Filipino bishops urge caution amid coronavirus report

CNA Staff, Apr 2, 2020 / 01:05 pm (CNA).- A parish in the Philippines has canceled an “online general absolution.” Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish in Quezon City, Philippines had advertised the event would be available by livestream, and was set to take place on April 3. 

On Thursday, the parish issued a retraction and an apology. 

“Fr. Nelson wants to correct himself. General absolution cannot be given via online,” said a statement issued by the parish. 

“The penitent must be physically present— meaning, the priest who absolves and the penitent who receives the absolution must be in the same place,” the statement clarified. 

According to the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary, which has authority over the sacrament of confession and matters falling under the sacramental seal, general absolution without prior individual confession may only be imparted where the imminent danger of death occurs, when there is not enough time to listen to the confessions of individual penitents, or there is a serious need. 

Amid the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) and many dioceses worldwide suspending Masses and confessions, the Vatican has clarified that if a general absolution is done, it must be approved by the bishop, and it must be done in person. 

Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, clarified on March 19 that priests giving general absolution in particular cases must explain the conditions of general absolution, and also must be physically present to those receiving it, at least to the point of penitents being able to hear the priest’s voice.

Father Pius Pietrzyk, OP, chair of pastoral studies at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California, told CNA Thursday that the sacraments must be an encounter between the priest and the person receiving the sacrament.

In the same way that a penitent could not confess their sins to a priest over the telephone— which would remove the person-to-person encounter of the sacrament— offering general absolution online removes the unity between the priest and the penitents, and therefore is not valid, he said. 

“This kind of virtual presentation of the sacrament is not what the Church understands a sacrament to be,” he said. 

“They need to understand that what they are doing is not a sacrament.”

In addition, the law is abundantly clear, he said, that if general absolution is given, the bishop must give the parameters. Parishes must get permission from the bishop to offer general absolution, he said. 

A parish employee at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish was unable to confirm whether the cancelation of the planned online general absolution was the result of an intervention on the part of the bishop. 

Another Philippines parish, Our Lady of Sorrows in the Diocese of Tarlac is, as of press time, going ahead with a livestreamed general absolution for its viewers “with the explicit permission of the Bishop of Tarlac.” 

The Diocese of Tarlac and Bishop Enrique Macaraeg did not reply to CNA’s request for comment by press time. 

Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, Archbishop of Jakarta, reportedly led an online general absolution on Monday. 

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Lahore, Pakistan, Nov 2, 2018 / 02:30 pm (CNA).- Following an outbreak of protests in Pakistan in response the acquittal of Asia Bibi on charges of blasphemy, the government has reportedly begun the process of adding her to a list that would prohibit her from leaving the country.

According to Pakistani news source Dawn, the government have made an agreement with the Islamist political party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which coordinated the protests against Bibi’s release.

Thousands of angry demonstrators have taken to the streets in the major cities of Islamabad and Lahore, demanding Bibi’s execution.

According to Dawn, in exchange for the TLP halting the protests, the government has agreed to review an appeal of Bibi’s acquittal, and to begin the process of placing her name on the “exit control list,” which would prevent her from leaving the country.

Bibi has not appeared in public following her aquittal due to the protests and concerns for her safety. Prime Minister and former cricket player Imran Khan has called for peace. Khan was elected following a public statement in support of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, a move many commentators considered to be a sopp to hardline voters and a reversal of his platform as a reforming populist.

Some figures in the Pakistani government have denied that her name will be placed on the exit control list. Her current whereabouts are unknown, with some reports suggesting that she is being held in a secured location.

As part of the reported agreement, the Pakistani government also said to have undertaken to release anyone who was arrested during the four days of protests, and the TLP will apologize to anyone “inconvenienced” by the demonstrations.

Bibi was acquitted of blasphemy charges and her death sentence was overturned on October 30. Protests against her release commenced almost immediately.

The blasphemy charges stemmed from an argument over a cup of water in June 2009.

Bibi, whose family were the only Christians in her village, attempted to drink from a cup of water that had previously been used by Muslims. She was told that she could not, as she was “unclean” due to her faith. An argument ensued, and Bibi allegedly said disparaging remarks about the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Several days later, Bibi was reported to authorities.

She is the first female non-Muslim in Pakistan to be charged with blasphemy. She and her family say she is innocent of the charges.

In 2010, she was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death by hanging. In Pakistan, defaming Muhammad carries a mandatory death sentence.

Bibi had repeatedly appealed her sentence. Her conviction was upheld in 2014 before the Pakistani Supreme Court agreed to hear her appeal. During this time, two government officials who expressed sympathy towards her plight were assassinated by Islamic extremists.

The complainant in the blasphemy case has now filed a review petition against the supreme court’s decision to overturn her death sentence and conviction. He has also requested that Bibi be placed on the exit control list until that appeal is heard.

It is unclear where Bibi will go after she is released and if she is permitted to leave Pakistan. Her husband and children lived in the U.K. during her trial and appeals process, and she has been offered asylum by several countries.

[…]

Archbishop Virgilio do Carmo da Silva of Dili, who will be made a cardinal Aug. 27, says Mass April 9, 2016. / José Fernando Real via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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