A priest of the Diocese of Dumaguete has dared members of the laity and the entire community to truly live their faith by not being lukewarm to the series of killings in the capital city and other parts of Negros Oriental.
Msgr. Julius Heruela, rector of the St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish — the seat of the diocese — issued the challenge during recent Masses he offered in honor of the Sto. Niño (the Holy Infant Jesus), of which many fiestas were held in Dumaguete this month.
The priest lamented that while people continue to profess their faiths and claim to be devotees to the Child Jesus, their actions run counter in that they are seemingly indifferent to what is happening in society today.
To live the faith according to the examples of Jesus is to openly protect the value of life, according to Msgr. Heruela.
According to him, nobody has the right or authority to take a life, regardless of the background of a person.
He was referring to the senseless killings in Dumaguete and other parts of the province where majority of the victims were tagged by police as involved in the illegal drugs trade.
Msgr. Heruela noted that in the past, when a prominent member of the community is gunned down, individuals or groups immediately come out in the open to put pressure on authorities for the immediate solutions of the crimes.
In some instances, groups have gone to the extent of having police officials sacked and writing higher authorities in government agencies for this.
This is no longer seen these days, he said. Also, he notes that families of the victims killed tend to keep mum instead of seeking justice for their dead family member because of the “stigma” brought about by the alleged involvement of the victim in the illegal drug trade.
The preservation of life is one of the pillars of the Catholic faith and emphasis is placed on respecting the life of each individual, the priest said.
The sanctity and value of human life must not be ignored by those who profess to follow Christ’s examples, Heruela said.
In this Year of the Laity, and the observance of Pro-Life month in February, Msgr. Heruela reiterated his challenge to the lay faithful to take an active stand in the preservation and protection of human life. (PNA)
