Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Filipino priest Eddie Panlilio: hey, if I lose the election, I can always go back to the priesthood!

Father Eddie Panlilio, a priest running for president of the Philippines, doesn't seem to care much about his superiors, Canon Law, or anything much to do with his presumed vocation, according to this ZENIT article.

The guy's running for president. Even though it's against Canon Law.

'Course, Canon Law doesn't seem to matter much to Father Panlilio...he already holds a political post: he's governor of the province of Pampangna. Which resulted in his suspension by his archbishop, but what the heck.

"The situation is causing division among the Philippine faithful."

Why is this? Are the Philippine faithful unaware of the Canon forbidding priests to hold political office? Perhaps they are. If so, why the ignorance? Do not the Filipino priests inform the faithful of this? Or is this another instance of—as we've seen in the U.S.—priests muzzled (or presuming they're muzzled) and therefore unable to preach against Catholics voting for certain candidates?
The situation is causing division among the Philippine faithful. Perhaps the most vociferous support for Father Panlilio comes from the Philippine Alliance of Xseminarians, PAX, which claims some one million members, some of whom are lay, others who are priests.
Ah..."some one million members." Perhaps. Are these "Xseminarians" (some of whom are priests) educating the Philippine faithful?

Read the whole article, if you have the time, but here's the money quote:
Father Panlilio…has affirmed that, if he were to receive authorization, he would take up again his priestly ministry in the event that he does not win the presidency.
Forgive me, but isn't this sorta putting this world in second place, so to speak, to the Kingdom of God?