Church bells in Manila to simultaneously ring in protest of reproductive bill

MANILA, Philippines - Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Manila will simultaneously toll their bells on Friday evening to protest the Reproductive Health bill now pending in Congress. An article posted on Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website quoted Manila Auxiliary Bishop Bernardino Cortez as saying the simultaneous bell ringing at 6 p.m. on Friday expresses the Catholics' firm belief in life and commitment to stand up for life. Manila archdiocese has 84 parishes and nine shrines, basilicas and chapels. Catholic bishops have earlier called for the junking of the House Bill 812 or the “Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008" on moral grounds. The CBCP said the House Bill would push the free distribution of artificial contraceptives such as pills, condoms and IUD. The use of contraceptives is against the teachings of the Church. The group also described the proposed legislation - authored and sponsored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin - as a "DEATH bill because they eventually lead to Divorce, Euthanasia, Abortion, Total Reproductive Health and Homosexuality." The CBCP said Sections 3, 10, 11 and 12 of the consolidated House bill promote abortion and promiscuity and threaten to eliminate the Filipino race by promoting artificial birth control methods. It noted that the Church supports only natural family planning methods such as the Basal Body Temperature and Billings Ovulation Method. Cortez issued a circular letter asking all priests in the archdiocese for the activity, which will be part of the commemoration of the 40th year of the Encyclical “Humanae Vitae" (in Regulation of Birth). Humanae Vitae prohibits the use of artificial contraception and its reiteration of the Church’s downright condemnation of abortion. Cortez also enjoined the parishioners, Christian communities and schools to participate in the prayer rally for Humanae Vitae “40" on also on Friday at the Parade Ground of University of Santo Tomas in España, Manila. The prayer rally will be led by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and his auxiliary bishops. - Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV