Pope says Philippine church must fight corruption through education

Published: 2003-10-30

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic Church in the Philippines, while not getting directly involved in political battles, must help the country fight corruption by educating people in moral values, Pope John Paul II said. "To eliminate corruption calls for the committed support of all citizens, the resolute determination of the authorities and a firm moral conscience," the pope said in an Oct. 30 message to a group of Filipino bishops. Archbishop Diosdado Talamayan of Tuguegarao, speaking on behalf of the bishops, told the pope, "Graft and corruption in different levels of society continue to be our problem." The bishops, who were making their "ad limina" visits to report on the status of their dioceses, told the pope they have asked all Filipino Catholics to make a novena to the Sacred Heart on the first Friday of every month beginning in November as a prayer for an end to corruption in their society.

Copyright (c) 2003 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .