and the highest ethical standards are observed,” CBCP added.

The Senate is set to conduct an inquiry into the controversy this week.

Here the official statement of the CBCP:

A time of pain, a time of grace
(A Pastoral Statement)

Our Dear People of God,

Our Mother Church has been deeply wounded by the controversies in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office that have erupted in the past two weeks. Some members of the Church believe in the innocence of the bishops involved in the issue, while others do not. There is no doubt that everywhere in the Church there is great sorrow. We your pastors are one with you. As shepherds struggling to love you like Jesus the Good Shepherd, we are sorry for the pain and sadness that these events have brought upon you.

We are saddened that many of you, especially the youth, the poor, our Basic Ecclesial Communities, have been confused because of the apparent inconsistency of our actions with our pastoral preaching.

As we express our sadness, we also ask you to be slow in judgment and to conscientiously seek the whole truth behind the controversy. Let us seek the truth always in charity.

We assure you that the bishops concerned are ready to accept responsibility for their action and to face the consequences if it would be proven unlawful, anomalous, and unconstitutional. We assure you that their action was done without malice. Out of their sincere desire to help their people, they failed to consider the pitfalls to which these grants could possibly lead them. They have also expressed their readiness to do everything that is necessary to heal this wound so that we can all move forward in hope.

We also assure you, our beloved people, that we shall re-examine the manner of our collaboration with government agencies for purposes of helping the poor, making sure that pastoral sensibilities are respected and the highest ethical standards are observed. We shall examine our values in the light of our vocation to be disciples of Jesus Christ. We commit ourselves to the long journey of personal and social transformation required of all disciples of the Lord. We plead with you to walk with us in this path of constant renewal.

We express again our deep sorrow for the pain that the recent events have brought to you our beloved people. The good Lord knows our love for you. The words of the psalmist come to our mind: “My sacrifice, a contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn” (Ps.51). As the same Psalmist addresses the Lord, we take his words as our own to encourage and challenge us: “Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.”

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines,

+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
July 11, 2011