Filipino cardinals sign appeal to Pope Francis vs. divorce, same-sex marriage

Several Church leaders signed the online "filial appeal" to Pope Francis asking him to "clarify the growing confusion amongst the faithful" on teachings on family and marriage. 

 

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said among those who signed the filial appeal include Cardinals Gaudencio Rosales and Ricardo Vidal. 

 

As of Tuesday night, the petition has gathered more than 400,000 signatures worldwide. 

 

The filial appeal asks Pope Francis to "reaffirm categorically the Catholic teaching that divorced and civilly remarried Catholics cannot receive Holy Communion and that homosexual unions are contrary to Divine and natural law."

 

The Philippines is the only country in the world, aside from Vatican City, where divorce is considered illegal.

 

Same-sex marriages are also not legally recognized in the country. 

 

"A word from Your Holiness is the only way to clarify the growing confusion amongst the faithful. It would prevent the very teaching of Jesus Christ from being watered-down and would dispel the darkness looming over our children’s future should that beacon no longer light their way," the petition read. 

 

The appeal was launched ahead of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican in October, with the theme "The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and in the Contemporary World."

 

Other Filipino petitioners include representatives from Human Life International, ProLife Philippines, Rosary for Life, and Thomas More Law Society.

 

Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, a known critic of the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) law, as well as former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa, also signed the petition. —JST, GMA News