The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) discourages Catholic priests to carry firearms. These recent days, the news has reported a good number of Catholic priests asking for a permit from the Philippine National Police (PNP) that they are allowed to carry firearms as, during last six months, three priests were killed.
As reported by mattersindia.com, His Grace Archbishop Romulo G. Valles of Davao, and CBCP president remarked that “I am very much aware of the day-to-day dangers to our lives these days, especially with the killing of three priests in recent months. Together with other reported killings, we are most disturbed and deeply saddened by the death of these priests. We have strongly condemned these killings. But still, to me, it does not warrant at all that priests carry firearms. That is why we give our trust and confidence to our PNP and other related peace and order personnel in the government. We pray for them and challenge them to do their very best in this very difficult and demanding task of protecting all of us, including priests.”
For priests in other archdioceses, this is a matter that a priest should talk and discuss with one’s bishops and among themselves as priests – regarding the appropriateness and witness to people if one carries firearms.
Source: www.mattersindia.com
