Cardinal-designate Tagle laments 'practical atheism' among some Pinoys

Lamenting what he called a lack of faith among some Filipinos, Cardinal-designate Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle on Saturday called for a revival of faith in God.

 

As he launched the Year of Faith at the San Fernando de Dilao church in Paco, Tagle said "practical atheism" is one of the major obstacles to evangelization.

 

“There is atheism which (some Catholics) openly said that they don’t believe in God and there are also those who claim that they are faithful but live as if God doesn’t exist,” Tagle said, according to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site.

 

He added that while some Catholics claim they believe in God, their actions do not match their words.

 

This includes some Catholics who go to Mass on Sundays, he said.

 

“During Sundays, we profess our faith to God. But starting Monday, cheating happens because of money ... we take advantage of other people for our own interests,” he said.

 

Tagle, who returned to the country earlier this week from attending the Synod of Bishops in Rome, is to return to Rome later this month. On Nov. 24, Pope Benedict XVI will formalize Tagle's designation as a cardinal. — ELR, GMA News